NOVEMBER / DECEMBER ISSUE 2017

PRESIDENT'S WORD In the wake of a tragedy Finding answers – not finger pointing – is the only way to improve our system following the unexpected loss of a patient. THE UNEXPECTED death of a patient is a tragedy for everyone involved. For the family, there is the heartbreak of loss. For the doctors, nurses [...]

FROM THE CEO All things considered After the shock and sadness of losing so many colleagues at the beginning of the year, the profession has pulled together to effect change. Now the real work begins. 2017 HAS, at times, been a year of great sadness. The year started with the tragic news that the AMA’s [...]

FEATURE Australian Doctors united in harmony The Australian Doctors Orchestra celebrated 25 years of music, camaraderie and philanthropy at a concert held 5 November. AN UNCONTAINABLE cheer escapes from the throng of doctors gathered from around the country. You might wonder how they all can muster such enthusiasm for the too-early opening session of a [...]

PROFILE AIDA Representative to AMA (NSW) Council Dr Dana Slape Some dreams never go away. But as Dr Dana Slape’s journey to becoming a doctor demonstrates, it takes courage and heart to make them a reality. WHEN DANA Slape was in ninth grade she ventured to tell her school career adviser she wanted to become [...]

COMMENT Ending the Drought The potential to end the rural doctor drought is there, but further work needs to be done to establish a stable and sustainable rural medical workforce in the late 2020s and beyond. WHY CAN’T all medical graduates who wish to become rural doctors have that opportunity? Many will not have access [...]

PROFILE Rural Doctors: Outstanding in their field Doctors who work in rural country towns are more than just service providers, they’re members of the community. I HAVE worked as a rural doctor for a decade now – as a GP and in the hospital system – in rural cities and tiny farming towns. I have [...]

FEATURE Best in Country Dr Shannon Nott knew exactly what he signed up for when he decided to work in a rural town – a satisfying career. A COUPLE of months ago, I was at a friend’s birthday in Sydney. While conversing with guests, the usual questions flew around with one guest asking ,“What do [...]

FEATURE A New Dawn The Royal Flying Doctor Service prescribes swift action to growing drug problem in rural and remote NSW. JENNY BEACH is on the road as soon as the sun peeps over the horizon most days – stray wildlife an ever-present danger during the pre-dawn light. It’s a four-hour drive to Cobar for [...]

FEATURE Rural Generalist Training The 20th anniversary of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine coincides with the development of a critical pathway which supports training opportunities for aspiring rural doctors. IN JUNE this year, the Federal Government passed the National Rural Health Commissioner Bill through the Senate. The passing of this Bill brings [...]

FEATURE Improving rural opportunities Kathryn Stonestreet, manager SE NSW Training Hub, Rural Clinical School ANU Medical School explains the ABCs of regional training hubs. REGIONAL TRAINING hubs are a component of the Integrated Rural Training Pipeline for Medicine (IRTP) implemented through the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) program at existing RHMT program training sites. The [...]

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Are your payslips and employee records in order? The new laws will double the maximum penalties for recordkeeping and payslip breaches, to $12,600 per contravention for individuals and $63,000 for companies. WHEN MODERN Award rates increased in July, most private practice employers would have reviewed how much they were paying their staff, checked [...]

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Public / Private hospitals update WE KNOW that many of our VMO and hospital doctor members are keenly watching developments in the public private partnership space. So here’s a brief update on what AMA (NSW)’s professional services team has been doing to represent the industrial interests of members in connection with two of [...]

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Insurance claims: what you and your patients need to know The State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) has announced several recent changes which could affect treating doctors and their patients. THE FOLLOWING information has been provided to AMA (NSW) by SIRA, to assist treating doctors understand the changes. CTP GREEN SLIP A new CTP [...]

NEWS AMA (NSW) launches GP registry for junior doctors The recent emphasis on doctors’ health and wellbeing has shone a spotlight on the importance of having your own GP. HOWEVER, for doctors-in-training – particularly those working away from home on rotation – visiting their regular GP can be difficult. With this in mind, AMA (NSW) [...]

NEWS Kicking career goals One of the many benefits of being an AMA (NSW) member is access to our Careers Service – a well developed program that has already helped many doctors achieve their professional goals. THE CAREERS Service is focused on working with doctors to help them achieve their goals. This year has been [...]

GOLF On the wild side The 2017 AMA (NSW) International Golf Shield was played across three outstanding courses in South Africa. THE FIRST round was played on the Gary Player Golf Course, which is a walking only course and clearly the most challenging of the three courses played. Every golfer knows Gary’s passion for physical [...]