President and CEO update September 2021

Professor Chris Perry OAM, AMA Queensland President and Dr Brett Dale, CEO

COVID-19 remained largely at bay across the state throughout September, giving Queenslanders a window of opportunity to get vaccinated before an inevitable outbreak of the Delta strain.

AMA Queensland issued an open letter urging all Queenslanders to get the jab as soon as possible. We also encourage all general practices to take part in the vaccine rollout.

Also this month, we have responded to a new report on Emergency Department (ED) wait lists, called for early career doctors to be exempt from the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) scheme, and had advocacy wins for Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) and on private practice billing.

COVID-19

Open letter to all Queenslanders

AMA Queensland has issued an open letter to all Queenslanders, warning that a COVID-19 outbreak is inevitable and urging them to get vaccinated now before it is too late.

With the Tweed area back in lockdown in late September and the highly contagious Delta strain present in northern New South Wales, it is not a matter of if but when the virus re-emerges in Queensland.

AMA Queensland President Professor Chris Perry and Council of General Practice chair Dr Maria Boulton said the health system is as prepared as possible, but the vaccination rate will be critical in keeping hospitals clear to care for COVID patients and other Queenslanders who need health care.

As of 29 September, 65.2 per cent of Queenslanders had received their first jab and 42.6 per cent were fully immunised, well below the national average of 77.3 per cent first dose and 53.4 per cent with both jabs.

Mandatory vaccination

AMA Queensland continues to call for nationally consistent rules on mandatory COVID vaccinations for all health care workers.

The Queensland Government’s decision to mandate COVID vaccinations for all Queensland Health and Queensland Ambulance Services employees from 30 September is welcome, but leaves employers in private practice in an uncertain legal position should they require their employees to be vaccinated.

Public health orders for health care workers should include GPs and practice staff, pharmacists, hospital staff, and cooks and cleaners.

A survey of AMA Queensland and ASMOFQ members in August found that nine in 10 support mandatory vaccinations for all health care workers and almost 80 per cent are concerned about working alongside unvaccinated workers.

ATAGI advice on booster shots soon

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) expects to issue formal advice about booster shots for COVID-19 in the next few weeks.

In advice issued on 23 September, ATAGI said it anticipates that a relatively small cohort of individuals, such as those with severely immunocompromising conditions, are likely to require a third dose to ensure optimal vaccine effectiveness. Formal advice is expected in the next few weeks.

The main priority continues to be first and second dose vaccine uptake across the community.

Voluntary Assisted Dying

Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) laws will come into effect from 1 January 2023 after the Queensland Parliament voted 61-30 in favour of the scheme.

AMA Queensland will now work with the Government to ensure that the implementation protects patients and doctors.

After surveying members in 2020, AMA Queensland called for early career doctors to be exempted from the scheme.

The Victorian and Western Australian VAD schemes limit eligibility to doctors who have practised for at least five years after completing a fellowship and who have relevant experience in treating or managing the medical condition of the patient.

Our survey responders were from all specialties and ages, socially conservative and progressive alike and almost 90 per cent said doctors in training should be exempt from the VAD scheme.

Emergency Department Wait Lists

The Queensland Audit Office (QAO) has called for more transparency in the way emergency department (ED) patient wait times are measured and reported, in particular on factors outside EDs that affect how quickly patients can be received and treated.

“Any block to accessing inpatient wards will significantly impact on an ED’s ability to meet performance targets,” the QAO said.

“Queensland Health does not consistently report on these factors, safety measures or other key issues affecting patient flow, such as adequacy and affordability of primary care in the community, increasing demand for ambulance services, or a lack of inpatient bed capacity.”

AMA Queensland Ramping Roundtable chair Dr Kim Hansen said access block cannot be fixed without hundreds more hospital beds and staff in intensive care, mental health and general wards.

‘”The focus must be applied equally to each hospital bed, as the only way there is flow through the ED is if there are beds in wards to move patients to,” Dr Hansen said.

The Ramping Roundtable will meet in the first week of October, and AMA Queensland will  meet with Opposition Leader David Crisafulli and Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates later in the month.

Pay increase for VMOs

The Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation Queensland (ASMOFQ) has secured a 2.5 per cent pay increase for Queensland Health VMOs.

The expected payment date is 28 September and the increase will be back paid to 1 September 2021.

ASMOFQ has worked hard to secure this pay increase and ensure VMOs receive similar benefits to all medical officers. Only last month, VMOs gained access to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) as an important option to resolve workplace disputes. Furthermore, VMOs will be included under the upcoming MOCA 6 (Medical Officers' Certified Agreement 6), to be negotiated in 2022.

When VMOs join AMA Queensland, they also become members of ASMOFQ at no extra cost.

Advocacy win for private practice billing

ASMOFQ and AMA Queensland have been working hard to find a solution for medical imaging specialists on the retention contract, who are affected by the changes in private practice billing from 1 July 2021.

ASMOFQ raised this issue several months ago with the Health Minister and also in detailed discussions with the Director-General in August.

As a direct result of our advocacy, Queensland Health has circulated a proposal to affected specialists for their feedback, outlining an interim billing process while a permanent resolution is developed over the coming months.

This proposal was due to ASMOFQ’s hard work and expertise as an industrial relations organisation representing doctors and fighting for your rights.

We have received constructive feedback on the proposal from members and have provided this to Queensland Health and will continue to work towards a satisfactory resolution for members.

Bonded Medical Program

The federal Department of Health has asked AMA Queensland to let members know about an update on the Bonded Medical Program, which is available on the Department’s website.

The Department sought and implemented feedback from the AMA representatives prior to finalising the update.

The update provides information on:

• How is the department applying the 'no disadvantage' principle?
• How the department is prioritising and resolving individual cases?
• New email arrangements – how this is working?

You can read more about the AMA’s advocacy in this area here.

Government advocacy

This month we met with the senior leadership team at Queensland Health to advocate for our members and the community on the following issues.

• 1 September – Monthly Meeting with QH DDGs (key agenda item was QScript and extending the rollout period from 1 month to 1 year  and the exemption of inpatient prescribing but inclusive of discharge medication prescribing)
• 24 September – Office of Hospital Sustainability (to discuss sustainability in healthcare initiatives raised by AMA Queensland Councillors)
• 27 September - Drug Law Reform Roundtable
• 29 September – Queensland Health & Doctors for the Environment Australia (to discuss health impacts of climate change and air pollution)