MEDICUS FEBRUARY 2016

I N D U S T R I A L

OUTER METRO AND RURAL EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS ATTRACTION AND RETENTION PACKAGE

THE AMA (WA) is concerned about the sudden and unilateral change imposed by the Department of Health to withdraw longstanding arrangements to pay incentive packages to attract and retain emergency physicians to rural and outer metro areas. Discussions held to date have not yielded a change in position from the DOH on the principal issue. However, the AMA has been able to secure an assurance that back payments will be calculated and paid to practitioners who have not had their allowance indexed and escalated in line with wage increases under the AMA Agreement since 2012.

The AMA will also continue to advocate on the principal issue. ■

CLOSURE OF SWAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL

2016 PRIVATE SECTOR SALARIES CLAIMS

THE AMA (WA) understands that doctors who transferred from Swan District Hospital to St John of God Midland Public Hospital should have been paid all their entitlements (as agreed) in the pay period commencing 3 December 2015, being the first pay period following closure of the hospital. Any member who did not receive their correct entitlements should contact the AMA industrial team at (08) 9273 3000. ■

THE AMA (WA) will commence consultation with members employed under private sector enterprise agreements early in 2016 to seek member feedback about key issues and priorities for replacement agreements. The relevant agreements are: • Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (Western Operations) Medical Practitioners Industrial Agreement 2013 • St John of God Murdoch Hospital AMA Medical Practitioners Industrial Agreement 2013 • Australian Red Cross Blood Service Medical Officers Enterprise Agreement WA 2013. The AMA will schedule teleconferences commencing early 2016 to seek member feedback. ■

TRANSFER OF LEAVE – DOCTORS IN TRAINING

AFTER AN EXTENSIVE period of negotiation with the Department of Health/WA Country Health Service (WACHS) about the transfer of accrued leave for doctors in training (DiTs) transferring to WACHS from a metropolitan site, the AMA (WA) has been advised that WACHS will now agree to accept transfers of up to one year’s entitlement to annual leave which has been accrued during applicable service with a Metropolitan Health Service (MHS).

from the MHS. Transfers of leave in excess of one year’s entitlement may be agreed, in extenuating circumstances, on application from individual practitioners. While it is counter-intuitive that the same logic for leave transfers from a WACHS site to an MHS site would not apply, this appears to be the case. Hence, the AMA is continuing to seek agreement whereby leave is transferred to and from a WACHS site for all DiTs transferring between sites. ■

Consequently, any balance of leave in excess of one year’s entitlement would be paid out on separation

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