Fiona Stanley Hospital update regarding employment

The AMA (WA) has been meeting with senior executives from FSH to seek information about processes being adopted to employ medical practitioners at the new hospital to ensure that fairness applies in recruitment and to make sure the terms of the Department of Health Medical Practitioners (Metropolitan Health Services) AMA Industrial Agreement 2013 are applied.

At the recent meeting held on 6 August 2014, Dr Paul Mark provided the AMA with the proposed list of FTEs per Department. 

A summary of the discussions can be found on the AMA (WA) website

Cessation of HBF Medical Gap Arrangements for services provided in public hospitals

The AMA (WA) has been advised of a change to HBF’s Medical Gap Arrangements as they relate to medical providers treating HBF members as private patients in public hospitals.

HBF has advised that the use of HBF’s Medical Gap Arrangements for services in public hospitals brings no additional benefit to HBF members or providers, and simply incurs additional costs for the same service. HBF reflects these additional costs in increased member premiums.

As a result, HBF has changed its Medical Gap Arrangements, no longer covering the provision of services in a public hospital. After 1 July this year, HBF benefits for all services provided to HBF members in a public hospital are being paid in accordance with MBS rates. Benefits for treatment at public hospitals of Overseas Visitors with no Medicare entitlement are still being paid at the rate declared from time to time by the Department of Health WA.

The AMA (WA) would like to hear from members in private practice who have been affected by this change to ascertain whether you have identified any problems that have arisen from the change. Any issues highlighted by members will be referred to HBF for discussion.

For more information please contact Chris Kane via email or on 9273 3060.

Mental Health Bill - feedback from Psychiatrists sought by AMA (WA)

The Mental Health Bill was passed by the Legislative Assembly in April this year and introduced into the Legislative Council in May. The Bill now awaits review by the Legislative Council. Parliament resumes on 12 August, following which debate on the Bill will commence.

The AMA (WA) has, for some time, had concerns about the impost on Psychiatrists that will result from specific provisions of the Bill. The AMA (WA) has advised the Mental Health Commissioner of the bureaucratic burden that will result.

For more information, please click here. 

Dying with Dignity Bill

Greens' Health Spokesman, Senator Richard Di Natale, has tabled a draft Bill in the Senate which would make it legal to prescribe and administer an end of life substance. Whilst Senator Di Natale does not believe he has the numbers to progress the Bill, he has cited opinion polls showing 80 per cent support for this reform.

On 24 June this year, the Exposure draft of the Medical Services (Dying with Dignity) Bill 2014 was referred by the Senate to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for Inquiry and report.

For more information, please click here. 

Screen For Life - Patients Beware!

Neither Medicare nor the AMA (WA) endorses Screen for Life and the Association advises the WA public to discuss their health concerns with their GP.

Screen for Life is an international company providing ‘pop-up’ clinics in WA that screen for heart attacks and strokes in a procedure that medical experts say is not appropriate for people without any symptoms.

Consumer Affairs Victoria and the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission are looking into the operations of the company in those states and American health authorities have raised concerns about similar community screening companies in the US.

For more information, please click here. 

Urgent VR GP Locum required for inner Perth metro practice

Due to leave commitments, a VR GP Locum is required for this inner metro private practice. 60 per cent of billings and full patient load are guaranteed.

Mondays – Thursdays: 2.00pm – 5.30pm

Wednesdays and Fridays: 8.00am – 12.00 noon

Alternate Saturdays -  8.30am – 12.00 noon

For further information please contact AMA Recruit or phone (08) 9273 3033

Choosing between a direct insurer and an insurance broker

Choosing between direct insurers and insurance brokers can be a difficult choice to make.

In some instances direct insurers are great, but there’s more to insurance than price.

Before you decide buying from a direct insurer or an insurance broker, consider the differences between the services offered,and assess the different types of assistance you will recieve when things go wrong.

For an excellent summary on the differences between direct insurers and insurance brokers, please click here.

Open for comment: DoH and RACGP surveys on PCEHR

The Department of Health has devised an online survey to help gauge opinion on the implementation of the recommendations of the PCEHR review as part of its month-long consultation process.

The consultations, being managed on the department's behalf by Deloitte, will also include a special session at this week's Health Informatics Conference in Melbourne.

For more information, please click here. 

Dr YES heads North

Each year the  Dr YES medical volunteers embark on a trip to regional Western Australia to visit schools and present education sessions to high school students discussing harm minimisation around alcohol and other drugs as well as sexual and mental health.

This week, 24 Dr YES volunteers are visiting the Pilbara and Kimberley regions where they will present sessions to some 800 students from Karratha, Roebourne, Port Hedland & Broome.

To find out more about Dr YES, please click here.

Copyright © 2013 Australian Medical Association of Western Australia
14 Stirling Highway, Nedlands WA 6009. Ph (08) 9273 3000