Department of Health and Human Services, Room 16.23, Level 16, 50 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Meeting Record

9:00am – 11:00am

Department of Health and Human Services, Room 16.23, Level 16, 50 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Attendees:

Guests:

•Ms Kate Weidemann, Snr Policy Advisor, Networks and Governance, DHHS

•Ms Carol Jordon, Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria

•Ms Joan O’Neill, Snr Policy Advisor, Medical Workforce, DHHS

Apologies:

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1. Welcome

1. Apologies
2. Confirmation of Terms of Reference

1. Listed above
2. MWDRG Terms of Reference endorsed by the VCTC.

• Professor Brendan Crotty welcomed to the MWDRG
• Minor amendments to roles of some members listed in TORs.

1. VCTC Update

• Latest draft of the Fee Schedule discussed at VCTC.
• No changes to medical and nursing contributions for 2016.
• Some amendments proposed for allied health – with further discussion at the VCTC meeting scheduled for 19 June 2015
• Concerns have been raised about the completion and repetition of mandatory training modules in health care institutions by junior medical officers. This matter has been placed on the agenda for the VCTC meeting scheduled for 19 June 2015.

• Standing Agenda Item

1. Workforce Development Implementation Plan, Initial Consultation: Key Questions

• The plan will be discussed at the next VCTC meeting and input was requested from the MWDRG.

• The Chair, MWDRG to present the following thoughts / questions to the VCTC:
• Is there a problem with current system impacting on patient care and safety?
• If change is promoted, the ‘how’ and ‘why’ needs to be investigated and articulated. This should include the cost effectiveness of any proposed change.
• More evidence required on the efficacy of inter-professional training of health professionals across medicine, nursing and allied health.
• Further explore cross discipline supervision of undergraduates.
• Maintaining fluidity and generalism across the system is good and should be encouraged.
• Consideration of industrial and regulation issues that can act as barriers to change.

1. Medical Interns

• Currently there is a shortfall of 7 intern posts for 2016 (this is without considering attrition). Health service Expression of Interest process still open and being promoted by the department. Victoria should meet its COAG agreement for 2016.
• Timely reporting of student numbers by universities is key to ensuring that the Victorian health system is prepared to accommodate intern numbers
• MWDRG also briefly discussed the following three key points:
• Capacity of health system toexpand to meet increasing numbers
• Intern rotations at not for profit and private health service providers
• Interns requiring additional support

• The department currently funds a number of programs to support interns requiring additional support. The Chair, MWDRG to further discuss this issue with PMCV with a view to achieving further co-operation with health services best placed to support these interns.

1. Teaching of medical students in not for profit facilities

• Epworth Health is keen to haveinterns and has been accredited by the PMCV to do so.
• Epworth has expanded bed numbers and provides a good case mix of patients.
• Funding remains a major obstacle. DHHS is able to provide a training and development grant to help support not for profit facilities host interns.

• Epworth Health to explore issue further with the PMCV.

1. Review of Rural Medical Workforce Programs

• Review of Rural GP Workforce Programs due for completion June 30.

• Interim findings indicate a fragmented approach to GP training with no real integration of training across first few years to support a defined pathway to GP Fellowship and building of local medical workforce.
• Early indications point to recommendations that include the development of a defined pathway which includes integration of prevocational years and procedural training and engagement of all stakeholders involved in undergraduate and postgraduate medical training.

1. Other Business

• None raised – meeting closed at 10.55am

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