MOGA Update on Proposed NSW Staff Specialist Award
The NSW Ministry of Health has proposed a new Staff Specialist Award as part of negotiations with Unions. There are several contentious new clauses in the proposed Award. One particular, new clause was discussed at the recent MOGA Executive Meeting: “15 (a) This Award does not remunerate Staff Specialists for their private practice activities.”
This clause is of significant concern to MOGA as it will have a dramatic impact on the quality of cancer care provision in NSW. Likely consequences of this include:
An exodus of Staff Specialists from the public health system due to significant wage cuts. This is likely to disproportionately affect regional and rural centres.
The loss of “number 2” accounts which are used for Education and Study Leave but also subsidise local research activities and more importantly, are used by most departments to support clinical service to ensure adequate patient care in the setting of funding shortfall.
MOGA is working with the NSW Medical Oncology community to articulate the consequences of the proposed clause in the strongest terms to the Ministry of Health. MOGA’s priority is to advocate for our membership and to ensure that cancer outcomes for our patients remain the highest internationally.
If you have any questions or useful insights please contact A/Prof James Lynam, MOGA Deputy Chair via moga@moga.org.au.