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Doctors call for end to EBA uncertainty
10 November 2008
Doctors today called on the Brumby Government to quickly finalise a new deal on pay and conditions for the state’s 6000 public hospital doctors.
The previous Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) for public hospital doctors expired four months ago and AMA Victoria President Dr Doug Travis said doctors were fed up with the lack of government action.
“The Government has been too slow in acknowledging and addressing the many problems in our public hospitals,” Dr Doug Travis said.
“Every Victorian knows we have problems in our hospitals. Every day, more than 1000 Victorians are missing out on care in a clinically appropriate timeframe. This is unacceptable. Lengthy waits can seriously increase risk of complications and even death.
“Every week, doctors are leaving public hospitals for private practice or interstate.
“Despite the well-publicised problems in hospitals, the Brumby Government has let our doctors’ EBA expire with a mere shrug of the shoulders,” Dr Travis said. “The Government has got to get serious about addressing the problems in our public hospitals. An important first step is giving doctors certainty through a new industrial agreement.”
The Government’s offer of a 3.25 per cent pay increase — more than a full percentage point below inflation — came late. The Government was late coming to the negotiating table, and progress has been slow.
“It’s time for the Premier to put an end to the uncertainty,” Dr Travis said. “We have unprecedented demand, and hospitals are lacking capacity. AMA Victoria has been crying out for partnership with Government for reform, innovation and efficiencies in hospitals.
“The Government is playing old-style industrial politics and promoting old-fashioned and discredited management styles with our hospitals. This has resulted in unhappy doctors and deteriorating standards of patient care. The Government is on an unsustainable road and is beginning to collide with the realities of modern health care.
“The Government needs to work with doctors to provide the best possible care to Victorians. We need to improve pay and conditions, improve administrative culture and build a culture of innovation. It’s time to put a real offer on the table.
“We should be working together on an improved, innovative health system,’ Dr Travis said.
“Doctors’ message to the Premier is simple — sort out a new EBA now, provide certainty for doctors in public hospitals, and let’s get on with improving the health of all Victorians.”
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