MEDICUS MARCH 2016

I N D U S T R I A L

AMA (WA) 2016 Elections – get involved!

Included in this edition of Medicus is a nomination form for the following positions: Council: • President • Vice Presidents • Honorary Secretary • Assistant Honorary Secretary • Honorary Treasurer • Six Division Delegates • Three ordinary members elected by members of the Association. Nominations must reach the AMA (WA) Returning Officer no later than 5pm on Monday 11 April, 2016 . This is an opportunity to increase your involvement in the AMA (WA) and to assist in serving your fellow members. ■

WESTERN AUSTRALIA General Practice patient rebates frozen until 2018. The new Federal Minister for Health has stated she wants to HEALTHCARE IS YET again under the budgetary microscope. Primary healthcare is under pressure with

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

consult with the profession. To date, there is no evidence that the government has done so. Your AMA representatives have been lobbying hard with the government to reconsider its plans to cut patient rebates and make Myhealthrecord fit for purpose amongst other matters of major concern. The Australian Medical Association (WA) members are therefore urged to take a strong interest in the coming AMA (WA) elections, not only by voting, but by getting involved and nominating for Council Office Bearers.

OUTER METRO AND RURAL EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS INCENTIVES PACKAGE

THE AMA (WA) is interested in member feedback about the public sector recruitment freeze announced in December 2015. A member survey will be sent out in the coming weeks to seek information about the impact of the freeze on the provision of services, jobs and the cost of running services. ■ PUBLIC SECTOR RECRUITMENT FREEZE

THE AMA (WA) has been advised by the Department of Health that there will be no reversal of the sudden and unilateral change by DOH to withdraw longstanding arrangements to pay incentive packages to attract and retain emergency physicians to rural and outer metro areas. The DOH has made this decision despite evidence of a shortage of ED physicians particularly in rural areas but also in outer metropolitan areas and despite lack of evidence of the promised review. The AMA continues its advocacy. ■

HEALTH SERVICE BILL 2016

• bestow responsibility upon the DG for the overall management of the WA health system; • require service agreements to be entered into between health services and the DG; and • establish the Minister for Health as a body corporate known as the Ministerial Body. Health Service Providers will be responsible and accountable to the DG. The DG will be the employing authority of all chief executives of health services. The DG will have the power to appoint, performance review and remove chief executives. The key areas of AMA advocacy are the lack of dedicated representation on the Boards by practising medical practitioners and the role of the DG who will have responsibility for health services, which are required to report to the DG. ■

THE WA GOVERNMENT proposes new governance arrangements for the management of hospitals and health services planned for formal implementation from 1 July 2016. The appointment of interim Chairs for the respective Boards were announced in December 2015 and the creation of the Eastern Metropolitan Health Service was announced more recently. The Director General met with the AMA (WA) on 17 February 2016 to provide a briefing about the proposed Health Services Bill 2016. The Bill will: • establish a separation of functions, roles, responsibilities and accountabilities; • establish new statutory entities known as health service providers; • bestow responsibility upon the DG for strategic policy and planning in the role of system manager;

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