Doctors in Training AMA Salaried Doctors Metropolitan Health Services Agreement 2013-2016 What you need to know The AMA advocating, protecting, producing results!
Doctors in Training AMA MHS Salaried Doctors Agreement 2013-2016. On 19 December 2012 the Association lodged a log of claims on the Minister for Health on behalf of medical practitioners employed under the following agreements: Department of Health Medical Practitioners (Metropolitan Health Services) AMA Industrial Agreement 2011; Department of Health Medical Practitioners (WA Country Health Service) AMA Industrial Agreement 2011; Department of Health Medical Practitioners (Drug and Alcohol Office) AMA Industrial Agreement 2011; Department of Health Medical Practitioners (Director General) AMA Industrial Agreement 2011 Department of Health Medical Practitioners (Clinical Academics) AMA Industrial Agreement 2011 The log of claims was developed after extensive consultation with practitioners across the public system and was designed to ensure that medical practitioners remain best placed to continue to provide high quality healthcare to the WA community. Negotiations between the Association and the Department of Health (DOH) commenced in March 2013. These negotiations were difficult given the state of the economy, the loss of WA s AAA credit rating and the recent bargaining outcomes for medical practitioners in the eastern states. Despite these difficulties the Association reached a formal agreement with the Department of Health immediately prior to Christmas 2013. The agreed changes are reflected in the revised industrial agreements. The MHS Industrial Agreement was registered in the WA Industrial Relations Commission on 23 December 2013 and the remaining agreements, with the exception of the Clinical Academics Agreement, were registered on 27 February 2014. The Association believes that the agreements provide excellent outcomes for medical practitioners in the public system and ensures that WA practitioners remain amongst the best paid in the country. The increases provided under the new agreements are the highest of any state and territory in Australia. At the time this booklet went to print, the Clinical Academics Agreement had not been registered. It is expected to be registered in the near future. The new Agreements will be collectively referred to as the 2013 Agreements. For practitioners within the North West please refer to the salary schedule on the AMA (WA) website for specific details of applicable rates. 2 Negotiated by the AMA for and on behalf of AMA Members
Overview This summary details specific changes applying to Doctors in Training (i.e. Interns through to Senior Registrars) employed under the above named Agreements. For those Registrars and Senior Registrars who may soon be employed within the system as Senior Practitioners reference should also be made to the details contained within the Senior Practitioners reference guide. Details of Specific Changes 1. Salaries The Government s original position was to offer a salary increase in line with Government Wages Policy which resulted in an offer of 7.5% over three years. Given Government Wages Policy the only option to improve the offer was to identify efficiencies that would deliver productivity improvements in return for salary increases beyond 7.5%. During the latter part of negotiations, and shortly before the initial offer was made, the WA Government lost its triple A credit rating. Despite a more difficult negotiating environment the Association was able as part of the further negotiations to secure an increase of 11% over three years (i.e, and 3.5% payable from 1 October 13, 1 October 14 and 1 October 15 respectively). The quantum increase will also apply to all applicable allowances that are outlined later in this summary. The following base rates will apply: Classification Level 01-Oct-13 01-Oct-14 3.50% 01-Oct-15 Intern 1 $69,892 $72,513 $75,051 Resident Medical Officer Yr 1 2 $76,882 $79,765 $82,557 Resident Medical Officer Yr 2 3 $84,570 $87,741 $90,812 Resident Medical Officer Yr 3 4 $93,026 $96,515 $99,893 Registrar Yr 1 5 $97,678 $101,340 $104,887 Registrar Yr 2 6 $102,562 $106,408 $110,132 Registrar Yr 3 7 $110,254 $114,389 $118,392 Registrar Yr 4 8 $115,767 $120,109 $124,312 Registrar Yr 5 9 $121,555 $126,113 $130,527 Registrar Yr 6 10 $127,633 $132,419 $137,054 Registrar Yr 7 11 $134,014 $139,039 $143,906 Senior Registrar Yr 1 12 $144,066 $149,469 $154,700 Senior Registrar Yr 2 13 $151,269 $156,941 $162,434 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 1 5 $97,678 $101,340 $104,887 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 2 6 $102,562 $106,408 $110,132 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 3 7 $110,254 $114,389 $118,392 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 4 8 $115,767 $120,109 $124,312 Negotiated by the AMA for and on behalf of AMA Members 3
AMA MHS Salaried Doctors Agreement 2013 2016 Classification Level 01-Oct-13 01-Oct-14 3.50% 01-Oct-15 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 5 9 $121,555 $126,113 $130,527 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 6 10 $127,633 $132,419 $137,054 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 7 11 $134,014 $139,039 $143,906 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 8 12 $144,066 $149,469 $154,700 Supervised Medical Officer Yr 9 13 $151,269 $156,941 $162,434 Trainee Medical Administrator Yr 1 6 $102,562 $106,408 $110,132 Trainee Medical Administrator Yr 2 7 $110,254 $114,389 $118,392 Trainee Medical Administrator Yr 3 8 $115,767 $120,109 $124,312 Trainee Medical Administrator Yr 4 9 $121,555 $126,113 $130,527 Trainee Medical Administrator Yr 5 10 $127,633 $132,419 $137,054 Trainee Medical Administrator Yr 6 11 $134,014 $139,039 $143,906 Trainee Medical Administrator Yr 7 12 $144,066 $149,469 $154,700 Trainee Psychiatrist Yr 1 7 $110,254 $114,389 $118,392 Trainee Psychiatrist Yr 2 8 $115,767 $120,109 $124,312 Trainee Psychiatrist Yr 3 9 $121,555 $126,113 $130,527 Trainee Psychiatrist Yr 4 10 $127,633 $132,419 $137,054 Trainee Psychiatrist Yr 5 11 $134,014 $139,039 $143,906 Trainee Psychiatrist Yr 6 12 $144,066 $149,469 $154,700 Trainee Psychiatrist Yr 7 13 $151,269 $156,941 $162,434 Trainee Public Health Physician Yr 1 6 $102,562 $106,408 $110,132 Trainee Public Health Physician Yr 2 7 $110,254 $114,389 $118,392 Trainee Public Health Physician Yr 3 8 $115,767 $120,109 $124,312 Trainee Public Health Physician Yr 4 9 $121,555 $126,113 $130,527 Trainee Public Health Physician Yr 5 10 $127,633 $132,419 $137,054 Trainee Public Health Physician Yr 6 11 $134,014 $139,039 $143,906 Trainee Public Health Physician Yr 7 12 $144,066 $149,469 $154,700 4 Negotiated by the AMA for and on behalf of AMA Members
2. Professional Development Allowance The Professional Development Allowance has been escalated in line with salary increases. Classification 1-Oct-13 1-Oct-14 3.5% 1-Oct-15 Intern $5,114 $5,306 $5,491 Resident Medical Officer $5,114 $5,306 $5,491 Registrar $8,948 $9,274 $9,609 Senior Registrar $12,783 $13,262 $13,727 Supervised Medical Officer $8,948 $9,274 $9,609 Trainee Medical Administrator $8,948 $9,274 $9,609 Trainee Psychiatrist $8,948 $9,274 $9,609 Trainee Public Health Physician $8,948 $9,274 $9,609 3. Long Service Leave The Association has identified, following consultation with members, that DiTs were concerned about the loss of their Long Service Leave (LSL) entitlements should they work with the private sector as part of their training requirements thus breaking their continuous service with WA Health. The 2011 Industrial Agreement provision enabled a practitioner to work or study overseas or interstate and return to work within WA Health within 24 months to ensure that their LSL entitlements previously accrued were maintained. However should that practitioner previously have wanted to undertake their further training requirements within WA they were disadvantaged. The Association has managed to secure agreement for DiTs, subject to employer approval, to work in a privately operated public hospital e.g. Joondalup to further their skills and return to WA Health within 24 months to maintain their previously accrued LSL entitlements. Further a DiT can, subject to employer approval, undertake a period of employment in a private hospital e.g. SJOG Subiaco, for the purposes of progressing through a College Training Program and subsequently return to WA Health within 24 months to maintain previously accrued LSL entitlements. It should be noted that the break in employment shall not count as service but shall not constitute a break in continuous service for the purposes of the LSL clause. 4. Part Time Employment The Association has for a number of years received enquiries regarding the prospect of undertaking internships on a part time basis. Previously this has not been possible. The Association was happy to advocate for change as long as the substantive principle that an Internship was a full time position was maintained. The parties have reached agreement that an Intern shall be employed on a full time basis. However at the request of the intern the Employer may approve employment on a part time basis. 5. Hours and Rostering During negotiations the Association was keen to push for better conditions for Doctors in Training with regard to hours and rostering. During consultation with members it became apparent that several provisions included in the previous Agreement were not being interpreted in the way that was envisaged during the last round of negotiations. Furthermore, there were several provisions which Doctors in Training flagged as needing review. Negotiated by the AMA for and on behalf of AMA Members 5
AMA MHS Salaried Doctors Agreement 2013 2016 The Association was able, after much negotiation and argument with the Employer, to reach agreement on the following issues: The term all duty has been clarified so it is explicit that it refers to both rostered duty and any periods of call back for the purposes of the 8 hour break between shifts. If a practitioner is required to resume rostered duty before having eight consecutive hours free from all duty (including call back) the subsequent hours shall attract a 50% loading. Whilst it was always intended that the term all duty included call-backs, the Association wanted to ensure that there was no room for error and sought an amendment to make it explicit as to what all duty involved. The term where practicable has been removed to ensure that all practitioners must have at least two consecutive days off in each 28 day roster cycle free from all duty including on call. The new Agreement includes a provision which makes it clear that split shifts are not to be rostered or worked. 6. Resident Medical Officers The definition of a Resident Medical Officer (RMO) has been clarified such that a Resident Medical Officer is defined as a practitioner in the second or subsequent years of relevant experience following graduation and who is not performing the duties of a Registrar. It should be noted that if a RMO is directed by the Employer to act in a higher classified position and who performs the full duties and accepts the full responsibility of the higher classified position for more than ten consecutive working days they shall be paid the higher salary rate whilst so engaged as if the practitioner were permanently appointed to the higher classified position. These parameters are defined within the Higher Duties clause (Clause 19) contained with the DiT Section of the Agreement. 7. Professional Responsibilities After the loss of WA s triple A credit rating, the DOH made it clear to the Association that efficiencies would need to be included in the 2013 Agreements in order to recoup some costs associated with the increased entitlements the new 2013 Agreements provide. The Association was not prepared to either include or remove any clauses in the Agreements which would result in a diminution of conditions or place significant additional responsibilities on practitioners. The 2013 Agreements contains several efficiencies which the Association believes, given the current economic climate, are fair and do not place additional responsibilities on practitioners. The agreed provisions are summarised below: All practitioners with the ability to charge private and compensable patients and others on whom a fee can legitimately be raised will maximise their right to bill. The health service will provide timely assistance to mutually achieve this goal. Heads of Department will ensure that practitioners at all levels will adhere to activity and cost of service targets that are set for their departments under activity based funding. All practitioners will work with and promote the targets under the National Emergency Access Target (NEAT) and National Elective Surgery Target (NEST) policies. All practitioners will work with the health service to achieve the 10 mandated standards of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare. All practitioners who have accrued in excess of 2 years of annual leave will apply to take and will take at the operational convenience of the hospital sufficient leave to ensure their annual leave does not exceed 2 years entitlement. Leave vacancies will not be back filled for leave that is two weeks or under except on urgent clinical or service grounds and only then on the approval of the hospital or health service Executive Director. Where practitioners cannot take that excess leave (defined as annual leave accrued beyond 2 years entitlement) because of operational requirements or extenuating personal circumstances they will be expected to make a personal plan with their manager for the taking of their excess leave. 6 Negotiated by the AMA for and on behalf of AMA Members
All practitioners will support and be actively involved in assisting in the implementation of health and hospital reforms including the establishment and operations of new facilities including but not limited to the Fiona Stanley Hospital and Perth Children s Hospital. The Association will jointly monitor adherence to these commitments with the employer through a joint oversight committee. The composition and membership of the committee will be determined by agreement between the parties. 8. Annual Leave The DOH has agreed to include a provision for additional purchased leave. These entitlements are already contained in the Registered Nurses, Midwives and Enrolled Mental Health Nurses, Australian Nursing Federation, WA Health Industrial Agreement 2007 and WA Health, Health Services Union PACTS Industrial Agreement 2011. At the request of a practitioner the Employer may agree to an arrangement whereby the practitioner can take a reduced salary spread over 52 weeks of the year and receive the following amounts of purchased leave: Number of weeks salary spread over 52 weeks Number of weeks purchased leave 42 10 43 9 44 8 45 7 46 6 47 5 48 4 49 3 50 2 51 1 9. Professional Development Leave Practitioners notified the Association of difficulties they had encountered in utilising their Professional Development Leave (PDL) entitlement to undertake their research projects which are a clear expectation of their training programs. Due to these difficulties the Association has managed to achieve agreement with the Employer to expand the definition of how PDL can be used such that it can now be used to undertake clinically significant research associated with obtaining or maintaining higher medical qualifications with the approval of the employer in relation to its educational value. 10. On Call and Call Back The on-call hourly rate has been escalated in line with salary increases. 1-Oct-13 1-Oct-14 3.5% 1-Oct-15 $10.41 $10.80 $11.17 11. Contract of Service The contract completion payment provisions for Supervised Medical Officers have been improved to include payments on the basis of proportions of years of service completed, rather than completed years. The calculation is made on the basis of completed months of service up to a maximum of 5 years. Conclusion The range of remuneration and condition changes is substantial and provides significant improvements both remuneratively and professionally. They have been secured after several years work by your AMA in formulating and negotiating its claims on your behalf. The capacity to achieve such outcomes is the product of you and your colleagues membership and the consequential resources and professionalism able to be brought to the negotiations. Without your support, the outcomes and benefits you accrue would not have been achieved. You and your colleagues support is greatly appreciated. Negotiated by the AMA for and on behalf of AMA Members 7
These Agreements have been negotiated by the Australian Medical Association (WA) on your behalf. Securing changes to your employment terms and conditions, including salary and allowance increases, involves a significant amount of effort. This is financed solely by AMA members. Join now by visiting www.amawa.com.au Australian Medical Association (WA) 14 Stirling Highway, Nedlands WA 6009 Phone: 08 9273 3000 Fax: 08 9273 3073 Email: industrial.negotiators@amawa.com.au www.amawa.com.au