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Public hospital doctors offered new pay deal
22 December 2008
Victoria’s public hospital doctors have been offered pay increases of between 6 and 28 per cent in a new enterprise bargaining deal offered by the Victorian Government today.
AMA Victoria President Dr Doug Travis said the Association was cautiously recommending the deal to members. “It’s a reasonable offer,” he said. “After several years of being the lowest paid doctors in the country it means that Victorian doctors’ pay will be back in the pack with other states.”
The proposed pay deal for doctors has been offered as part of a package of public hospital reforms to improve working conditions and patient care, most notably an additional 276 hospital beds promised for 2009.
“The extra beds are vitally important,” Dr Travis said. “This investment is a good first step in growing the hospital system to meet the needs of our population.
“Hospitals have been running under severe pressure because there simply aren’t enough beds to treat all the Victorians in need of care. This means lengthy waits in emergency departments and elective surgery cancellations.
“Doctors will welcome the commitment of extra beds as part of this deal; they want to be able to provide the best possible care to their patients and extra beds will make this more of a reality.”
Dr Travis also noted that the Government’s proposal included an $80 million commitment to boost specialist clinical support time. Adequate clinical support time allows doctors to meet quality assurance, research, teaching and training requirements. As more doctors enter the public hospital system in coming years, clinical support time will improve quality and services.
“Improved clinical support time is an investment in the future of Victoria’s hospitals,” Dr Travis said, “and will help specialists support the influx of new graduates and new patients.”
Dr Travis said the offer would allow for productivity and service delivery improvements. “Innovation and reform in Victoria’s public hospitals will help doctors treat an increased number of Victorians and better serve the community.
“The Government has made a reasonable pay offer to public hospital doctors today, and we will be recommending the deal to our members,” Dr Travis said. “We are living in tough economic times, and the Government’s offer is a significant investment in health care when the community needs it most.”
AMA Victoria members will provide feedback on the proposal over the next six weeks, with a deal expected to be finalised in February.
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Background:
There are several classifications of doctors in the Victorian Public Hospital system. There are more than 20 different pay scales, with three key groups:
- Doctors in training including interns, registrars and residents; doctors who have graduated and are in their first 5-8 years of postgraduate trainin
- Senior medical staff are qualified specialists who work full time or part time in public hospitals as their main occupation.
- Visiting medical officers (VMOs) who are qualified specialists who work predominantly in private practice and do a number of public hospital sessions.
The key features of the proposal include:
- 5 – 7½ per cent increases to base rates in the first year.
- Increased continuing medical education allowances.
- Changes to categories and classifications.
- New classifications for senior staff specialists.
- $80 million investment in additional clinical support time.
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