AMA VICDOC Autumn 2024 - Magazine - Page 83
T HE P O L I CY D ES K
WORKCOVER AND THE TAC
---
In January 2024, AMA
Victoria met with the
Hon. Cindy McLeish MP,
Shadow Minister for
WorkCover and the TAC,
to discuss our concerns
regarding the Workplace
Injury Rehabilitation and
Compensation Amendment
(WorkCover Scheme
Modernisation) Bill 2023.
We acknowledge that
the Victorian Workcover
system is fundamentally
broken, and that the
Government is seeking
to make change that
will create a sustainable
system. However, AMAV
cannot support measures
that reduce worker access
to WorkCover supports,
such as the introduction
of an additional hurdle
requiring the establishment
of a permanent impairment
of at least 20% under the
relevant Guides after 130
weeks, and the termination
of employee eligibility for
weekly benefits for stress
and burnout.
It is AMAV’s view
that these changes are
incongruous with the
purposes of the scheme,
and deleterious to the
welfare of workers
and the health system
more broadly.
ADVOCACY REGARDING
EXAMINATION SITTING
AND APPLICATIONS WHILE
ON PARENTAL LEAVE
---
Australian Orthopaedic
Association (AOA)
Following advocacy to
the AOA commencing in
July 2023, AMA Victoria
was pleased to receive
communication from the
Australian Orthopaedic
Association recently
regarding the issue of
trainees being unable to
sit or to apply to sit the
Fellowship examination
while on parental leave.
The Training Committee
has resolved to amend the
AOA 21 Training Program
Requirements to allow
eligible trainees on an
approved interruption of
training for the purposes
of parental leave to sit,
be approved to sit and/
or sit the exam while on
interruption. The AOA
Board have ratified this
decision, has now been
reflected in policy and will
be in effect going forwards.
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE
OF GENERAL PRACTICE (RACGP)
---
AMA Victoria met with
the RACGP last year to
advocate for changes to
RACGP training policy that
would allow RACGP trainees
to apply to sit, and to sit
examinations while on
parental leave. Advocacy
to RACGP to achieve this
change so that RACGP
policy reflects AMA policy
in this regard is ongoing.
VI CD O C AUTU M N 2024
83
