Associate Professor Geoffrey Hawson (ASADA Inc. Vice President)
The third Senior Doctor Conference was held in partnership with AMA Qld in Brisbane on August 9 this year. It was attended by 75 participants not including the many speakers.
Professor Nancy Pachana from the University of Qld provided a plenary on aging and age discrimination which was very well received. I then chaired a session presenting a video recording of my interview with Commander Spindel who is Deputy Commander of the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) in the US. Commander Spindel answered a range of questions from the organising committee regarding the role of the MRC and the doctors who volunteer their services. The information obtained was very valuable. Members can access further information regarding the MRC in the policy documents on our website. For members who weren’t able to attend, the video can be made available by contacting me at ASADA (see Contact page).
A panel discussion, ‘Call to serve again: Unlocking the lifelong value of the medical workforce’ included Qld’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Catherine McDougall, and Councillor Amelia Lorentson from Noosa Council. Councillor Lorentson had heard about ASADA’s advocacy for a step-down registration category from a Sunshine Coast GP and thought it important enough to propose a motion for discussion at the Local Government Association’s AGM this year. Unfortunately, it was not considered appropriate for the agenda. Councillor Lorentson spoke passionately about the need for local government to be prepared for all and any emergencies and how the registration category and senior doctors could be invaluable. The Chief Medical Officer spoke on workforce issues.
Other sessions on the day covered topics such transition to retirement, finding meaning, and alternative careers including writing medical memoirs, social enterprise and support services, board membership and advisory roles, mentoring international medical graduates, medical leadership in CALD, maintaining physical and mental well-being. Dr Barbara Woodhouse (President ASADA) spoke on volunteering opportunities overseas in health care. A session covering Medical Insurance (ROCS cover for retirees) and Avant’s Travel Insurance Policies for members, revealed that Avant’s travel insurance provides coverage for senior doctors where others don’t.
A session on transitioning out of practice, given by AMAQ Corporate Partners Cutcher and Neale and Hillhouse Legal, was well received also. A highly entertaining session on the need for physical activity was provided by exercise physiologists, Svet Borojevic and Arief Hunter from Zar Athletica.
A networking drinks session was held before moving to dinner at Cucina Regina in the Star.
The next conference will be in two years in 2027, most likely August.
The concept of a step-down registration category has been dealt a death blow by the Medical Board of Australia and AHPRA. The only real hope is for doctors to lobby their Qld politicians and convince them that something needs to be done. Local Council could also be a fertile ground to consider pilot programs for disaster management. These might convince State Government to get on board. If Qld were to legislate the new category, it would open the door for the other states to follow as Qld is the lead state on health legislation. ASADA Inc continues to lobby for this change.
Remember: “You don’t form a Fire Brigade after the Fire”. Government needs to be prepared but is not.