Bulletin.

 

 

 

The Australian Association of Medical Recruitment Agents (AAMRA) has been established, as a Special Interest Group, under the auspices of RCSA. This association represents the special interests and needs of medical practitioner recruitment agencies in Australia.

 

For further information or to submit information or an article for the AAMRA Newsletter please contact: Simon Schweigert at the AAMRA Secretariat on Tel: (03) 5976 1884 or Mobile: 0425 338 487 email: aamra@rcsa.com.au

 

Updates from Around Australia

 

Joint Standing Committee on Overseas Trained Specialists (JSCOTS)

At the AMC Forum on the Assessment of Overseas Trained Specialists held in Melbourne on May 26 2006, it was determined there was a re-emerging need for a committee such as Joint Standing Committee on Overseas Trained Specialists (JSCOTS) to ensure that the agreed assessment processes for OTS’s are consistently applied and address specific procedural and processing issues.

 

AAMRA has been asked to nominate a representative to the reactivated (JSCOTS). AAMRA Chairman Nick Hays has been nominated by the AAMRA National Council and Brian Symon, AAMRA Education and Training, has been nominated as stand-in when required.

 

The key stakeholders in the reactivated committee will include:

  • the Colleges (CPMC)
  • the Boards (AMC/JMBAC)
  • Consumers/the Community
  • Recruiting Agencies
  • the Commonwealth
  • the Jurisdictions

 

AAMRA Members Meeting – September 6,  Sofitel on the Gold Coast

The first AAMRA Members Meeting will be held on Wednesday September 6 at the Sofitel Resort on the Gold Coast. This not to be missed program will consist of a Members Meeting and lunch with visiting guest speaker from the USA, Mr. Tim Sanders who will speak about harnessing the power of great relationships to grow your business. This will be followed by an industry/government roundtable with representatives from Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) and Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA).

 

There is no charge for AAMRA Members to attend this meeting as it will be included in the Conference package. Members who plan to attend the meeting only and not the Conference will need to pay a registration fee. Further details and registration will be available here.

 

We look forward to seeing you on the Gold Coast.

 

Visa Options for Doctors - Australia

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA, formerly DIMIA) has recently updated their website information on Visa options for doctors. Comprehensive information can be found via the following link: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/medical-practitioners/visa-options-doctors.htm

 

Note that DIMA’s fees increased as at 1 July 2006.  Check the website for details.

 

Medicare Australia - Australia

Medicare Australia has recently launched a PBS CD-ROM for new providers entitled "Your Guide to Using your Prescriber Number". A copy of the CD-Rom has recently been mailed out to all providers who were issued with a prescriber in the previous 12 months and all new providers will be given a copy from here on in. The CD-Rom offered self-paced learning on the PBS and includes Medicare Australia contacts, useful links, a glossary of PBS terms and practical resources.

Medicare Australia is now working on a project to develop a similar product for MBS.

 

COAG Update - Australia

COAG agreed to establish a single national accreditation scheme for health education and training by July 2008.

 

COAG agreed that health ministers will implement initiatives to establish a national process for the assessment of OTDs by December 2006.

 

COAG agreed that a national registration scheme and national accreditation scheme would be self-funding, with establishment costs jointly funded by the Australian Government and the State and Territories.

 

Strengthening Medicare - Australia

Strengthening Medicare International Recruitment contracts are due to expire on 31 December 2006. Some AAMRA members may need to bring in 'exit' strategies for clients who will now have to pay for placements that have been paid by DoHA under these contracts.

 

Updates from Queensland

 

Area of Need Certification - Queensland

As of Monday 29 May 2006, all Area of Need applications are being processed by the Area of Need Certification Unit at the Office of Health Practitioner Registration Boards. The existing Policy and Interim Guidelines for the Determination of Area of Need for Medical Services in Queensland will remain current. Legislative amendments are presently being considered to streamline the Area of Need process in the future. The Area of Need Unit can be contacted by phone: 3234-0227, fax: 3225-2527, or Email: AreaofNeedUnit@healthregboards.qld.gov.au

 

Medical Board Registration - Queensland

Following introduction of the Medical Practitioners Registrations Amendment Act 2006, the Medical Board of Queensland (MBQ) has introduced a number of new initiatives as at 1 June 2006:

 

·         They have entered into an agreement with the General Medical Council to electronically exchange Certificates of Good Standing.

·         The Board is now able to delegate its power for the approval of certain categories of registration. These delegations have resulted in speedier processing of some complete applications. The delegations approved by the Board are:-

-         an Office staff member could approve applications for general (excluding AMC certificate holders) and specialist registration including the removal of probationary internship conditions if requirements have been satisfied;

-         an office staff member could approve all applications for registration under sections 132,133,134,135 (JHOs and SHOs only), 136 and 138;

-         the RAC would approve applications for general registration AMC certificate holders and applications for registration under section 135 for general practice, PHOs, MSRPPs/MORPPs, SMOs and deemed specialists under sections 135 and 143A

·         Short-Term Registration - allows for doctors to apply for general, specialist or special purpose registration for short-term registration of up to 5 weeks, for which no application fee or registration fee will apply. The Board must be satisfied that the applicant has a good reason for a period of registration of that length. Short-Term Registration is not intended for concurrent periods of practice.

·         Special Purpose registration pursuant to Section 134 (Medical Teaching or Research), now allows for doctors to practice the profession in connection with the medical teaching or research, including practice in the specialty. This Clinical practice can also be performed at a specialist level, but only after the relevant specialty College is in support.

·         The Board has removed the USMLE (previously ECFMG) as an acceptable examination for the purposes of demonstrating your level of English Language proficiency. The Board received advice from the Australian Medical Council that USMLE has never tested the four English components (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking) and is therefore not a comparable test to the IELTS or OET examinations.

The MBQ is also considering the introduction of a Preliminary Assessment Service to assess the registration eligibility of candidates for area of need positions before candidates are offered employment.  The intended outcomes of this are: that an employer may then offer the position to the candidate with greater certainty; and the candidate will be able to commence DIMA applications earlier in the recruitment process, which should in turn enable the candidate to relocate and commence work earlier.  MBQ has undertaken a consultation process and is currently considering the feedback obtained.

The MBQ and RACGP (along with ACRRM) have been working together to develop a framework for the assessment of OTDs seeking Area of Need registration to work as a GP.  A half-day workshop is being held on 25 August 2006 with a small group of key stakeholders to progress this work.

The MBQ can be contacted by phone: 3234-0011, fax: 3225-2522, or Email: medical.registrations@healthregboards.qld.gov.au

Application forms and policies can be found on their website: www.medicalboard.qld.gov.au

 

New Appointments - Queensland

  • RDAQ has a new president:  Dr Christian Rowan
  • AMAQ has a new president:  Dr Zelle Hodge

 

Recruitment Resources - Australia

 

Updates from South Australia

  • There have been no significant recent changes in policy from either the Department of Health or the medical board.
  • Public reporting in the media suggests that publicly funded recruitment has been very slow to achieve significant recruitment numbers eg 2 in 12 months.
  • Private recruiting is suggested by the media to have been more successful i.e. 25 doctors in 18 months.

 

Updates from New South Wales

 

There have been no further changes to the procedures at the NSW Medical Board for OTD’s since the introduction of EICS.

 

Further details about EICS for New South Wales are available at: http://www.nswmb.org.au/system/files/f1/o50/EICS%20Application%20Instructions%20-%20NSWMB.doc

 

http://www.nswmb.org.au/system/files/f1/o49/EICS%20Application%20-%20NSWMB.doc

 

AAMRA Council has been examining the status of indemnity that Public Health Organisations (PHOs) are providing through TMF to Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) and Honorary Medical Officers (HMOs) in NSW. Further explanations and details about the types of contracts are available by checking the AAMRA Useful Templates at: http://www.rcsa.com.au/member_section/bss/bssmenu.asp#other

 

Updates from Victoria

 

The Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria has now assumed a firmer stance on International GPs registering in its state.

 

Obviously the Boards across Australia are working to develop a common assessment procedure and structured supervision requirements to ensure that doctors registered for Area of Need GP Positions are able to practice safely and competently.

 

There is a fine balance between providing a much needed medical workforce and ensuring high standards and confidence in medical practitioners.

 

On April 20th the Board ratified a new policy for the specific registration of GPs under section 8(1)(e) of the Medical Practice Act Vic 1994. It is effective immediately.

  • For a doctor to register as a medical practitioner in Vic he or she must satisfy many prerequisites.
  • Those of interest to AAMRA members are:

·          The Applicant must successfully complete the AMC screening test (effect from late 2006).

·          GPs with qualification from NZ, Canada or the UK gain automatic registration in Victoria.

·          GPs from other countries may need to have their experience and work history assessed by the RACGP. This assessment would require that the GP has 5 years of approved GP time.

 

Other pathways to registration include:

  • Assessment made by the Clinical Practice Advisory Committee or Rural Locum Relief Program.
  • A Board authorized assessment of skills (OSCE assessment).
  • Work in Australian Hospital for two years assessed as GP Time by the RACGP.
  • Work in a hospital system comparable to the Australian Health System for two years assessed as GP Time by the RACGP. The National Reference Panel’s classification will be used to determine comparable systems.

 

Industrial Changes

A new MECA was signed between the AMA and DHS on July 18th 2006 after recommendation from the Senior Deputy President of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

 

This will result in an overall salary increase of 9.3% over the next 12 months for both junior and medical staff. There are a range of other entitlements such as an allowance for CME, penalty loading for night duty work and paid maternity and paternity leave.

 

In addition a formal Ministerial Review will be commissioned to specifically look at the remuneration award to Victorian Doctors as compared to other states and territories. The recommendations are required by September 2007. It is likely that further salary increases for both junior and senior medical staff will be recommended.

 

 

 

Web:

http://www.rcsa.com.au/aamra or contact:

 

AAMRA Secretariat

Simon Schweigert

Tel: (03) 5976 1884

Mobile: 0425 338 487

email: aamra@rcsa.com.au

 

PO Box 18028, Collins Street East, VIC 8003