AMA Forum – Mandatory Reporting & Insurer Access to Medical Files – Saturday 31 August – Hobart

The AMA is running a forum this weekend, that would be of interest to doctors practicing in the field of occupational medicine. See details below.

Occupational Medicine Meeting – Friday 08 November – Launceston

Dr Barry Gilbert has proposed that an Occupational Medicine meeting in the north of the state to be held in conjunction with the 2019 Tasmanian Physicians Conference at Launceston General Hospital on Friday 8 Nov 2019. It seems clear that we should focus on getting as many interested practitioners to that meeting, rather than trying to have any other meetings this year. I will provide more details as the arrangements become clearer.

Occupational Physician Trainees

Congratulations also to Dr Mark Brown who has recently commenced training as an occupational physician (OEP) in the north-west of the state with Dr Andreas Ernst. I hope to include more information about Mark and Carlin in future Newsletters.

Consultation about extension of PTSD provisions outside the state service

The AMA has been asked to participate and provide responses as follows:

ACIL Consulting are undertaking the consultation and have posed the following questions:

1. Do you support the introduction of a presumptive provision in relation to PTSD for private sector workers? Why/why not?
2. If such a provision was applied, which categories of private sector workers do you think the presumption should apply to and why?
3. What are the types of traumatic events or exposure in the course of their employment that puts the categories of workers identified in question 2 at risk of developing PTSD?
4. Should any qualifications or limitations apply to such a provision? For example, to ensure the presumption is applied specifically to persons placed at significant risk of developing PTSD in the course of their employment or involvement in activities covered by the Act? a) Is the diagnostic criteria applied to public sector workers appropriate for private sector workers? b) What employment criteria must be met for the presumption to apply?c) Does the worker need to be actively employed at the time of diagnosis? If not, for what period post-employment should the presumption apply?
5. What do you consider are the potential advantages and disadvantages of introducing such a provision to private sector workers?
   How would the introduction of such a provision impact your work and/or organisation?
6. Are you aware of any impacts (such as to claims, acceptance rates, uptake of mental health services etc) resulting from Tasmanian Government agencies being required to presume diagnosed claims for PTSD are work related? (n.b. this change took effect on 30 October 2018)
   Are you aware of any difference in workers compensation claims behaviour between public and private sector workers?
7. Do you have any other comments?

I am in contact with WorkCover to ask about extending the consultation process to doctors with an interest in occupational medicine.

Occupational Medicine Vacancy

I understand from Dr Helen McArdle that there is a vacancy for Chief Occupational Medicine Officer, Defence Health Directorate, New Zealand Defence Force – Wellington. You can email MICHEAL.DUNCAN@NZDF.mil.nz if you are interested.

Peter Sharman