Queensland coroner Terry Ryan warns public specialist contract row will delay funerals and autopsies #keepourdoctors
THE state coroner has warned of delays in funerals and backlogs in coronial investigations if the controversy over individual contracts for public medical specialists is not resolved.
Coroner Terry Ryan has stepped in to the debate over doctors’ contracts, writing to Health Minister Lawrence Springborg with concerns that forensic pathologists will leave Queensland amid a national and global workforce shortage.
“I am aware that some forensic pathologists are considering alternative employment opportunities in other jurisdictions as a result of current uncertainty about employment conditions and allowances,’’ Mr Ryan wrote.
“I am very concerned about implications this may have for the quality and timeliness of coronial autopsies and autopsy reports, including coronial investigations that are the subject of criminal proceedings.’’
Mr Ryan, who was appointed last year by Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie, said turnaround times for autopsy reports were already the subject of frequent complaint.
“Should the number of forensic pathologists diminish, it will necessarily lead to growing backlogs, an increased need to transport bodies over long distances for autopsy, delays in funeral services being held and delays in coronial investigations being finalised,’’ Mr Ryan said.
The February 4 letter, obtained by The Courier-Mail, urges Mr Springborg to consider difficulties in recruitment and retention as part of the “negotiating framework’’ for the proposed senior medical officer contracts.
In a reply letter to Mr Ryan, the Minister said his department was confident individual employment contracts would “empower our people, encourage innovation and streamline processes’’.
He said the department was confident the senior health employee contracts were a positive step that would bring significant improvement to services.
Australian Medical Association federal president Steve Hambleton said if the contract problems were not sorted out, Queensland could expect to lose doctors in “super specialties’’ such as forensic pathology.
“We can’t afford to lose these people, it’ll take years to replace them,’’ he said.
Source: The courier Mail