Industrial Negotiations agreement reached

Negotiations between the Association and the Department of Health (DOH) have been ongoing since March 2013. These negotiations have been difficult given the state of the economy, the loss of WA’s AAA credit rating and the recent bargaining outcomes for medical practitioners in the Eastern states.

Despite these difficulties, the Association has now reached a formal agreement with the Department of Health. The Association believes that this agreement provides excellent outcomes for medical practitioners in the public health system and ensures WA practitioners remain amongst the best paid in the country.

View an overview of the changes applying to salaried Senior Practitioners employed  throughout the public sector.

AMA (WA) calls for comprehensive overhaul of Medicare Locals

The time has come for a major overhaul of Medicare Locals, AMA (WA) Vice President
Dr Michael Gannon has said.

“We are calling on the Abbott Government to launch a complete and comprehensive overhaul of the entire model, including a name-change,” Dr Gannon said.

The AMA’s submission has been made to the Australian Government’s Review of Medicare Locals.

For more on this report, please click here. 

WA Childhood Injury Surveillance Biannual Bulletin

The Latest WA Childhood Injury Surveillance Biannual Bulletin produced by Kidsafe WA with the support of the WA Department of Health focuses on the prevalence of injuries to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The bulletin shows that young Aboriginal people across Western Australia are nearly twice as likely as non-Aboriginal people to be hospitalised for an injury.

For more on this report, please click here.

More action needed on Indigenous health: AMA (WA)

Although healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander citizens is improving, the health gap remains unacceptably large, the Australian Medical Association (WA) President Dr Richard Choong has said.

For more on this report, please click here.

Returned travellers from Bali behind spike in chikungunya virus infections

There has been a dramatic increase in notifications of chikungunya virus disease, with 51 cases reported in September 2013. This increase is attributable wholly to an increase in the number of cases acquired in Bali, Indonesia. Of the 51 cases notified to date, most were females and the median age was 45 years (range: 10–74 years).

92 per cent  of these cases reported recent travel to Indonesia, and among these, 94 per cent had been to Bali. The remaining four chikungunya cases in 2013 acquired their infections in Papua New Guinea, Singapore and one case in an unspecified location in South-East Asia. 

For more on this report, and for the latest D.O.H issue of Disease WAtch, please click here 

Queensland Police asks for AMA assistance

The Queensland Police Service is seeking assistance from doctors around the nation in relation to a homicide that occurred at Cedar Pocket, Queensland on 19 September  2013.

Investigations to date have failed to establish the identity of the deceased male involved in the homicide investigation. The Queensland Police Service is hoping that medical practitioners may be able to identify the deceased individual from his scars (pictured) and from the following information dicovered during forensic investigations. 

Medibank and IPN Alliance

The AMA has been contacted by a number of members expressing concerns over an arrangement reached between Medibank Private and IPN where participating GPs at a number of nominated IPN practices agree to bulk bill Medibank Private members.

For more information, please click here. 

Travelling in 2014? Don’t miss out on this…

Did you know? AMA Insurance Brokers manage an annual travel insurance scheme for AMA members and medical professionals with UNLIMITED travel.

We invite you to view the benefits the scheme provides and to call us to see how your future travel plans can be made even easier and safer.

To view the benefits, please click here.

All at AMA Insurance Brokers and Financial Services wish you a spectacular and safe Christmas and New Year.

Telethon-Perth Children's Hospital Research Fund

The second round of the Telethon-Perth Children's Hospital Research Fund (TPCHRF) is now open. 

Aimed at funding short-term research projects that focus on the health of children and adolescents in WA, researchers may be awarded up to $250,000 for their project.

Projects must be completed within 24 months. 

For applications, please click here

For advice on submitting applications, contact the Research Development Unit by email.

AMA supports new immunisation information app

AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said last week that the AMA welcomes the Australian Academy of Science’s new Science Q&A app as an important addition to the immunisation evidence base to help parents make informed decisions about the health of their children.

For more on this report, please click here. 

AMA Medical Products Trading Hours

Members are reminded that AMA Medical Products will be closed for business from 5pm on Monday 23 December 2013, and will resume normal business on Thursday 2 January 2014.

Skeleton staff within our customer service and sales teams will be available to assist you on 30 and 31 December.

AMA Medical Products will be closed on all Public Holidays as well as 24 and 27 December.

The team at Medical Products thanks you for your co-operation and understanding in this matter, and for your ongoing loyalty and custom.

Full-time Metro GP required

A full-time position in the inner metro Perth area is availible from February 2014. 

The position has excellent earning potential, is a private billing practice and is in a prime location. 

If you would like further information on this or other vacancies available please contact one of our consultants for a confidential discussion at AMA Recruit on 9273 3033 or via email 

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