ASMS Direct - Issue 2011-29
Dear Member
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:
Last night (19 December) the National Executive ratified the proposed settlement of the national DHB MECA. This followed consideration of the indicative membership ballot which closed last week. In summary, 93% of participants voted in favour of acceptance of the proposed settlement based on a 63% response rate. Per DHB the votes in favour ranged from 88% to 100% (response rates ranged from 42% to 81%, two were below 50%). The Executive concluded that this result provided a sufficient mandate to ratify.
The Executive is very appreciative of members participating in this ballot especially when it is recognised that it will do little for our recruitment and retention crisis and the betrayal of the DHBs national leadership over the Business Case. Many members took the opportunity to make comments in the space available on the ballot form. Whether they voted in favour or against, these comments are consistent with these observations. Whatever the strategic direction the ASMS adopts for the next MECA negotiations, it will not be based on trust and confidence in this national leadership.
The DHBs have been formally advised of the National Executive’s ratification. The next step will be to organise the signing of the new MECA. It is not clear whether it will be practical to be done before Christmas although this will not delay enforceability. The salary increase (delivered through translations to the new specialist and medical officer scales) is effective 1 January although this is unlikely to be paid out until February (or early March at the latest). Aside from the time of the year this is because of the secondary round of ballots that are to follow, discussed immediately below.
This secondary round of ballots will be conducted in each of the 20 DHBs. The ballots will cover all members and up to 10% of salaried doctors who are not members to vote on the bargaining fee (which would be paid to the ASMS) to be paid by non-members in order for them to be entitled to the benefits of the MECA. These ballots will be conducted by the DHBs with the cooperation of the ASMS in February. This is a provision in the Employment Relations Act which is also part of the MECA settlement. There is a background article in the December issue of The Specialist which is currently in the mail to you.
The National Executive also resolved that the Association should encourage members to ensure they receive the full benefits and entitlements of the MECA (with ASMS support and advice). Particularly given the workload pressures on members and level of shortages, this includes hours of work and job sizing.
This and our direction for the next MECA negotiations will be considered further by the National Executive at its strategic planning meeting in February. In many respects this settlement should be seen as a ‘holding pattern’ with negotiations expected to resume toward the end of 2012.
The December issue of The Specialist is now winging its way to you by post. Aside from coverage of the November Annual Conference the two main features are:
1. Front page article on whether our health leadership is in a state of kef.
2. Jeff Brown’s Presidential Address to Annual Conference on ‘tossing and turning, tossing and turning.’
Other important articles are on:
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Whither collaboration with DHBs.
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Prioritisation of funding for postgraduate training by Health Workforce New Zealand.
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2011 DHB salary survey.
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Helping doctors or Physician Assistants.
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Resuscitation orders: an overview of issues in New Zealand (MPS).
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Bargaining fee ballot.
There were several presentations from outside speakers which were videoed. They are now available on this page of the website. You are encouraged to access them. They are:
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Dr Nancy Berlinger, ‘Are Workarounds ethical?’
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Dr Vanessa Thornton, ‘Distributive clinical leadership: achieving the six hour target at Middlemore Hospital’
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Professor Jonathon Gray and Dr David Galler, ‘Achieving distributive clinical leadership’
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Hon Tony Ryall, Minister of Health
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Grant Robertson, then Labour Party health spokesperson (subsequently Deputy Leader of Labour)
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Tony Mason, Chief Executive, Medical Protection Society (London)
The national office will close at mid-day this Friday. It will reopen on 4 January with a skeleton staff. We will not be fully staffed until 30 January.
We wish all members and their families the very best for a most enjoyable and relaxing festive season.
Kind regards
Ian Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
