MOCA 6 update - April 2023
ASMOFQ began negotiating MOCA 6 at the start of 2022, and reached in-principle agreement with Queensland Health in February 2023. MOCA 6 is essentially the employment contract for all junior and senior doctors who work for Queensland Health.
Over March 2023, ASMOFQ has been working hard on the drafting of MOCA 6 with Queensland Health.
In April 2023, there was a consultation period from 11 to 26 April, to allow doctors to review the proposed MOCA 6. We are now in the ballot phase (27 April to 7 May) where doctors can vote in favour or against MOCA 6.
If MOCA 6 is approved in the ballot, it will be certified shortly after at which time back pay from 1 July 2022 can be issued.
The key items in MOCA 6 include:
- wage increases of 4%, 4% and 3% over the three years of MOCA 6 (back-paid to 1 July 2022) plus an additional up to 3% COLA payment for each year (cost of living adjustment)
- payment of overtime for many clinical scenarios no longer require prior approval from your supervisor or line manager (this applies to junior and senior doctors)
- stronger fatigue provisions, with improved access to 10 hour break between periods of work, fatigue leave and fatigue penalties
- increased attraction and retention allowance for Rural Generalists, with the ability to progress to Level 27
- support for doctors with temporary or permanent disabilities or impairments in the workplace
- review of fatigue of medical officers, and better reporting of fatigue
- QH will fund a project to review practicalities of implementing longer term contracts for junior doctors, and also appointing PHOs to permanent employment
- development of a workload management kit
- rostering improvements such as not being rostered on-call prior to periods of leave, better access to public holiday entitlements and any emergent changes to a roster must be put in writing to affected doctors
- medical students have been included and are now covered under MOCA 6
The proposed MOCA 6 and associated documents can be accessed here.
As MOCA 6 contains your employment terms and conditions and will operate until 30 June 2025, it is a fundamentally important document that affects your work and your workplace rights.
ASMOFQ encourages junior and senior doctors to review the proposed MOCA 6 and participate in the ballot process.
If you have any questions, please email asmofqld@asmof.org.au
