We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 29th (and final) issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue covers the following items:

1. National DHB MECA Ratified
2. December issue of The Specialist
3. Conference presentations on website
4. Christmas-New Year

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 28^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue covers:

• Membership ballotof provisional agreement over national DHB MECA
• 40th Anniversary, University of Otago, Christchurch, rescheduled
• Locked-out meat employees seek financial support
• Reminder: Nominations called for Medical Council

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 27^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue covers the following matters:

• Reminder: Membership ballot on provisional agreement for the next National DHB MECA
• More on the ‘800 extra hospital doctors’ controversy
• Nominations called for Medical Council
• Medical Council Consultation: Proposed framework for the regulation of “special interests”

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 26^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This Direct covers the following issues:

1. Provisional agreement reached in national DHB MECA negotiations

2. Health Minister in tangle at ASMS annual conference over myth of 800 new hospital doctors

3. 800 extra hospital doctors – fact and fiction

4. Nominations for positions on Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 25th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This Direct covers the following issues:

1. Specialist Workforce Alert: The growing medical specialist workforce shortage threatens achievement of government objectives

2. National DHB MECA negotiations update

3. Have you read the business case yet?

4. Final reminder: delegates to attend ASMS annual conference, 17-18 November: still some branch vacancies

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 24th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication.  This issue covers the following matters:

1. Specialist Workforce Alert: The growing medical specialist workforce shortage – The Retention Crisis

2. National DHB MECA negotiations update

3. General election coverage

4. Have you read the business case yet?

5. Reminder: Delegates to attend ASMS annual conference, 17-18 November

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 23rd issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issues covers the following matters:  the latest Specialist Workforce Alert about the training crisis; a reminder to read the Business Case; a reminder to register for the Health of the Health Professional Conference; and a reminder about the forthcoming ASMS Conference.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 22^nd issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue of ASMS Direct covers the following matters: an update on the national DHB MECA negotiations; some background on the 'dirty tricks' that ASMS has experienced in the process; MidCentral SHB specialists support for the Business Case.

This issues covers the following matters:

• Specialist Workforce Alert
• Bahraini health professioals on trial:  World Medical Association takes action
• Have you read the business case yet?
• Reminder:  Delegates to attend ASMS annual conference, 17-18 November
  

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 20^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication.  This issues covers the following matters:

• September issue of The Specialist
• Revised ASMS Standpoint:  Professional Development and Education
• Early bird registration to Health of Heath Professional Conference to close
• Have you read the Business Case yet?

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 19^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue covers the following matters:

• Specialist Workforce Alert
• National DHB MECA negotiations to resume
• Have you read the Business Case yet
• Global Bodies call for end to forced sterilisation
• Reminder: Delegates to attend ASMS annual conference, 17-18 November

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 18th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication.  This issue covers the following matters:

• ASMS Branch Presidents and Vice Presidents deliberate on MECA negotiations and business case
• National DHB MECA negotiations
• First ASMS ‘Specialist Workforce Alert’ attracts interest
• DHBs’ response to first ‘Specialist Workforce Alert’
• National Executive’s response to DHBs’ attacks

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 17^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue covers the following subjects:  Specialist Workforce Alert - national meeting of ASMS Branch presidents and vice Presidents; Forfeiture of annual leave; a reminder to delegates regarding the ASMS Annual Conference on 17-18 November 

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 16^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue of ASMS Direct covers the following issues:

• National meeting of ASMS Branch Presidents and Vice Presidents
• Update on national DHB MECA negotiations
• Affordability of the Business Case
• Persecution of Daniel Urai, President of Fijian Trade Union Congress

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 15^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue covers the use and misuse of medical workforce data,  an update on the National DHB MECA negotiations, and latest information on the Health for Health Professionals Conference.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 14^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. Thisissue covers the following subjects:

1.  Update on National DHB MECA Negotiations: possible return to normalcy
2.  New ASMS Health Dialogue: ‘A public hospital for 2026: Queenstown’
3.  New Zealand ‘Clinical Governance Development’ goes global
4.  Application to SMOs of 90-Day Trial’ Fire at Will’ Provision
5.  Enter in your diary now:  ASMS Annual Conference, 17-18 November
6.  Reminder:  Health of Health Professional Conference:  Call for abstracts now open

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 12^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue of ASMS direct covers the following subjects:

1.  Health Workforce New Zealand reports prompt debate on DHB specialist workforce crisis
2.  DHBs leadership resort to dirty tricks in MECA Negotiations
3.  Second National Health Board intervention in Southern DHB: Queenstown health services
4.  Health Quality & Safety Commission: medication safety factsheet
5.  Society of Anaesthetists comments on release of Anaesthesia Resource Review Group report

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 11^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct.  This issue covers the following matters:  an update on the National DHB MECA negotiations; the National Health Board's intervention in Southern DHB with a sytemic assessment of Dunedin Hospital; the improved ranking of the Greens' Health Spokesperson on their party list; information about the 16th national Prevocational Medical Education Forum in Auckland this November; the appoitment of a new Chief Executive for the Medical Protection Society; and a reminder about the Health of the Health Professional Conference.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 10^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication.  This issue covers the following subjects:

1.  Update on National DHB MECA Negotiations
2.  Reminder: Nominations for Branch President and Vice President elections
3.  Closure of the Physician Assistant Studies Programme in Queensland
4.  International Doctors and Nurses Organisations condemn treatment of health professionals in Bahrain
5.  World Health Organsiation urged to act over assults on health personnel and facilities

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 9^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue covers the following subjects:

1.  Confusing comments from DHBs on ‘Securing a Sustainable Senior Medical and Dental Workforce in New Zealand: The Business Case’

2.  Update on MECA Negotiations

3.  Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee:  Call for Expresions of Interest

4.  First Global Body of Resident Doctors Formed Under Auspices of World Medical Association

5.  2011 Harkness Report Back Seminars

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 8^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue focuses in the main on the 'Business Case' approach the ASMS has adopted in the current round of MECA negotiations, finally making the business case document available to members (here). It also updates members on where those negotiations have got to.

1. March issue of The Specialist

2. National DHB MECA Negotiations

3. Regulations in force for registered nurses practising in diabetes health

4. Health Workforce New Zealand swimming at wrong beach

5. Believe it or not: Myth and reality in Southern DHB

6. Australian GP elected Chair of World Medical Association

7. Reminder: Health of Health Professional Conference: Call for abstacts now open

1. National DHB MECA Negotiations revived
2. World Medical Association: attacks on medical personnel causing increasing concerns
3. 40th anniversary of university of otago (christchurch school of medicine)
4. Health of Health Professional Conference: call for abstacts now open

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 5^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication.  This issue provides an update on the currently precarious state of the National DHB MECA negotiations, a solidarity message to Japanese Doctors from the World Medical Council, information about forthcoming branch elections and an update on collective bargaining for non-DHB members. 

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 4^th issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct, our national electronic publication. This issue focuses on the horror and tragedy of the devastating Christchurch earthquake and follows the moving two minutes silence yesterday which national office staff and many of you participated in.  It includes contributions from ASMS National President Dr Jeff Brown, Chief Executive of Canterbury DHB David Meates and a joint statement from the Medical Assurance Society and the Medical Potection Society.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 3^rd issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct. This issue covers the reuslts of our National Executive elections, the resumption of the national DHB MECA negotiations and the election of the new chair and deputy chair for the Medical Council.

We welcome any feedback on the contents of the 2^nd issue for 2011 of ASMS Direct.  The matters covered in this issue include a case of alleged double-dipping by a doctor employed by Waikato DHB and comment on this, ASMS response to RDA's unhelpful comments on this 'double-dipping' case and reminders of the 'Health of the Health Professional' Conference later in the year and the appeal for the Pike River Miners' families.

This first issue of ASMS Direct for 2011 reminds members of the imminent nomination deadline for the National Executive elections, comments on a new provider of indemnity insurance and medico-legal counselling services, notifies members that applications are being sought for positions on the Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee and includes reminders of both the forthcoming Cancer Symposium and the Health of the Health Professional Conference later in the year.