Medicus April 2016

L E T T E R S / I N D U S T R I A L

Dear Editor Your news article in Medicus of March 2016 (Volume 56 Issue 2), highlighting the advances that have occurred at Albany Health Campus in attracting high quality specialists omitted to mention the presence of a Specialist Anaesthetist. Dr Alice Poon, who has been a full-time Consultant Anaesthetist at Albany Health Campus and resident in Albany for the past five years has worked tirelessly to improve the safety and quality of anaesthetic care and acute pain management there. Her significant contribution to continuing professional development of the GP Anaesthetists and the theatre nurses at the hospital should not go unnoticed. The difficulty in attracting specialist Anaesthetists to country areas is well documented with a significant maldistribution in this specialty. If the contribution of these specialists is not acknowledged, the problem will be perpetuated. Sincerely, Dr Debra Coleman MB ChB FRACGP FANZCA MPH MHM Significant contribution should not go unnoticed

WESTERN AU

Continued from page 4 SNAPSHOTS

MEDICAL ENGAGEMENT

CLINICAL INDEPENDENCE

THE AMA (WA) has become aware that a practice is developing within the WA public sector whereby members are having their clinical independence questioned; being directed about how to treat a patient, which device to use and so on. Members are reminded that under the Good Medical Practice: A Code of Conduct for Doctors in Australia published by the Medical Board of Australia, consistent with the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (WA) Act 2009 (the National Law), a medical practitioner has a duty to make the care of patients their first concern and to practise medicine safely and effectively. They must be ethical and trustworthy. The WA Health credentialing policy is also based on verifying the qualifications and experience of medical practitioners to determine their ability to provide independent care. “ Building on the National Standard, WA Health has formulated a consistent approach for credentialing and defining the scope of clinical practice of senior doctors with independent responsibility for patient care to be implemented in all WA publicly funded health services. ” Accordingly, members should feel confident challenging managers who seek to control or reduce clinical independence. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to contact the AMA. ■ Page 1 of OD 0287/2010 refers to:

THE AMA (WA) continues to raise with the Minister for Health and the Director General the disquiet expressed by members about the lack of medical engagement in the development of medical policy; contrary to international evidence that engagement with medical practitioners is a necessary component to an efficient and safe healthcare system where patient care outcomes are maximised. Decisions on key policy, governance and service delivery in WA hospitals and health service facilities are being made with little or no involvement of practitioners or the community. The principles of clinical engagement are enshrined in departmental policy, as referred to in WA Health’s Operational Directive 0287/2010 and also in the “Memorandum of Understanding between the Minister for Health, the Director General of Health and Boards of Management and the AMA (WA) in respect of Clinical Privileges, Conduct and Governance in WA Government Hospitals and Health Services”. Members are entitled to participate in clinical decision making and should contact the AMA if this right is being overridden. ■

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