AMA (WA) launches sexual harassment campaign

A new campaign jointly prepared and funded by the Australian Medical Association (WA) and the WA Health Department will tackle the insidious and damaging practice of sexual harassment in medical workplaces.

“There is no place for sexual harassment in any workplace, especially in WA medicine. This is a harmful, deep-rooted practice and it must be called out and stopped wherever and whenever it is seen or experienced,” AMA (WA) President Dr Omar Khorshid said.

The campaign will begin with the placement of confronting A3 sized posters around WA hospitals and the launch of a website, SH-OUT, or Sexual Harassment OUT.

For more information, please click here. 

Update on sleepshift claims

The AMA (WA) has been successful in ensuring a group of psychiatric registrars receive back-pay for the occasions they worked consecutive shifts without an eight-hour break between the shifts and were not paid 50 per cent penalty prescribed by the WA Health System – Medical Practitioners – AMA Industrial Agreement 2016 (AMA Agreement).

The initial claim was strongly resisted by the DOH and the AMA (WA) had to take the matter to court before the Department finally agreed to pay the allowance.

DOH agreed to back-pay the claim to August 2010.

To date, a total of $999,022 of back payment has been returned to members.

If members have any queries concerning this matter, please contact David Copland or Sandra Thorp at the AMA (WA).

AMA (WA) files a claim to seek correct payment of call back rates to Consultants

The AMA (WA), following ongoing discussions and correspondence with the Department of Health (Department) and Health Service Providers in relation to the interpretation and application of Clause 33 of the AMA Agreement, has notified the Department that it is in dispute.

The issue concerns the attitude of the Department and HSPs that call back rates are only payable to senior practitioners placed on call where the practitioner is required and called back to return to the workplace, having left the premises at the end of their rostered ordinary hours.

The AMA (WA) does not agree with the above interpretation, and is of the position that this represents a change in the previously long-standing practice whereby additional hours worked by an on call practitioner immediately following their normal rostered hours were characterised and paid at call back rates.

For the past 12 months, the AWA (WA) and the Department have been engaged in ongoing discussion regarding the interpretation and application of Clause 33. To date, no agreement or resolution has been achieved.

Accordingly, the AMA (WA) formally notified the Department that it is in dispute in accordance with Clause 54 of the AMA Agreement. Having not received any response from the Department, the AMA (WA) has referred the matter to the WA Industrial Relations Commission for conciliation and if necessary, arbitration.

Doctors employed in Corrective Service Facilities

The AMA (WA) is extremely concerned about the position adopted by the Department of Justice to reduce the salaries of Medical Officers employed in Corrective Service Facilities.

The AMA (WA) has entered in to correspondence with the Director General of the Department and is seeking a meeting in early 2018.

Recruitment of Overseas Doctors

The AMA (WA) has written to the Minister for Health about the decision by Royal Perth Hospital to advertise internationally for a plastic surgeon when outstanding locally trained applicants are available.

The AMA is concerned not only about the future employment prospects for experienced surgeons in the current environment but also the options for employment of local senior registrars when training is completed.

Report highlights slight rise in elective surgery wait times

Nationally, waiting times for elective surgery have slightly risen, according to a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).  However, results vary across the states and territories, and between individual hospitals.

The report, Elective surgery waiting times 2016–17: Australian hospital statistics is the latest to provide national and state-level elective surgery information. The report has been released in combination with hospital-specific data on the AIHW’s MyHospitals website, which shows variation in waiting times for elective surgery between individual hospitals, and allows users to see how their local hospital is performing.

For more on this report, please click here. 

Happy holidays from the AMA (WA)

The AMA (WA) wishes all members a very merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year. 

Operating hours for the AMA (WA) during the festive season are:

AMA SECRETARIAT & MEMBERSHIP
Closed from noon Friday 22 December; will reopen on 2 January 2018

AMA RECRUITMENT & TRAINING
Closed from noon Friday 22 December and for the public holidays; open from 27-29 December and from 2 January 2018 onwards.

AMA INSURANCE & FINANCIAL SERVICES
Office unattended from noon Friday 22 December; open from 27-29 December with the telephones being answered from 9am-4pm. Emergency Assistance will still be available outside of these hours on 0408 221 465.

AMA MEDICAL PRODUCTS
Closed from 10.30am Friday 22 December; will reopen on 2 January 2018. For urgent enquiries, a customer service and support representative will be available on 9273 3022.
 

First of its kind - WA's medical city

Strategically located within walking distance of Fiona Stanley Hospital, St John of God Hospital, Murdoch University, South Metropolitan TAFE and the Murdoch train and bus interchange, the mixed-use site will deliver at least 50,000sqm of floor space, comprising residential apartments, significant commercial and retail spaces, as well as allied health facilities, including aged care and a medi-hotel.

Fini Group is seeking medical and commercial expressions of interest for the vibrant mixed-use precinct, where people will live, work and be entertained.

For further information, please click here.

AMA Insurance: tailored just for you

We know that when it comes to insurance, one size does not fit all.

Get an insurance package tailored specifically to your needs, and get some peace of mind knowing you can talk to someone local with a wealth of industry experience.

Simply call one of our friendly Client Relations experts on 1800 262 287 (Free Call) or visit some AMA Insurance and AMA Financial Services to learn more. 

Flu season ahead: be prepared

AMA Medical Products have teamed up with market leading Flu Vaccine Manufacturer Sanofi to ensure that we're one step ahead of the 2018 flu season.

AMA Medical Products is offering an early bird offer, so get in quick and beat the price rise on vaccines. Discounts apply to volume purchases.

For more information, please click here. 
 

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