We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 12th issue for 2010 of ASMS Direct.  This copy of ASMS Direct focuses on:
1. ASMS Website revamped
2. jobs.asms.org.nz promoted in BMJ Careers
3. Operating theatres’ productivity
4. Health Minister declines request for self-funded drugs in public hospital
5. DHBs’ quarterly reports released by Health Minister
6. Paul Henry outed:  pot, kettle and black!

This latest issue of ASMS Direct covers TVNZ's apology for any offence caused by Paul Henry's comments about foreign-trained doctors, the Medical Council and DHBs signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and the Medical Council's plans to conduct an online survey of perceptions about it's objectives and performance.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 10th issue for 2010 of ASMS Direct. This issue focuses on:

1. Specialist workforce crisis in DHBs highlighted

2. The pain that is Paul Henry

3. CTU campaign revs up on government’s proposed industrial law changes: fairness at work

4. Brief update on national DHB MECA negotiations

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 9th issue for 2010 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This copy of ASMS Direct focuses on:

1. Beyond the Politics of Livid Pus

2. Resignation of Capital & Coast Chief Executive: A “Black Day”

3. ASMS Checkpoint interview

4. CTU comment on Whelan resignation

5. Medical Council statement on new Pacific Peoples Resource

6. Health Minister announces medicine recall guidelines review

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 8^th issue for 2010 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This copy of ASMS Direct focuses on:

1. Update on National DHB MECA Negotiations

2. June issue of The Specialist

3. In Good Hands Survey: Rate your DHB on Clinical Leadership.

4. Medical Council Statement

5. Further CTU Media Statement on Health Spending

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 7th issue for 2010 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication.  This copy of ASMS Direct focuses on:

1. New Quality & Safety Commission
2. Outcome of National Executive By-Election
3. CTU media statement on health spending
4. National IT website

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 6^th issue for 2010 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication.

Given the difficult environment the ASMS is negotiating in, our MECA negotiations are progressing reasonably well. We have had two informal meetings with DHB representatives in December and February followed by a constructive workshop on the recruitment and retention status of the senior medical workforce last month. We were pleased that for the first time nationally the DHBs acknowledged the seriousness of the medical workforce situation.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 5^th issue for 2010 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication.

It is with much sadness that I have to advise members of the passing of John Hawke. John was on the salaried dentists group that merged into the ASMS when we were formed in 1989. He was elected to our first National Executive that same year and was elected National President in 1995 for a two-year term. John also played an important ASMS leadership role in the Auckland region, in particular Counties Manukau. He was also the ASMS’s first life member.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 4th issue of ASMS Direct for 2010.

1. March issue of The Specialist

2. National DHB MECA negotiations underway

3. ‘National terms of settlement’

4. Director-General position – a sad, sorry tale

5. Analysis of Ministerial Review Group (Horn) Report

6. New ASMS Health Dialogue

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 3^rd issue of ASMS Direct for 2010.

1. Proposal to Expand Current Role of Pharmac to Hospital Medicines and Some Medical Devices
2. Medical Council Media Statement on Dr Ranchhod Controversy
3. ASMS Health Dialogue: Commentary on SMO Commission
4. National DHB MECA Negotiations

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 2nd issue of ASMS Direct for 2010.

1. Positive Reactions to Historic ASMS-IPAC Joint Statement.

2. New Medical Council Chairperson.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 1^st issue of ASMS Direct for 2010.  This copy of ASMS Direct focuses on an historic agreement reached between the ASMS and the Independent Practitioners Association Council (IPAC).

1. Historic ASMS-IPAC Joint Statement.

2. Joint ASMS-IPAC media statement.

3. Informal discussions on national DHB MECA negotiations.