Delays in recruiting anaesthetists to allow extra acute surgery at Dunedin Hospital illustrates the country's continuing specialist workforce crisis, Associated Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell says.  It was a situation that people could expect to see around the country, with different types of specialists, until there was national responsibility for recruiting and retaining senior doctors, he said. Mr Powell was commenting on yesterday's Otago Daily Times article that explained the extra 35 hours a week of acute theatre time at Dunedin Hospital had been delayed until March when it had previously been hoped it would go ahead in November.

"Overworked public hospital specialists want all politicians to make a New Year’s resolution committing them to actively support reducing their heavy workloads,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the ASMS, today.  “Specialist shortages mean that too much work is being left on too few shoulders. Compared with other developed countries, many specialists in New Zealand are on after-hours call duties covering emergencies, too often and with too little support.”

“The delay in the expansion of acute surgery at Dunedin Hospital is another example of New Zealand’s continuing specialist workforce crisis,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the ASMS, today.  “The planned expansion of acute operating by 35 hours per week has had to be delayed to at least March. One of the major reasons is the shortage of anaesthetists.This regrettable situation will keep repeating itself in different forms ... until our health bosses take responsibility for New Zealand’s vulnerability in recruiting and retaining senior doctors.”

The government's health reforms run a high risk of reducing levels of safety and patient care while leading to overspending, internal NHS reports have warned.  The potential for conflict between NHS organisations in the new system and upheaval during the transition is high, according to risk assessments drawn up by the four English NHS regions. There is also a high chance the reforms will fail to achieve hoped-for management improvements and budget cuts, they say.

Eleven doctors competed in the Speights Coast to Coast last weekend with three of them getting podium places.  Steven McKinstry, a first-year house surgeon, and his team mate Daniel Busch, a Nelson roofer, won the men's two-day team event. 
Nelson orthopaedic specialist Peter McKenzie came second in the 50-59 years men's two-day event and Roger Mills from Greymouth came third in the corporate team event.

Having a better understanding of deaths that occur in the days and weeks following surgery and anaesthesia will help reduce harm to patients, says the Chair of the Health Quality & Safety Commission. Professor Alan Merry has received the inaugural report of the Perioperative Mortality Review Committee (POMRC) and says it is the first of its kind in New Zealand. The POMRC is an independent mortality review committee that advises the Health Quality & Safety Commission on how to reduce the number of perioperative deaths in New Zealand. More information about its purpose and functions can be found at www.hqsc.govt.nz.

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”

This is the 5^th issue for 2011 of our electronic publication, Executive Direct, to report to members on National Executive news. Much of the meeting was devoted to the national DHB MECA negotiations and the organisation of the ASMS Annual Conference the following two days. These are being reported separately. This Executive Direct discusses some of the other matters discussed including: Health Benefits Ltd; Health Workforce NZ's proposal on prioritisation criteria for funding training for medical specialists; a summary report back on the 2011 Salary Survey; and two Medical Council matters. 

This is the 4^th issue for 2011 of our electronic publication, Executive Direct, to report to members on National Executive news. The intention is to forward it to members after each Executive meeting (at least). It reports on the last Executive meeting on 1 September. The next Executive meeting is scheduled for 16 November (immediately prior to the ASMS Annual Conference).  A feature of the meeting was a session for over an hour with the Chair of the National Health Board (Ministry of Health) Murray Horn and its National Director Chai Chuah. It was interactive and constructive with the Executive impressed by their willingness to listen, question and engage. Much of the discussion was around the issues of clinical engagement and leadership. 

This is the 3rd issue for 2011 of our electronic publication, Executive Direct, to report to members on National Executive news.  It reports on the last Executive meeting on 23 June. The next Executive meeting is scheduled for 1 September.