Communications and advocacy update: 8 September
8 September 2022
Here’s an update on a few of the issues AMA Victoria is working on for members, including:
- Consultation: proposed amendments to Secretary Approvals for immunisers - monkeypox vaccine
- Health Workforce strategy
- New Workplace Injury Commission.
Consultation: proposed amendments to Secretary Approvals for immunisers - monkeypox vaccine
The Victorian Department of Health is proposing to make amendments to the Secretary Approvals for nurse immunisers and pharmacist immunisers as part of its response to the emergence of the monkeypox virus in Victoria.
It is proposed that:
- Nurse immunisers are authorised to administer the monkeypox vaccine to people recommended for vaccination.
- Pharmacist immunisers are authorised to administer the monkeypox vaccine to people recommended for vaccination, aged five years and older.
A consultation paper which contains the proposed amendments to the Secretary Approvals can be found here.
Before providing our formal response to the Department, AMA Victoria wishes to hear the views of the membership.
Specifically, AMA Victoria would like to know whether members:
- would date be prepared to administer the monkeypox vaccine
- have the capacity to administer the monkeypox vaccine
- are happy to use a normal process - as for procurement of child vaccines - to procure the monkeypox vaccine
- can also then provide additional treatment if it becomes necessary.
If you would like to provide feedback, please email Senior Policy Adviser, Lewis Horton, at LewisH@amavic.com.au, by Tuesday 13 September.
Health Workforce Strategy
The Victorian Department of Health is developing a Workforce Strategy. The strategy is designed to be “future-focused…and will outline an approach for workforce recovery, development, and growth over the coming decade, while also identifying immediate actions [the Department] can take to better support the health workforce.”
To this end, the Department is seeking written submissions to further inform the initial development of the strategy. Submissions are requested to focus on workforce training, development, or capability; workforce supply and growth; or workforce wellbeing and engagement (but the Department will welcome input on any topic that participants feel needs to be considered).
If you would like to contribute to AMA Victoria’s submission, please provide any thoughts/suggestions/insights to Senior Policy Adviser, Lewis Horton, at LewisH@amavic.com.au, by Tuesday 27 September.
ACCS launches new arbitration service and becomes Workplace Injury Commission
On 1 September 2022, the Accident Compensation Conciliation Service (ACCS) became the Workplace Injury Commission (WIC), and launched its new arbitration service, in response to the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Arbitration) Act 2021.
The introduction of the arbitration service gives injured workers in Victoria the choice to have their workers compensation dispute determined through arbitration, if it cannot be resolved through conciliation - and will be available to workers injured on or after 1 September 2022.
A more in depth look at what this means for medical practitioners will follow in the coming weeks. In the meantime, members can find more information, including forms, policies, procedures and fact sheets, on WIC’s new website: www.wic.vic.gov.au/resources.
