A FAIR GO: JOB SECURITY FOR SENIOR DOCTORS | AMA (WA)
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AMA WA ACTION AGENDA

A FAIR GO: JOB SECURITY FOR SENIOR DOCTORS

A FAIR GO: JOB SECURITY FOR SENIOR DOCTORS

WHAT WE WANT

Permanent contracts for WA Health senior doctors.

WHY WE WANT IT

Senior doctors working in public hospitals operated by WA Health are employed on short, fixed-term contracts of five years or less. These short-term contracts are being used as a blunt, demoralising human resources tool.
There is no transparent process relating to contract renewal decisions, and non-renewal is being used as a form of retribution, having a dire impact on doctor morale.
Job insecurity has fuelled a toxic culture of fear in our public hospital system, with doctors scared to speak up and raise concerns about processes and systems that could potentially lead to adverse health outcomes.
Ultimately, the safety of patients depends on a workforce that feels safe and secure too.

  • Job insecurity for WA public hospital senior doctors contributes to poorer-quality health service outcomes and compromises doctor wellbeing.
  • A lack of permanent employment disincentivises doctors who are considering relocating to WA to work in WA Health hospitals.
  • 58 per cent of WA public hospital doctors think permanent employment would improve patient care.*
  • 82 per cent of WA public hospital doctors think permanent employment would improve doctor morale.*

The WA Government appears to be ideologically opposed to permanency for senior doctors, for no reason other than industrial agreement negotiations that occurred over quarter of a century ago. It’s a poor, antiquated excuse and it’s compromising patient care in WA Health hospitals. WA deserves better.

WHEN IT’S DONE

A safer and more sustainable public hospital system built on permanent employment for senior doctors.

*Source: AMA (WA)- WA Health EBA Negotiations (Senior Doctors, 2020).
BACK TO ACTION AGENDA

AMA (WA) ACTION AGENDA

612 more public hospital beds Health budget increase of 5-6% p.a. for 4 years Save WA’s emergency departments from collapse
Amend Health Services Act to better support doctors A Fair Go: Job Security For Senior Doctors A Fair Go: Portability & Retention Of Entitlements For Doctors Legal privilege for healthcare workers during investigations
State-wide electronic medical record Enhanced services and clinical governance at new women and babies hospital Improved telehealth services and capacity
GP Primary Care Taskforce Independent review of WA Health Corporate Governance Decision-making transparency
Interim quarantine facility Best-practice workplace safety & improved processes to prevent COVID breaches Commonwealth quarantine facility