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M E D I C U S
A P R I L 2 0 1 6
I N D U S T R I A L
SNAPSHOTS
THE AMA (WA)
understands that practitioners have recently been sent a copy
of the Operational Directive 0639/15 which requires senior doctors to keep a
daily record of their start and finish times or alternatively maintain a timesheet.
It is the Association’s strong view that the Directive is in breach of the
provisions of the AMA Agreements which have consistently referred to
senior practitioners being engaged on a
no-fixed hours
basis consistent
with professional practice, and which speak of a full-time
professional
commitment
being an
average
of 40 hours per week.
The Association has formalised its objection to the Directive to the Director
General and has called upon him to withdraw the Directive as far as it
pertains to medical practitioners. On the facing page is a copy of the
Association’s correspondence.
■
ON 21 DECEMBER
2015, the WA Government announced
an immediate public sector wide external recruitment
freeze. Despite the growing demand on healthcare
services and the increasing burden placed on WA’s
medical workforce, the recruitment freeze applies to all
government agencies, including health.
The AMA (WA) has opposed the recruitment freeze
and surveyed members in order to gauge its impact on
the provision of services in public healthcare facilities
and the medical workforce. The results have indicated
that the freeze has had a significant negative impact on
the capacity of hospital departments to provide best
practice patient care, while also negatively impacting
the morale of medical practitioners. Respondents have
highlighted services operating: with fewer staff than is
clinically recommended by the specialist Colleges; on
the basis of no leave cover for unfilled positions; and an
expectation that work will be completed in non-rostered,
unpaid overtime.
With departments reliable on locums to fill vacant
positions, the cost of reliance on locums demonstrates
the false economy inherent in the freeze. Respondents
have highlighted their inability to access leave
entitlements, leading to a lack of capacity to provide
clinical services and a collapse in morale.The impact
of the freeze has been greater felt in rural and remote
areas, where services were already experiencing
staff shortages, prior to the commencement of the
suspension.
The AMA (WA) continues to advocate for an immediate
exemption for all health positions so that medical
practitioners have the capacity to provide a safe and
quality level of healthcare.
■
PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT - EMPLOYEE RECORD
OF ATTENDANCE
PUBLIC SECTOR RECRUITMENT FREEZE
THE ASSOCIATION IS
aware that clinical
academic contracts are being questioned
and may not be renewed, in some cases,
at the time of expiry due to funding issues.
If you are concerned about your future
contract, please contact the AMA (WA).
■
FURTHER TO ARTICLES
published in the last several editions of
Medicus
, the AMA (WA) served its 2016 public sector salaries claim
on the Minister for Health on 3 March 2016.
WA Health’s Director General has advised the AMA that the Department
will commence negotiations once approval has been obtained from
the Minister and the Treasurer, expected by early April 2016. Updates
will be published on the AMA website. Specific claims for WACHS
doctors and clinical academics will follow in due course.
■
CLINICAL ACADEMIC
CONTRACTS
SALARIES CLAIMS
Continued on page 7