Minister for Health
The Honourable Lawrence Springborg
Legislative change to address doctors’ concerns #qldpol #smoqld #keepourdoctors
Tuesday, April 01, 2014 Legislative change to address doctors’ concerns
The power of the Queensland Health Director General to vary the conditions of senior doctors will be limited by law, if legislative amendments, introduced by Health Minister Lawrence Springborg, are passed by the Queensland Parliament.
The change to the Hospital and Health Boards Act arose out of recent talks with senior doctors and addresses one of the doctors’ key concerns about the introduction of individual contracts for Senior and Visiting Medical Officers in Queensland public hospitals.
The Hospital and Health Boards Amendment Bill 2014 provides that a so-called Health Employment Directive by the Director General or an employment regulation cannot impact on a doctor’s contract except in cases where increased remuneration or improved benefits (such as state-wide pay-rises) for doctors are provided.
“These provisions implement undertakings given to doctors representatives in the recent talks and will help to reassure our medical workforce that the Government is acting in good faith to represent the interests of patients and doctors themselves,” Mr Springborg said.
Mr Springborg moved to expedite consideration of the bill by Parliament, supported by key cross-bench MPs, but the move was opposed by Labor.
The Minister thanked the independent MPs for Gladstone and Nicklin, and the Katter Australia Party for their support in the vote.
“We are talking here about powers of the Director General that have existed for about 15 years,” he said.
“Doctors want these changes locked in place and I appreciate strong cross-bench support to accommodate their wishes.
“Once again the Labor Party is siding with interests seeking to damage relationships between doctors and the Government.”
In a statement to Parliament, Mr Springborg outlined the full range of concessions provided to doctors in the recent talks. He urged Senior and Visiting Medical Officers to consider the Government’s concessions as part of the new contract framework, to discuss the details with their Hospital and Health Service and to sign by April 30.
“That will enable the new system to be implemented on the first pay day of the new financial year,” Mr Springborg said.
Source: Qld Health