CEO and President Report - February 2021
We are fast approaching the end of the first quarter for 2021 and have continued to maintain a solid pace to our work for the medical profession in Queensland. COVID vaccinations, voluntary assisted dying legislation and a diverse range of events have been key features of our efforts. Our policy team also continues to liaise with members on various issues and advocates for positive change across all levels of government. We have also had significant media engagement already this year and will continue to be a strong voice for the profession in the state. Our focus is to ensure the key issues for doctors are understood by the community and that we can influence policies that allow us to do our jobs and deliver positive health outcomes for Queenslanders.
COVID VACCINATION PROGRAM - PHASE 1A
The Australian COVID-19 vaccine program is now underway with hubs and hospitals administering the Pfizer vaccine to those at greatest risk. The vaccine overdose of two elderly patients in Queensland was a terrible mistake but the vilification of the doctor involved was completely inappropriate. Public comments stating the doctor involved was a GP were found to be inaccurate creating unnecessary reputational damage for the specialisation of general practice at a time when community confidence is needed most. It is good news the patients are doing well and we absolutely understand community concern but doctors are human and mistakes do unfortunately occur. While many of us have used multi-dose vials in the past, this is not the norm for new practitioners so training that mitigates this risk is vital. We must also have systems and processes in place to support everyone in the vaccine program and ensure patient care is prioritised. It is the only way we can move forward and make improvements to protect patients, doctors, nurses and all healthcare workers involved in the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out. This is just the start of the program and there will be other challenges so we have to collaborate with all levels of government and across the health profession to find solutions to failures in the system.
PHASE 1B
Now that the Astra-Zeneca vaccine is in Australia, we are on the cusp of the next stage of the roll-out with phase 1b about to commence with GPs around Australia. Those practices that have been selected to administer this vaccine will have been notified and should start to receive their doses in the next few weeks. With this phase comes new challenges for GPs such as workload and capacity, administering the vaccine to patients that are new to the clinic and training on correct administration of the vaccine. The pressure on consumables will also be immense as millions of injections will require needles, syringes, vaccine trays, sharps containers and PPE. We do not want a repeat of PPE shortages we saw at the start of COVID and have been lobbying the State and Federal Government to harness their procurement power to secure a consistent supply of consumables and keep the vaccine program on track. We are also advocating for all GPs to be able to administer the vaccine in the long run as this provides continuity of care for the community with doctors who know and can respond to individual health needs.
We must also acknowledge and thank Dr Maria Boulton, the Chair of our Council of General Practice for her outstanding advocacy and media engagement in relation to the vaccine roll-out. Dr Boulton has been an authoritative voice providing valuable insights on the priorities and pressure points for GPs and effectively responding to media inquiries. Our councils are powerful platforms to advocate for your specialist areas and we encourage you to work with your respective councils to address key issues and opportunities.
Read our press release with Dr Boulton.
VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING
Last week the Queensland Law Reform Commission (QLRC) advised the May timeline for the voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation was not achievable. We intend to continue to lead the conversation in the lead up to the conscience vote for the Queensland Parliament and have published the results of our member survey on the issue. With more than 1,250 respondents, we are confident of our members’ views and will influence policy to protect doctors’ rights, advocate for considered involvement in any potential program as well as ensuring adequate protections are in place for the vulnerable in our community.
We recognise that VAD is about choice for patients facing painful, incurable conditions where they have exhausted all options. However, we must continue to seek increased funding for palliative care and not have this side-tracked by the VAD debate. This issue is supported by our members with 98 per cent of respondents saying that patients should be offered accessible palliative care at the same time or prior to VAD. Other key statistics include 94 per cent of doctors believing there should be equitable access to VAD for rural and remote areas and 86 per cent agreeing that two doctors must assess a patient’s eligibility to access VAD and must also be independent of each other. We will continue to keep members updated as the draft legislation is released for feedback and public hearings occur.
NOMINATIONS FOR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE
Nominations are open for a casual vacancy on our AMA Queensland Council. We are seeking a Greater Brisbane Area representative for a term that runs until the end of the Annual General Meeting in May 2022. Council is responsible for determining questions and matters of policy, making recommendations to the Board, reviewing existing health policies to ensure they relevant and represent the views of members. We are committed to achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion on our Council and encourage all members to consider this role. Nominations close COB Friday 5 March.
Read more on the application process.
EVENTS PROGRAM
An exciting events program is taking shape for AMA Queensland in 2021. The date has been set for our Dinner for the Profession event on Friday 16 July at Emporium Hotel, South Bank. Join medical colleagues for a three-course dinner and celebrate the exemplary work of doctors throughout Queensland at this prestigious, black-tie, gala event. Book now.
We are also pleased to announce that we will hold two Junior Doctor Conferences this year with the first to take place in July in Townsville and the Gold Coast will also play host in the second half the year. This is a must-attend event for our doctors at the start of their careers where they will be inspired by leaders in medicine, explore college pathways, hear from specialists and more. It is an ideal opportunity for junior doctors to focus on their professional development and we are delighted to be taking this key event to regional Queensland in 2021. Save the date.
Book your leave now so you can join the AMA Queensland Annual Conference in the Northern Territory from 19 to 25 September. Secure your place on this outstanding conference that provides an incredible mix of professional development, events, food, culture, tours and experiences. Register now.
Our In Conversation webinar series has hit its strides in 2021 with high profile speakers including Dr Dinesh Palipana in January talking about doctors with disabilities, and Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young in February, discussing COVID vaccinations and resilience for the profession. We are delighted to welcome Shyla Mills on 19 March at 1.00pm, CEO of Palliative Care Queensland, to outline the key issues faced by the medical profession who care for patients at their end of life journey and the need for greater funding. Register now.
The Workplace Relations team this year has prepared a comprehensive Private Practice Webinar Training Series ideally suited to GPs, practice managers and specialists. The series covers key issues such as mental health in the workplace, termination of employment and kicks off on Monday 22 March focusing on the topic of leave essentials for employees and employers. Book all five sessions and receive a 40 per cent discount. You can join the live webinars or receive the recording to view at your own leisure. Book now.
Save the date for our Women in Medicine Breakfast event taking place on Thursday 7 October. Everyone is invited to join us at Victoria Park Golf Club for a morning of thought provoking discussion where we address the key issues for women in medicine in Queensland. Find out more.
CONNECT WITH US IN 2021
We hope to see you in person at one of our events this year but also welcome your contributions online. The Queensland Doctors’ Community continues to be hive of ideas, debate and discussion on key issues for the profession and our organisation.
Please continue to join the conversation on this platform so we can understand what is important to you. We are here to represent the medical profession in Queensland and can only do this if we know and understand the key issues impacting you so please continue to connect with us online and in person and share your ideas and feedback.
Prof Chris Perry OAM, President, AMA Queensland
Dr Brett Dale, CEO, AMA Queensland