STATE PUBLIC SECTOR ENTERPRISE BARGAINING LOG OF CLAIMS Without Prejudice PSYCHOLOGISTS ASSOCIATION (SA BRANCH)

Transcription

1 STATE PUBLIC SECTOR ENTERPRISE BARGAINING 2014 LOG OF CLAIMS Without Prejudice PSYCHOLOGISTS ASSOCIATION (SA BRANCH)

2 1. CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURE FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS CLAIM 1.1 AHP CLASSIFICATION LEVELS AND TITLES The State Government will adopt a career classification structure for psychologists working in the public sector. Within this structure there will be consistent use of titles for registered psychologists in all Agencies across the public sector. Key features are: Entry points recognising levels of qualifications and experience Specific reference in Appendix Work Level Definitions Salary upon appointment for entry level AHPs to read: An AHP who holds a 2 year Masters within the same profession as their allied health undergraduate degree will be appointed at the AHP2, first increment salary level. Recognition of specific training, registration and skills of psychologists Opportunity for career pathway as psychologists Consistency in titles independent of those allocated to Allied Health professionals at the same classification (See appendix A) CLAIM 1.2 AHP2 AHP3 TRANSITION The State Government will institute an unambiguous form of wording to enable the transition from AHP2 to AHP3 for psychologists who have completed supervisor training; have obtained national registration and endorsement of AHPRA and the PBA; have provided professional supervision and are willing to continue to do so; for provisional and registered psychologists which by definition includes postgraduate students on placement. A registered (general) AHP2 psychologist who provides formal confirmation to their agency that they have been formally accredited and endorsed by the Psychologists Board of Australia (PBA) as an approved supervisor of other psychologists should transition to AHP3 via a simple and quick administrative process implemented by the employing agency without a peer review process. It should be noted by the employing agencies that such PBA approval is only granted to psychologists who have been employed for a minimum of 2 years; have completed a 7 hour online knowledge assessment; have undertaken 12 hours of direct supervisor training; have completed a competency based assessment and evaluation process; who maintain the required professional development goals; and who are engaged or willing to engage in regular supervision. As such these requirements limit the number of AHP2 s who will be eligible. Additionally, prior to becoming an endorsed psychologist PBA wording for specialist - (i.e. in areas such as clinical, community, clinical neuropsychology, counselling, educational and developmental, forensic, health, organisational and/or sport and exercise psychology) every psychologist must complete: 2 years of weekly post graduate supervised practice (80 hours minimum) 10 hours of peer to peer training annually, more in groups over 1200 hours of face to face practice within a supervised placement 2

3 As demonstrated above, the level of training and supervised practice for a psychologist to reach the level of board-approved supervisor is extensive. Given the lack of career structure to support psychologists within the public sector, board-approved supervisors are becoming an increasingly scarce human resource. This arises as there are more financially attractive options for these experienced psychologists outside of the SA Public Sector in private practise. The SA Public Sector has a longstanding partnership with the tertiary institutions and the profession to provide adequate supervised places for new psychologists and specialist clinical, forensic & clinical neuropsychologists and a commitment to being an employer of choice. Presently the SA Public Sector does not meet any of these aims. Clearly some placements and experiences are entirely absent outside the public system. It is important to recognise those individuals who have made significant efforts to obtain registration to act as a supervisor for psychologists. There are currently 1295 psychologists in this state including those in private practice of which 109 (8%) have obtained registration for supervision, many being counted more than once. Of these only 28 individual, public sector, psychologists are endorsed as supervisors and many of these are already at AHP3 or above. They are a valuable resource and may lose endorsement capacity and face de-skilling if they are not given the opportunity or incentive to supervise other psychologists. 71% of the workforce is female and their average working hours equates to 4 days per week, compared to 5 days for most males. The part time nature of employment is a major issue to be addressed in both providing services, supervision, retaining staff and staff replacement. Agencies have adopted individual interpretations and added unnecessary administrative implementation processes of the current EB agreement and as a result have hindered the progression of experienced and accredited psychologists. It is critical to provide placements for student and provisional psychologists, registrars and peer supervision for ongoing viability of the profession. The supportive arguments put by PASAB members during the last round of EB negotiations about the loss of this expertise from the Public Sector has sadly continued in no small part due to the lack of managerial capacity in Agencies to effectively embrace the intent of the clause inserted in Schedule 1.2A of the current Agreement. In this regard, to PASAB s knowledge after surveying members, no one has been successfully reclassified to AHP3 using the current clause in Schedule 1.2A. 2. SALARY AND WAGES 2.1 WAGE INCREASE CLAIM 2.1 GENERAL The State Government will provide a general wage increase to maintain parity with cost of livings increases. A general wage increase each year is required in order that wages maintain their relative value with respect to inflation from the time of the finalisation of the current agreement. CLAIM 2.2 SPECIAL INCREASE FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS The State Government provide a one off wage increase to maintain parity with equivalent consultant psychiatrists and their wage increases awarded in the recent SASMOA agreement in addition to CPI or any other increase applied to AHP range. 3

4 In addition it is estimated by PASAB based on SA Public Sector wages that psychologists are on average approximately 37.5% behind private sector colleagues. PASAB requests a one off catch up parity increase of 37.5% in order to bring psychologists wages closer to being on par with their equivalent colleagues in the private sector. Psychologists far more than other Health Professionals have moved out of the SA Public Sector. Thus they do not derive the same job security, career structure or even long service leave and accumulated superannuation benefits that other employees do. The vast majority of psychologists in the SA Public Sector are recent graduates completing registrar supervision prior to moving into the private sector. An example of the rationale to support this increase would be as a retention incentive, in lieu of the private practice arrangements extended to medical practitioners and approved for extension to psychologists by Cabinet in 2006 (but as yet delivered) within the SA Department of Health. The Commonwealth Government s Medicare rebates for Clinical Psychologists when compared with Consultant Psychiatrists are pegged at maintaining a relativity of 92%. In order to stem the flow, or in recent times the torrent, of Clinical Psychologists exiting from the Public Sector, the State Government needs to peg Psychologist wages at or above this rate. Given the number of full time Psychologists in the Department of Health has now dropped below 75 FTE, this should not be an expensive endeavour. Since the introduction of multi-classification positions, a registered psychologist undertaking the same duties as a social worker will receive a smaller take home salary due to their additional expenses of registration, insurance and continual professional development requirements. If this trend continues, the SA Public Sector will be unable to recruit and retain psychologists who offer a unique and highly specialised skill set that is not currently reflected in salary and wages. The Following is a typical sample of the commercial worth of a Clinical Psychologist in private practice 3. PROFESSIONAL COSTS CLAIM 3.1 OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING The State Government will include a clause providing for reimbursement for ongoing costs associated with the maintaining of any occupational license or registration of employees that they are required to possess and act upon in the course of their employment. National registration, which was an initiative of COAG and therefore a reflection of this State Government s preferred policy agenda, requires all psychologists to pay an annual registration fee as a funding source for the administrative processes to maintain licensing arrangements to practice Psychology in Australia. As a direct consequence of 4

5 establishing this national regulation board, AHPRA, the registration fees increased significantly (almost doubled). Again it is our understanding this was an outcome negotiated by the State Government, without any SA industrial negotiation with its (psychologist) employees who were directly affected by the impost of a higher registration fees. This is an extra impost that SA Public Sector Psychologists have to fund from their salary that is not applied to all of the other health professionals remunerated under the AHP classifications. It is our view and claim that this annual registration fee should be reimbursed as it is with other professional staff across the SA Public Sector. For example it is our understanding that solicitors and medical practitioners employed within Attorney- General s and Health Departments respectively, have these fees reimbursed. It is also understood by PASAB that the Commonwealth Government refunds registration fees for the psychologists employed by them. Moreover, PASAB understands that SAPOL pays registration fees for the three psychologists employed within that Agency. Based on consultation with other Public Sector unions, PASAB understands that there are examples of other public sector employees performing professional tasks within the SA Department of Health, who are covered by the South Australian Public Sector Wages Parity (Plumbing, Metal and Building Trades Employees) Enterprise Agreement, are reimbursed the cost associated with meeting their regulatory requirements through the South Australian Government Departments and Instrumentalities (Metal Trades) Award Relying on the above rationale PASAB seeks the insertion of a new clause in the new Enterprise Agreement that states: An employee who is required to possess and act upon any occupational licence, registration or accreditation in accordance with any state or federal legislation and regulations will, upon gaining and/or maintaining such licence, registration or accreditation, be reimbursed the cost by the employing Agency of any preparation course, assessment / examination and the ongoing cost of maintaining the licence, registration or accreditation as prescribed by the relevant legislation. Given the comparatively low numbers of psychologists employed in the SA Public Sector, this would not be a significant expense for the State Government and would provide significant benefits in terms of an intentional signal from the employer to value and retain public sector psychologists. CLAIM 3.2 PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE The State Government will provide Professional Indemnity Insurance cover for all public sector personnel employed as registered psychologists or provide a written guarantee that the State Government will provide the full protection for psychologists required by AHPRA via required indemnity confirmation. 5

6 National registration requires profession indemnity insurance for all registered psychologists and PASAB would contend is an essential component of occupational licensing. Presently most psychologists pay this annual insurance fee out of their own salary. Despite some individual Agencies claiming that the SA Government does provide cover in that it stands its own risk, we would like an assurance from the Chief Executive of the Department for Premier and Cabinet for the Whole-of-Government (WoG) confirmation of their implied coverage of psychologists without the personal payment of insurance. Alternatively, PASAB seeks that SA Government through its insurers pay for a group policy PASAB previously has provided quotes through Insurance House, one of the two major Australian brokers of Professional Indemnity Insurance for $150 per employee, which based on current estimations of SA Public Sector Psychologists would impose an annual WoG cost of $30, WORKING CONDITIONS CLAIM 4.1 The State Government will incorporate all current working conditions of employment in this Agreement and these will remain unchanged for the life of the Agreement. Key Features are: Job Security: No forced redundancies during the life of the agreement. Increase in voluntary redundancy provisions within agreement to match equivalent of current TVSP CLAIM 4.2 The State Government Agencies will enable public sector psychologists with combined formal training and public sector experience in excess of 10 access private practice provisions such that they will continue to work 37.5 hours but may choose to work up to 15 hours in private practice during the week. Since the failure of the Department of Health to implement private practice rights for public sector psychologists, via negotiation with PASAB, in accordance with Cabinet approval and based on recommendations of the 2006 Stepping Up report, there has been a mass exodus (over two thirds) of senior public sector psychologists from the public sector work force and those remaining and replacing are mostly new graduates or have retained only part time involvement. Negotiating in good faith with PASAB private practice rights for psychologists consistent with those afforded to Visiting Medical Officers would have prevented this loss. We note that State Government is still capable of starting a process of re-engagement as occurred 6

7 for Psychiatrists who had previously abandoned the public sector. To facilitate this PASAB will work with the Department of Health to address the complications raised regarding the hours of work for psychologists. PASAB is of the view that a local agreement could be negotiated individually to achieve private practice rights without diminishing the essential working conditions currently enjoyed by SA Public Sector staff. This arrangement would be implemented via the existing clause 17 Workplace Flexibility and could include the insertion of a new clause into Schedule 3 WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY AGREEMENTS: PRIVATE PRACTICE RIGHTS: PSYCHOLOGISTS AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 1 The parties acknowledge that there are mutual benefits to the employing authority and psychologists and applicable health unit/s, in having arrangements granting psychologists' rights of private practice and that during the life of this Agreement there will be in place a Department of Health/PASAB Private Practice Agreement (PPA). 1.1 For the purposes of this clause and conditional on approval of this Agreement the provisions of this Agreement that apply to psychologists, will be read having regard to the other, provided that neither will form part of the other and an expression that appears only in this Agreement or in the applicable PPA will bear the meaning that gives effect to the applicable document. 1.2 The summary of the main elements of the PPA is included only for the purpose of information and neither that summary nor the PPA form part of this Agreement. 1.3 Any monies, entitlements or obligations arising under an applicable PPA, or under this Agreement, will not count for any purpose whatsoever of the other, unless otherwise expressly stated. 1.4 For the purposes of this Agreement, the Chief Executive, Department of Health undertakes that there will be no reduction in the working conditions and professional benefits enjoyed by psychologists that exist at the time of reaching the PPA, unless explicitly identified and agreed to as part of the PPA. CLAIM 4.3 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COSTS The State Government will fund professional development for public sector psychologists as required by the PBA to maintain national registration. Presently the State Government allows for 5 days paid leave every 2 years for professional development (18.75 hours annually) to support their employed psychologists meet their ongoing PBA national registration requirements. Individual Agencies also provide a variably applied additional paid release time for broader training and development. However this does not align with current PBA expectations, which requires public sector psychologists to complete a minimum of 30 hours of professional development annually regardless of part or full time employment status. 7

8 Therefore PASAB requests an extension of Professional Development paid release time from the current 5 days every two years to the following: 8 days annually for psychologists with single endorsement 12 days annually for psychologists with double endorsement (only 3 psychologists in Public Sector) Plus 1 day annually for supervision Plus a $9000 per employee professional development package as benchmarked by the commonwealth (Clinical Psychology Vs Consultant Psychiatrist) 5. ENHANCED WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT FUNCTION RETENTION PAYMENTS CLAIM 5.1 The State Government Agencies will elevate eligible Psychologist by a classification level in recognition of fluency in a second language that can be readily utilised in their practice of psychology within the department without interpreter assistance. This State once led the country in terms of transcultural culturally sensitive approaches to mental health with the first facility in Woodville at Beaufort Clinic in proximity to the former Pennington refugee centre. It catered for newly arrived post war migrants and later for many refugees from different cultures, it was made generic by the former Liberal government and has never been replaced. Now we are the only state without a transcultural mental health facility in Australia. These psychologists are a scarce whole of government human resource and in many cases appropriate use of psychological interventions requires that cognitive therapy or assessment is delivered in the native language, this allowance is one small inexpensive step the government could take to redress these problems. CLAIM 5.2 The State Government departments or agencies will pay a pro-rated rural and remote allowance for psychologists required to work outside of the Adelaide metropolitan area to the equivalent of $5000 per annum for full time or $25 per day, or $7500 per annum to more remote regions. A recent comprehensive report on the psychology workforce by Health Workforce Australia found that rural SA has the lowest ratio of psychologists by population of any region in Australia (Health Workforce Australia [2014]: Australia s Health Workforce Series Psychologists in Focus). The need to provide equitable public sector psychology services to people in rural SA is indisputable yet meaningful incentives are nearly non-existent. This should be seen as an embarrassment to the SA Government. Within the last 10 months questions have been asked in State Parliament (House of Assembly Notice Paper 89, 1 October 2013, item 616) and on national media to explore what is being done to develop psychology services 8

9 in rural SA (ABC News, 8 October 2013, pleas for help to lift regional psychologist numbers; country media interview, 10 October 2013, on psychology shortages in rural SA with Ruth McPhail, Operations Manager, Country Mental Health; ABC North & West SA, Port Pirie, 26 September 2013, interview with Paul Campbell, Australian Psychological Society, on psychology shortages in rural areas, with a focus on rural SA). Country Health has 3.7fte psychologists who are based in rural locations. None are eligible for any of the allowances under the Commissioner s Determination 3.2 as they are not located in the smaller centres that attract special allowances despite travelling regularly and extensively to many such sites. Similarly Families SA previously paid ( ) an attraction & retention allowance of 15% of an AHP2 salary to its 4 psychologists who met the criteria of attending 2 rural offices per month before withdrawing it when the $42,000 could no longer be funded from a vacancy line and separate funding was sought. The cost to Government of this claim is modest and well covered by the value to the community served. CLAIM 5.3 The State Government Agencies will pay the reasonable costs of relocation and a one-off $10,000 relocation incentive payment. In the case of remote areas the Agency will offer further incentives including accommodation provided at concessional rental. Reasonable costs of relocation should include (but not be limited to) travel costs for employee, partner and immediate family, temporary accommodation costs for 13 weeks, government charges associated with the purchase of new accommodation (including stamp duty and conveyance and land title costs, furniture and pet transport costs). Again Country Health has 3.7 fte psychologists based in rural areas and Families SA as of 2013 had 6 visiting psychologists. The cost to Government of this claim is modest and well covered by the value to the community served. It should be noted that PASAB is aware that generally the other states offer significantly better and more effective incentives to attract and retain a rural and remote Psychological workforce. CLAIM 5.4 The State Government departments will elevate eligible Psychologists by a classification level in recognition psychologists employed in the Justice system and health services regularly visiting the prisons, forensic mental health, secure mental health facilities, home detainee visits, community corrections or any other areas related to correctional services. To bring about parity with forensic psychologists interstate and overseas and attract and retain Psychologists with sufficient experience and seniority to work with high need clients. 9

10 APPENDIX A Classification Level Qualification Titles AHP1 Provisional registered Provisional Psychologist 1) 4+2 (during 2 years) 2) PG 6/7 year awaiting thesis or enrolled in PG with PBA AHP2 Registered Psychologist 1) 4+2 completed, 5+1 1) Registered Psychologist completed 2) PG 6/7 completed (2+years) 2) Clinical (Forensic/ Clinical neuro/ Health / Education Developmental/ Counselling Psychology Registrar 1) Senior Psychologist 2) Endorsed Psychologist AHP3 Supervisor Endorsement 1) 4+2+endorsed Supervisor 2) PG 6/7 + endorsed Supervision AHP4 Section Senior Senior Endorsed Or Psychologist with WoG/ Psychologist national expertise AHP4 Mg Allowance Managing group of Psychologists AHP5 Departmental Senior Principal Psychologist AHP5 Mg Allowance Managing group of Psychologists AHP6 State-wide discipline Senior Director of Psychological AHP6 Mg Allowance Managing group of Psychologists Services Please Note our titles reflect the demands & edicts of the National Psychology Board/ AHPRA Note PG = Post Graduate specialist degree (Clinical, Forensic, Neuroclinical, Health, Organisational) Note Endorsed means Clinical, Forensic, Clinical-neuro, Health) 10