President and CEO Update October 2021
As we approach the reopening of state borders in just a few weeks, AMA Queensland has been working with the State Government on preparing to live with the inevitable outbreaks of COVID-19 and the particularly virulent Delta strain. The deadline for getting to 80 per cent of Queenslanders fully vaccinated in time for reopening has passed. However, that does not mean that it is too late. The closer we get to 80 per cent vaccinated, the safer we will all be. We urge all Queenslanders to get vaccinated as soon as possible, and all general practices to take part in the vaccine rollout.
COVID-19
The deadline for all Queensland Health employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 came into force on 1 November, and it appears that a tiny minority of staff are yet to have their jabs. AMA Queensland and the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation Queensland (ASMOFQ) support the vaccine mandate and have called for public health orders to extend the mandate to all health care workers. GPs and other non-GP specialists working in private practice are essentially small businesses, and they need certainty about their legal capacity to require their staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
This will become even more important when the borders reopen and we see inevitable outbreaks of COVID in our community, particularly our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
It is critical that we protect the most vulnerable in our community from COVID. Babies, children under 11, people undergoing cancer treatment, people with certain heart conditions, people who are undergoing major surgery cannot be vaccinated at this stage. Anyone caring for them should be vaccinated.
As the Chair of our Council of General Practice, Dr Maria Boulton, told ABC Radio: “I feel safer as a parent taking my child to someone who’s vaccinated.”
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WAIT LISTS
AMA Queensland’s Ramping Roundtable met in early October for the third time, as ramping issues and Code Yellows at Queensland hospitals made national news.
There is a very real threat of our hospitals becoming overwhelmed with any COVID outbreak.
We need our hospitals at 90 per cent capacity to allow the flow of those in emergency departments through the hospital system. It’s imperative we have an action plan developed this year.
Roundtable members met with Opposition Health Minister Ros Bates and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli in October to brief them on the issue.
QSCRIPT
AMA Queensland is aware of the frustrations our members are experiencing with the QScript rollout, and we are raising these with the Queensland Health and the Government. In the meantime, we have prepared some frequently asked questions to help members.
We support QScript as a strategy to reduce the intentional and unintentional harms caused by monitored medicines but recognise there are teething issues. We are continuing to advocate for changes and an extension to the non-penalty period.
VAPING
Changes to vaping laws came into effect from 1 October, with the unregulated importation of liquid nicotine being banned.
This has meant that people wishing to use a nicotine vaping products now need a prescription, which may lead to people attempting to pressure GPs into prescribing it as a smoking cessation product.
AMA Queensland does not support the use of e-cigarettes as a quit aid, due to the limited evidence of their efficacy in actually helping people stop smoking. Our view is that GPs, in working with their patients, should not feel pressured to prescribe them.
We recommend members provide proven smoking cessation products, such as behavioural counselling, nicotine replacement therapy, and some prescription medicines.
You can read more here.
CASUAL EMPLOYEES
Laws governing the conversion of employees from casual to permanent are now in place, affecting private medical practices in different ways depending on their number of employees.
We are here to help you check your compliance, with template packs and instructions that give you the tools to make offers and grant or reject requests, available now for just $55.
Contact our Workplace Relations Team today to find out more and purchase your pack at workplacerelations@amaq.com.au or 07 3872 2211.
PRIVATE PRACTICE CONSULTANCY
AMA Queensland's Workplace Relations Consultancy offers expert workplace relations (WR) and human resources (HR) services, with a suite of services from developing and implementing new policies and procedures through to handling disputes and claims.
We can help you with any WR or HR matter in your practice. We know that every practice is different with unique needs, staff and patients so we will tailor support to meet your specific requirements and budget. Read more on how our consultancy can help your practice.
AMA Queensland members will receive a five per cent discount on their first project so call us today on (07) 3872 2222 for a quote. This offer ends on 31 December so be quick before it’s too late.
WOMEN IN MEDICINE BREAKFAST
We held our 12th annual Women in Medicine Breakfast in October to a sell-out audience.
Three distinguished female leaders in our profession discussed the theme Reality Bites - everyday leadership, advocacy and impact. Associate Professor Rhea Liang, Dr Alex Markwell and Dr Mellissa Naidoo shared personal experiences and advice with the audience that was both motivating and uplifting.
This breakfast has continued to be a must-attend event for the profession and we look forward to reaching 13 years in 2022. You can view photos from the event here.
DR KATE SINCLAIR
On a personal note, we were truly saddened by the loss of paediatric neurologist Dr Kate Sinclair in a farming accident on the property she shared with her husband, former AMA Queensland President Dr Chris Davis.
Kate was a formidable intellect and a very good friend, and will be missed. ABC journalist Leonie Mellor wrote this online obituary. We will miss her.
AMA QUEENSLAND SCORECARD
It’s been another busy quarter for AMA Queensland, with 216 Ministerial, Government and key stakeholder meetings, 10 Wellbeing at Work sessions at five hospitals, and more than 2,100 member engagements between July and September.
Thanks to the 122 new members who joined up in the past three months.
Your contribution is helping us reach a media audience of more than 16 million people, support members before the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and prepare 58 new employment contracts for private practices.
View the scorecard here.
AROUND THE STATE
We attended the Toowoomba and Darling Downs Medical Association AGM in October and spoke with members about our work across many policy areas such as Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation, the Wellcamp quarantine facility, indexation for GPs and our Ramping Roundtable. We are happy to attend local medical association meetings across the state so please get in touch if you would like us to speak at your event.
Final year medical student Isaac O'Dempsey from James Cook University caught up with Prof Chris Perry in Mt Isa. Isaac is one this year's AMA Queensland Foundation Scholarship recipients and was on placement at the Mt Isa Hospital. Chris was also in Mt Isa working with the Deadly Ears program. Chris shared a few tips with Isaac as he's apparently keen to be an ENT surgeon too.
This is our AMA Queensland community in action with emerging and established leaders catching up and sharing experiences. Being part of a community is a huge part of our membership and it reaches right across the state. You can read more about Isaac's story on how the scholarship helped him on his journey to be a doctor.