ASMS

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists is welcoming the Government’s dedicated $500m health package to fight Covid-19 but warns there aren’t enough doctors to go around. The measures include strengthening intensive care capacity and setting up Coronavirus clinics throughout the country in preparation for a major outbreak. ASMS has repeatedly warned of serious staffing shortages in our hospitals with an estimated 24% shortfall of senior doctors nationwide. A number of regions, such as Northland and the West Coast, are also …

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ASMS has created advice for members regarding employment, CME and travel for SMOs and SDOs because of the disruption caused by Covid-19. Most DHBs have introduced travel restrictions. Our advice may change as circumstances change, so if you have any questions or concerns, please contact the ASMS national office, or your regional ASMS Industrial Officer. Read the advice here.

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The New Zealand Medical Students’ Association and the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) are proud to launch the ASMS-NZMSA Year 4 Clinical Mentoring Programme for 2020. This is the second year of the Mentoring Programme, which aims to provide an avenue of support for Fourth Year students around New Zealand transitioning into the clinical environment. The programme pairs Fourth year Students in one on one mentoring partnerships with ASMS Consultants either in person or via skype, and has four …

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DHBs around the country are placing travel restrictions on staff to maintain staffing levels during the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak amid warnings that hospital resources could be stretched. Staff at Auckland and Northland DHBs have been told if they go on holiday overseas and have to self-isolate on return, they’ll have to take unpaid or annual leave and will be unable to use sick leave or special paid leave. ASMS Executive Director Sarah Dalton speaks to RNZ’s Morning Report. Read and …

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A new medal has been developed by The Royal New Zealand College of GPs to pay tribute to Dr Amjad Hamid who was killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks. Dr Hamid was a heart doctor and rural hospital consultant and a member of ASMS. He lived in Christchurch but commuted to Hawera Hospital in Taranaki for work. Read more here

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International Women’s Day (March 8) was a good time to celebrate the achievements, progress, and vision for a gender equal world.  It was also a day to focus on the work still required to achieve gender equity. Fixing the pay gap for women across Aotearoa is a priority. Last year ASMS commissioned research on the gender pay gap among medical specialists in NZ which you can read here.        

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After another two days of MECA negotiations we are starting to get down to business. Check out the short video update below.  

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ASMS executive director Sarah Dalton’s first column for New Zealand Doctor looks at the role of the union, the inconsistencies of health IT, and wider issues in an election year.    Kia ora koutou katoa. Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini – or, very loosely translated, we do our best work by working together. This whakataukī is a touchstone for me as I step into my role as executive director at Toi Mata Hauora/Association of …

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The West Coast DHB is planning to tackle a shortage of hospital doctors with a new breed of medics: Rural generalists. The Association for Salaried Medical Staff (ASMS) released a staffing survey this month, revealing what it called “a whopping 43 per cent shortfall of senior doctors” at the DHB. Five out of eight heads of department at the West Coast DHB said they did not have enough specialists for their services and estimated they were eight doctors short.  …

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The World Health Organisation has issued advice to healthworkers around an outbreak of Covid-19 as cases increase globally.  It looks at the roles and responsibilities of healthworkers along with considerations relating to occupational safety and health.  There are some good principles and guidelines for both health workforces and organisations.  Read more here  

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