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I N D U S T R I A L
10 March 2016
Dr David Russell-Weisz
Director General
Department of Health
189 Royal Street
EAST PERTH WA 6004
Dear Dr Russell-Weisz
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS
The Australian Medical Association (WA) wishes to bring to your attention concerns raised by our members
about the recently published Operational Directive (OD 0639/15) which directs senior medical practitioners to
keep daily records of start and finish times or timesheets.
As you know, senior medical professionals are employed pursuant to the
Department of Health Medical
Practitioners (Metropolitan Health Services) AMA Industrial Agreement 2013
(and mirror agreements applying to
practitioners employed by WACHS, the DOH, UWA Clinical Academics and DOA) (the AMA (WA) Agreements).
It is our understanding that the AMA (WA) Agreements were entered into in a spirit of trust and cooperation
reflecting the professional commitment of medical practitioners to undertake all the necessary duties at times
required to deliver good patient care.
In other words, as required by the AMA (WA) Agreements, practitioners nominally work 40 hours in a week but
are available to attend to whatever duties are required on a daily basis. In practice, hours are routinely altered
and adapted to provide flexibility in delivering the best care possible to patients and to be available for all other
clinical and non-clinical responsibilities of the role. This often requires working substantially more hours than 40
per week including remaining at work to complete duties that cannot be completed in a rostered shift. No
overtime is payable for such additional hours on the basis that this is part and parcel of the professional
commitment.
Inherent in the professional commitment is the practice of not "clock watching”. The AMA (WA) asserts that in the
vast majority of cases practitioners deliver extra service/hours to patients, colleagues and services beyond the
nominal 40 hours per week.
The OD, if implemented for medical practitioners as currently worded, added to what practitioners feel is a
management obsession with clock watching will be extremely counterproductive. All good systems rely on trust,
goodwill and flexibility to work optimally. A clock punching culture where management overtly distrust their staff
is very likely to induce a reduction in real hours spent working, poor morale, demotivation and a major loss in
goodwill as well as some experienced staff likely to leave the public system and direct their efforts to where they
feel appreciated and supported to deliver the best care for their patients.
The AMA (WA) calls upon you to withdraw the OD as it applies to medical practitioners. We are available for
discussions as needed.
Yours sincerely
PAUL BOYATZIS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
10 March 2016
Dr David Russell-Weisz
Director General
Department of Health
189 Royal Street
EAST PERTH WA 6004
Dear Dr Russell-Weisz
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS
The Australian Medical Association (WA) wishes to bring to your attention concerns raised by our members
about the recently published Operational Directive (OD 0639/15) which directs senior medical practitioners to
keep daily records of start and finish times or timesheets.
As you know, senior medical professionals are employed pursuant to the
Department of Health Medical
Practitioners (Metropolitan Health Services) AMA Industrial Agreement 2013
(and mirror agreements applying to
practitioners employed by WACHS, the DOH, UWA Clinical Academics and DOA) (the AMA (WA) Agreements).
It is our understanding that the AMA (WA) Agreements were entered into in a spirit of trust and cooperation
reflecting the professional commitment of medical practitioners to undertake all the necessary duties at times
required to deliver good patient care.
In other words, as required by the AMA (WA) Agreements, practitioners nominally work 40 hours in a week but
are available to attend to whatever duties are required on a daily basis. In practice, hours are routinely altered
and adapted to provide flexibility in delivering the best care possible to patients and to be available for all other
clinical and non-clinical responsibilities of the role. This often requires working substantially more hours than 40
per week including remaining at work to complete duties that cannot be completed in a rostered shift. No
overtime is payable for such additional hours on the basis that this is part and parcel of the professional
commitment.
Inherent in the professional commitment is the practice of not "clock watching”. The AMA (WA) asserts that in the
vast majority of cases practitioners deliver extra service/hours to patients, colleagues and services beyond the
nominal 40 hours per week.
The OD, if implemented for medical practitioners as currently worded, added to what practitioners feel is a
management obsession with clock watching will be extremely counterproductive. All good systems rely on trust,
goodwill and flexibility to work optimally. A clock punching culture where management overtly distrust their staff
is very likely to induce a reduction in real hours spent working, poor morale, demotivation and a major loss in
goodwill as well as some experienced staff likely to leave the public system and direct their efforts to where they
feel appreciated and supported to deliver the best care for their patients.
The AMA (WA) calls upon you to withdraw the OD as it applies to medical practitioners. We are available for
discussions as needed.
Yours sincerely
PAUL BOYATZIS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR