Specialists advised against working in Queensland

WEDNESDAY 8 OCTOBER 2014

ASMS advises hospital specialists against working in Queensland

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) is advising public hospital specialists in New Zealand not to take up jobs in Queensland in an electronic newsletter sent to all members late yesterday.

“The effects of the recent industrial dispute in Queensland are still reverberating through the health system there,” says ASMS Executive Director Ian Powell.

“It would be a very unwise move to accept a permanent position in a Queensland public hospital unless the circumstances really are exceptional.”

As a result of that industrial dispute, Mr Powell says specialists currently employed in Queensland have the continued protection of most entitlements but new specialists coming into the hospitals there have lost some entitlements.

The main set-back for all specialists – current and new – is the loss of the right to collectively negotiate their core employment conditions and to be covered by a collective agreement. In contrast this right exists in New Zealand and the rest of Australia.

“The unpleasant reality is that New Zealand specialists taking up jobs in Queensland could find themselves earning up to 30% less than the doctors currently working there,” says Mr Powell.

“In addition, they would be working in a very difficult environment. There are serious medical staffing issues because public hospitals are now, as result of the dispute and outcome, struggling to fill specialist vacancies caused by natural attrition, and overtime costs are blowing out.”

“Queensland used to have a reputation as one of the best places for specialists to go to. Now it has the worst in Australia.’

He says the ASMS will continue to monitor the employment situation in Australia.

Ian Powell

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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