Have you or your colleagues been unfairly impacted by management decision-making? Are you on a contract of less than five years? Have you lost your leave entitlements because you transferred between employers for the sake of furthering your medical training?

You need to share your story now – because the State Government doesn’t think this impacts your wellbeing. Help us to help you, as we raise our collective voice against the indiscriminate nature of WA Health policies and hold the bureaucracy to account. Your experience will help inform and underpin our advocacy.

All details will be kept confidential and secure.

More than 800 doctors in training took part in the AMA (WA)’s Hospital Health Check (HHC) – an annual audit that examines just how well our public hospital system is suited to facilitate the effective training of clinicians and care of patients.

In what has been one of the worst overall scores since HHC commenced in 2015, this year’s report card demonstrates another chapter in the long, sad decline of the WA Health Department and public hospitals as a good employment and training environment.

AMA (WA) President Dr Andrew Miller recently participated in a Business News podcast alongside Law Society of WA President Nick van Hatten. Dr Miller, who also has a law degree, and Mr van Hatten discussed the issue of smarter borders and a transition to the more open movement of Australians in and out of Western Australia, as well as the health and legal consequences behind our State's border controls. The podcast was moderated by Business News journalist Jordan Murray.

This year the AMA (WA) will once again honour the achievements of doctors in WA's health sector. Nominations for the 2020 AMA (WA) Awards are now open and below are details for two awards which will be presented in December 2020.

Nominations for the prestigious AMA (WA) Hippocrates Award are invited from all sectors of the medical profession. This award is to honour those who have made a significant contribution to medicine and it is expected that nominees will have demonstrated a tireless dedication to the service of others, their chosen field, or be pioneers in the health and medical research sector.

Last year, Professor John Newnham (pictured) was honoured for his successful work in reducing pre-term births, which attracted international recognition. He has since become Senior Australian of the Year 2020.

Nominations should be accompanied by adequate evidence of achievements or contributions to health and include the names of supporting referees. The winner is presented with a fine bronze bust of Hippocrates – “the Hippo”.

You can access a nomination form here. Nominations for the award will close at 4.30pm on Tuesday 17 November 2020.

The AMA (WA) is asking rural and remote doctors to provide feedback on the operation of the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS). 

Doctors are invited to complete a short survey (five minutes) to provide feedback, which will be used to support improvements to the PATS service.

AMA members are eligible to receive up to $2,000^ cashback on any loans successfully settled between 4 November 2020 and 31 December 2021.

The cashback offer is in addition to any bank/lender cashback offers (if eligible) that you receive, giving you more cash in your pocket.

No matter the type of loan, whether it’s a new home loan, investment loan or refinancing, you will be entitled to the cashback offer.

If you’re not currently an AMA member and decide to join, you will receive the AMA cashback offer plus access to the AMA’s exclusive member benefits, with discounts across a wide range of goods and services including finance, home & motor, legal, food & wine, health & fitness, technology, travel & accommodation and shopping & leisure. Join Now.

Calling all current interns and those starting in 2021...

Mark your calendars for the AMA (WA) end-of-year Intern Celebration. This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ for your support and hard work in what has been a most unusual and challenging year for the medical profession.

Here’s a chance to catch up with colleagues and network with your peers in the hip environs of The Flour Factory.

Places are filling fast, so get in quick.

FREE for AMA (WA) members

$60pp for non-members

Group Discount: Buy 3 tickets & get the 4th FREE

To register via Facebook, click here: 

Earlier this week, the AMA (WA) partnered with Far East Consortium to host an exclusive invitation-only event at the stunning waterfront penthouses at The Towers at Elizabeth Quay.

AMA (WA) councillors, committee members and select stakeholders enjoyed a special evening with magnificent views, exquisite flavours courtesy of Chef Jed Gerrard of the Ritz-Carlton and great company.

Look out for the next edition of Medicus for a full report.

The AMA (WA) is working with the Mental Health Commission to help raise awareness about the new ‘Alcohol.Think Again’ campaign.

The campaign aims to reduce alcohol use by reiterating the link between alcohol use and cancer. It shines a light on the fact that alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen and is linked to more than 200 diseases, including at least seven types of cancer. The impact of alcohol-related cancer on WA individuals, families, communities and the health system is significant.

For more information about the campaign, including downloadable resources (posters, factsheets, brochures etc.) click the Read More button below.

The AMA (WA), through its Medical Products division, has secured a new contract with Sanofi to supply private influenza vaccines for patients not eligible for the government-funded NIP vaccine and will be able to supply practices at the same time as initial NIP vaccine distribution from WA Health.

Practices should be looking at their active patient base to determine quantities and are encouraged to confirm orders by COB Friday 18 December 2020.

Email any enquiries to vaccines@amamedicalproducts.com.au

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) is the regulator of Life companies in Australia. APRA has determined that the Income Protection policies currently available via financial advisers are too generous in their terms and conditions, with claims paid far exceeding the insurance premiums received over the past decade.

For this reason, the way that policies are offered to clients will change in the future. APRA will force insurers to stop offering these types of policies to new clients after 30 June 2021.

However, Income Protection policies in place before this date will be able to retain their coverage without any changes to the policy wording, until the policies expire (typically when you turn 65), assuming you retain the policy.