SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER ISSUE 2018

PRESIDENT'S WORD New solutions to old problems The Western Sydney Diabetes Initiative demonstrates that integrating hospital and community-based services can show benefits. Year on YEAR, almost quarter on quarter, we see NSW hospitals breaking new records in terms of hospital presentations and admissions. There is no question we need adequate resourcing of our hospital sector, [...]

FROM THE CEO Independence AMA (NSW) draws from the experience of Councillors and Committee Members to ensure it is effectively representing the interests of members. AMA (NSW) represents doctors’ interests to the Government – not the other way around. In this edition of The NSW Doctor, we are focusing on some of the issues facing [...]

DIT DIARY A brave new world For lifelong Sydneysider Dr Jacqueline Ho, regional secondments have made her a better doctor and an advocate for equitable access to healthcare. My hairdresser remarked that I was “brave” for packing up my bags and starting a new job in the middle of NSW. And yet what this person [...]

FEATURE Protecting choice At the core of AMA (NSW)’s advocacy around billing is protecting doctors’ rights to set their own fees. Doctors’ fees have been in the spotlight for much of 2018 for multiple reasons. AMA (NSW) has had to weigh in on these issues on many occasions and, at times, the policies and protections [...]

OPINION Australia’s Star Chamber Huge outcry from medical professionals forced AHPRA to back down from its controversial policy to post tribunal decisions. However, Dr Michael Gliksman argues AHPRA’s underlying philosophy remains an issue. Star Chamber (def): an English court of law from 15th to 17th century, originally established to ensure the fair enforcement of laws [...]

FEATURE Twitter in 2018 New rules to fight trolls and control spam are making Twitter a friendlier place. You might be late to the party, but enthusiasts argue there’s never been a better time to join… Twitter was launched in 2006 – the same year Saddam Hussein was executed, Pluto was downgraded as a planet, [...]

FEATURE Elder abuse The medical profession is ideally placed to identify incidents of elder abuse due to the ongoing relationship of trust with older patients. Media reports of a growing epidemic of elder abuse in Australia underscores the importance of this issue and how it impacts upon both the medical and legal professions. This is [...]

FEATURE All that glitters The Government’s plan to clear up consumer confusion over private health cover with its Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic categories has been met with mixed reviews from doctors’ groups. The Federal Government recently unveiled its new categories for private health insurance – Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic – as part of [...]

INDUSTRY NEWS Sessional VMOs: Demystifying remuneration There are three remuneration options for sessional VMOs to choose from, but each comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. All VMOs would be aware of the difference between a Sessional contract and a Fee-for-Service contract. Sessional VMOs charge for public patient treatment at an hourly rate, whereas Fee-for-Service [...]

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Adverse action claims Costly and easy to make, adverse action claims pose a significant risk to employers, but there are practical steps you can take to safeguard your business. We’ve all heard of unfair dismissal, anti-discrimination and anti-bullying laws. Yet many business owners still don’t seem to know about the “adverse action” rules [...]

GOLF President’s Cup Clear blue skies on an early winter’s morning greeted 40 players at St Michael’s Golf Course to contest the 2018 President’s Cup. The pre-match breakfast was excellent and worthy of mention as the players gathered in the clubhouse. This idyllic scene was made even more welcoming by the sight of migrating whales [...]