Council Communiqué August 2022

 

Dr Nick Yim, Chair, AMA Queensland Council

Dear Members

The AMA Queensland Council met on 12 August 2022.  This was my first meeting as Chair and I would like to thank all Councillors for volunteering their time to represent the membership and support the advocacy work of AMA Queensland.

International Medical Graduate (IMG) Working Group 
Dr Emilia Dauway, IMG Representative, provided an update on the IMG Working Group. 

The working group of six members has been established and the first objective was to develop a survey to determine the impacts and challenges on IMGs across Queensland.

The AMA Queensland Council endorsed the distribution of the survey to IMGs across Queensland.  The survey will be available over multiple channels shortly for a period of two weeks and we encourage all IMG doctors to complete this.

Opioid Stewardship Roundtable
The Opioid Stewardship Working Party (OSWP) is a multidisciplinary group of health professionals from the private sector, established as a response to poor medical and community outcomes from prescription opioids in private hospitals. Its vision is to achieve best practice in opioid management for acute pain while minimising the risk of short-term adverse events and long-term medication dependence through education and advocacy.

The AMA Queensland Council approved the establishment of the Opioid Stewardship Roundtable.

Resident workforce challenges
Dr Rachael O’Rourke provided an overview regarding residents leaving the workforce due to lack of training and career advancement opportunities. Queensland Health is employing nurse practitioners, allied health practitioners and locum doctors at higher costs to the Queensland public. 

To retain the junior doctor workforce, Queensland Health needs to promote training and access to vocational training opportunities for junior doctors. It is in the interest of the profession to promote retention of RMOs within Queensland Health, to prevent progressive replacement of the resident workforce and to promote training of the future senior doctor workforce. 

The AMA Queensland Council approved the establishment of a working group to address the current resident workforce challenges

Payroll tax
Payroll tax is the one of most acute threats to the viability of Private Practice. This is one of the major concerns from members. It affects both General Practice and non-GP Private Practice and has broader implications federally with the provision of staff entitlements. 

The AMA Queensland Council endorsed the formation of a Technical Advisory Group to further investigate the implications and solutions to this issue.

Sustainability ideas and initiatives
It is positive that Queensland Health has given a commitment that all future procurement practices will consider sustainable ideas as a primary and first options.  

The CEO updated that he and the President have raised the issue of climate change with the Chief Health Officer.  Additionally, the CEO advised that within the AMA Queensland office there is a great organisational approach to waste management using biodegradable products as much as possible.  Zoom meetings have also considerably reduced travel for Council meetings and hence reduced emissions.

President’s report
President Dr Maria Boulton has been busy in her first three months and has hit the ground running.  She continued to advocate on numerous issues impacting the profession through her regular meetings with the Health Minister, Opposition Leader, Shadow Health Minister, senior members of Queensland Health and other relevant stakeholders.
  
The Queensland State Budget has adopted some of the AMA Queensland Ramping Roundtable recommendations.  Similarly, the announcement of 2,500 hospital beds over the next six years is welcome.  Unfortunately, the increase in the overall state health budget over the next 12 months is 5.6% which is only a little above the inflation rate. There was no additional funding for the Closing the Gap initiative or palliative care.

Payroll tax is an issue which affects private GP and non-GP specialists.  State revenue office has approached some AMA Queensland members to backpay payroll tax.  AMA Queensland and AMA have hosted webinars on this matter and advised practices to seek accounting and legal advice. 

On the 8th of June the President addressed the public hearing of the Health and Environment Committee on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022. It is neither just nor acceptable for medical practitioners to be named and shamed in the media before due process has been followed.

The President continues to be vocal against the North Queensland and UTI prescribing trials.  

At the time of writing, the President reported there were 1000 patients with Covid in hospital and 2500 staff furloughed, which was placing strain on the healthcare system. GPs are similarly busy, and faced challenges of accessing anti-virals for their patients.  However, in an advocacy win, the Medicare rebate for long telephone consultations was reinstated.

Chief Executive Officer’s report
CEO Brett Dale provided an update on the many areas that AMA Queensland has supported, promoted and advocated on behalf of the medical profession in Queensland including:

1. Continued busy political engagement with expansion to the Attorney General, Minister for Police, Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Health and Ambulance Services.
2. North Queensland Pharmacy Trial – AMA Queensland has continued to lobby and advocate against the trial due to multiple reasons including risk of missed diagnoses and misdiagnosis, fragmentation of care, undermining antimicrobial stewardship and the financial conflict inherent in prescribing and dispensing.  Dr Omar Khorshid (Immediate AMA Federal President) visited North Queensland which was a great success, drawing extensive media coverage and engagement with key stakeholders. AMA Queensland has launched an extensive advocacy plan including a public webpage, targeted media campaign and an MP pack – please feel free to download and send letters to your local MP.
3. Emergency Departments Roundtable – The Ramping Roundtable Action Plan makes a series of recommendations to address ED block and ramping in Queensland public hospitals. https://qld.ama.com.au/advocacy/ramping-roundtable-action-plan
4. Maternity Services – AMA Queensland is actively campaigning against the loss of maternity services in Cooktown and Gladstone
5. Drug Law Reform – AMA Queensland’s position statement on drug law reform in Queensland places the emphasis on a medical approach where treatment and support is provided.  
6. Mental Health – The Health Minister has committed to Mental Health and Well Being Summit later in the year.  AMA Queensland continues to advocate for further Mental Health Training for GPs.
7. QScript – AMA Queensland has received many comments and enquiries from members concerned about penalties for non-compliance. AMA Queensland has confirmed that the Department’s compliance approach over the next 12 months is about encouraging doctors to register and starting using QScript.
8. Senior Active Doctor step-down registration – AMA Queensland continues to expand awareness to other stakeholders including Medical Board, AMA Federal and the Federal Health Minister.
9. Member events including the Dinner for the Profession and Annual Conference in the Northern Territory, which were both well attended.

For more information, please head to our website to access AMA Queensland's latest news, media statements, submissions and position statements.

Q2 Scorecard is a quick guide to AMA Queensland’s activities, achievements and advocacy efforts on behalf of Queensland members. Read the Q2 Scorecard.

Committee of General Practice 
I would like to thank Dr Maria Boulton for her leadership as Chair of Committee of General Practice.  I would like to welcome Dr Lee Jones as the incoming Chair.  

Some key advocacy issues identified include:
-    North Queensland pharmacy trial
-    Payroll tax
-    Changes to GP training
-    The need for funding reform for General Practice
-    Concern regarding naming and shaming of doctors in the media prior to investigation

Committee of Doctors in Training 
Dr Rob Nayer continues to lead the Committee of Doctors in Training.  During this period, there was the highly successful Junior Doctor Conference in Cairns.  Similarly, the 2022 Hospital Resident Health Check survey has closed and we look forward to the results.

Some key advocacy issues include:
-    Challenges facing PHOs and the lack of training and supervision facing DiTs who are not protected by a college training program or medical board training requirements.
-    Improving the mental health and wellbeing of the medical workforce, and in particular DiTs. 

Committee of Consultant Specialists
The newly convened Committee of Consultant Specialists met on 7 July for our inaugural meeting.  I would like to congratulate Dr Sharon Kelly who has been elected Chair.

Councillor reports
Councillors are encouraged to provide reports to Council particularly if there are issues of relevance within their specific representative groups that would be of interest to Council and would inform discussions.  Thank you to the following Councillors who provided reports. 
-    Dr Kees Nydam, North Coast Representative
-    Dr Rachael O’Rouke, Greater Brisbane Area Representative
-    A/Prof Geoffrey Hawson, Senior Doctors Representative 
-    Dr Stephanie Dawson-Smith, Greater Brisbane Area Representative
-    Dr Lisa Fraser, General Practice Representative 

The Chair acknowledges and thanks to the previous councillors 
-    Dr Michael Clements
-    Dr Sarah Coll
-    Dr Dilip Dhupelia
-    Dr Bav Manoharan
-    Professor Tony Rahman
-    Dr Louise Robinson
-    Dr Emily Shao
-    Dr Maddison Taylor
-    Dr Ian Williams

AMA Queensland Council is your representative body. Please feel free to contact me or any of your representative Councillors on any issues that you would like raised at Council. Meet your AMA Council representatives. 

Regards

Dr Nicholas Yim
Chair, AMA Queensland Council 
Vice President AMA Queensland