Communications and advocacy update: 13 July

13 July 2023

Here’s an update on a few of the issues AMA Victoria is working on for members, including:

• College policies regarding applying for and sitting RANZCO examinations whilst on Interrupted Training
• Victorian Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot- advocacy update
• Parkville Precinct change in information sent to General Practices.
   

College policies regarding applying for and sitting fellowship examinations whilst on Interrupted Training

Last week we drew to members’ attention that we had written to RANZCO concerning a recent rule change regarding applying for and sitting RANZCO examinations whilst on Interrupted Training: Communications and advocacy update: 6 July 2023 (amavic.com.au).

In this communication, we noted that currently RANZCO trainees on interrupted training are not eligible to register for, or sit, any RANZCO examination, whilst on Interrupted Training except if on parental leave, but that that this rule had recently been amended to exclude trainees on parental leave from being able to register for, or sit RANZCO examinations, effective January 2024.

We are pleased to inform members that, following AMAV advocacy, RANZCO’s decision to exclude RANZCO trainees on parental leave being able to apply for or sit exams from January 2024 has been reversed (for which RANZCO is to be commended).

We are in discussions with several other colleges regarding their policies in this regard.

If members are aware that their college has similar problematic policies, please contact Senior Policy Adviser, Lewis Horton, at LewisH@amavic.com.au.
 

Victorian Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot - advocacy update

AMA Victoria has written to the Victorian Government regarding concerns we have about the Victorian Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot.

We have informed the Government that we consider the current schedule for the Pilot’s commencement (October 2023) wholly unrealistic, and if the Pilot proceeds according to this timeline, this will not facilitate safe, quality healthcare delivery to Victorians who receive treatment under the Pilot.

We have further advised the Government that all components of the Pilot should be conducted as a registered clinical trial, with ethics approval, and that failure to do so will pose significant risks to patient safety, undermine public health and waste public funds.

We will keep members updated on the Government’s response.

Further reading:

• Communications and advocacy update: 8 June (amavic.com.au)
• AMA Victoria statement on Victorian Government announcement on pharmacist prescribing and incentivising general practice
   

Parkville Precinct change in information sent to General Practices

AMA Victoria has written to the Parkville Precinct General Practice/Primary Care Liaison teams in response to Royal Melbourne Hospital’s recent decision (which has been in operation from 30 June)  to stop faxing patient admission, discharge, and death-in-hospital notifications to general practices (albeit if a clinic is signed up to Parkville Connect, all notifications are available in the GP’s inbox and all discharge summaries and outpatient continue to be sent via Argus or fax).

In our letter, we requested that:

• No patient admission, discharge or death notifications should require a GP to log into a portal to view the notification.
• General practices, whether or not signed up to Parkville Connect, continue to receive notifications of patient admissions and deaths in hospital either via Argus or fax.

It is our view that ceasing faxing patient admission, discharge, and death-in-hospital notifications as a matter of course will exacerbate the suboptimal communication interaction that presently exists between general practice and hospitals. The rationale for this change is not clear to us, and at the very least more time is needed to implement workflow changes in general practice for the transition.

We will keep members updated on the Parkville Precinct’s response.