Doctor resignation to hurt region #qldpol #smoqld #keepourdoctors
DOCTORS say they cannot afford to lose any more medical officers from North Queensland following the resignation of a specialist from Townsville Hospital over his “draconian” contract.
It comes as negotiations between the State Government and doctors representatives over the controversial senior doctor contracts continues today.
Paediatric intensive care specialist Dr Nathan Smalley will front media this morning, after he claimed the government’s proposed individual contracts forced him to walk away from his position.
He told the Townsville Bulletin on Friday he was not leaving for a permanent job, but he felt it would be more secure than working under the proposed “draconian” individual contract. The government is at loggerheads over the contracts, which are to be offered to the state’s 3500 senior medical doctors.
Under the new deals, severance pay would increase from three to six months, doctors could no longer be transferred to anywhere in the state, and they would have recourse to common law.
Dr Smalley said he could not stay and sign a contract that would strip away vital conditions such as fatigue management and the right to speak up for his patients.
Australian Medical Association Queensland president-elect Dr Shaun Rudd said if nothing changed, more medical professionals would walk away from the state’s public health sector.
Keep Our Doctors spokesman Dr Siva Senthuran said the impact of Dr Smalley leaving would certainly be felt.
“It’s unfortunate that it’s had to get to this point where a top doctor who cares about his job and his patients is being forced to leave,’’ he said.
Source: Townsville Bulletin