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States set to poach our doctors
AMA Victoria is warning of an exodus of doctors from Victoria to interstate hospitals.
“Other states are setting themselves up to poach our doctors,” AMA Victoria President Dr Mark Yates warned today.
Dr Yates said as a result of initiatives by the Queensland and NSW governments to attract doctors to work in their public hospitals, their doctors are paid up to 50 and 56 per cent more respectively, than Victorian doctors.
“No wonder we have an acute shortage of doctors working in Victoria and it is only going to get worse if the Bracks Government continues to fail to value and provide the necessary support to doctors.
“Victoria is 900 doctors short. How can Victoria keep the doctors we have, let alone attract the additional doctors our hospitals need today, if we are not competitive with other states?
“AMA Victoria put a solution to the government five months ago and we are still waiting for progress. In the meantime Mr Beattie, Mr Iemma and Mr Rann are taking the initiative to poach Victoria’s doctors.
“Every week the papers are filled with positions for doctors in Queensland and NSW. The alarm bells should be ringing for this government.
“The government’s prediction is that the doctor shortage will blow out to 1500 by 2012. We cannot expect the boost to medical student numbers to start producing more young doctors until 2012 – 2014. In the meantime our hospitals will be drained of doctors attracted by incentives to move interstate.
“We have cases of doctors in Victoria, surgeons at major metro hospitals, who are working for the equivalent of $20 - $30 an hour. Little more than a waiter. Victorian doctors work extremely long hours, many unpaid, because of their commitment to their patients. They need the support of far better working conditions if they are to continue to provide the highest quality care to Victorians.
“The State Government has been relying on our doctors’ commitment to their patients for too long. Victoria needs more doctors now, and to attract new doctors we must be competitive with other states,” Dr Yates said.
“As part of the solution, Victorian doctors are asking for a reasonable 5 per cent annual pay increase and improved work conditions, so they can provide quality and timely care to Victorians,” Dr Yates said. “But that still leaves the government to address the gulf that has developed between Victoria and the other states.”
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