Here’s an update on a few of the issues AMA Victoria is working on for members, including:

  • Progress on Royal Melbourne Hospital specialist clinic referrals

  • Remuneration for VCAT medical reports.

 

Progress on Royal Melbourne Hospital specialist clinic referrals

Two weeks ago, we informed members that AMA Victoria had written to Health Minister Ingrid Stitt about reports that the Royal Melbourne Hospital may return specialist clinic referrals for patients outside its local catchment where it considers another health service to be closer.

The Minister’s office has now advised that the Department of Health “in essence … agree with the AMA’s concerns and are working with RMH to revise their decision”.

This is a welcome response and a good result for our advocacy. Our concern was that the change would shift pressure between hospitals without creating capacity, return patients to the beginning of the referral process, and create additional, largely unfunded work for GPs.

AMA Victoria has offered to assist the Department as it works through the issue. The important remaining step is formal confirmation that RMH has reversed the policy. We expect to hear from the Department shortly and will update members once this is confirmed.

 

Remuneration for VCAT medical reports

AMA Victoria recently became aware of correspondence sent by VCAT to a doctor’s practice advising that payment would not be provided for a requested medical report. The correspondence also stated that AMA Victoria had agreed doctors would complete this work for free “as a service to the community”.

That is not AMA Victoria’s position.

We have written to the President of VCAT asking the Tribunal to withdraw the statement and correct the record. We have also asked VCAT to pay medical practitioners for completing reports it requests.

Preparing these reports requires specialised medical expertise, clinical judgement, professional time, and acceptance of medicolegal responsibility. The work is not ordinarily remunerated through Medicare. The fact that it assists VCAT to perform an important public function does not make it reasonable to expect doctors to provide it without payment.

This is consistent with AMA Victoria’s broader advocacy to recognise doctors’ professional time. Doctors’ time, expertise, and medicolegal responsibilities should not be assumed to be available at no cost.

We will update members when VCAT responds.