AMA welcomes Minister's willingness to resolve doctor contract crisis
The Federal AMA, AMA Queensland (AMAQ), and other doctor groups welcome the decision of Queensland Health Minister, Lawrence Springborg, to enter into a ‘new dialogue’ with the medical profession to resolve the Senior Medical Officer (SMO) contract crisis that threatens to cripple Queensland health services.
Mr Springborg and Assistant Minister for Health, Dr Chris Davis, met last night with Federal AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, AMAQ President-elect, Dr Shaun Rudd, and SMO leader, Professor John Fraser.
Dr Hambleton said the meeting was productive.
“Our aim was to convince the Government of the overwhelming concerns that senior doctors have with the current contracts, and to agree on a pathway to satisfactorily resolve these concerns,” Dr Hambleton said.
“With the cooperation of the Ministers, we achieved that aim.
“It is only the first step. But it is a significant step.
“The Minister assured us that he wanted a strong and productive relationship with all doctors in Queensland Health, and that there should be a fair and just process to resolve our remaining concerns that are the sticking points at the heart of doctor resistance to sign the contracts.
“The Minister committed to a process that will involve the Federal AMA, AMAQ, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (ASMOF), ASMOFQ, Together Queensland, and other SMO representatives.
“The first meeting to achieve ‘real repair’ and a ‘real solution’ will be early next week.
“We will work constructively with the Government to get a positive result for senior doctors and ensure that the public hospital system has an engaged, motivated, and respected medical workforce.”
7 March 2014
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