Public Hospital (Medical Officers) Award
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
COMMISSION OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Application by Health Services Union NSW,
Industrial Organisation of Employees.
(No. IRC 940 of 2013)
Before The Honourable Justice Staff
|
20 December 2013
|
VARIATION
1. Insert after
subclause (x) of the award published 24 April 2009 (367 I.G. 1300), the
following new subclause in clause 12, On Call and Call Back, the following
subclauses:
(xi) For the
purposes of subclause (ix) "clinical appraisal remotely" means as
provided in either (a) or (b) below:
(a) Assessing (by
an on-call resident medical officer or registrar) a patient's physical condition
to make a diagnosis or a differential diagnosis away from a hospital that
incorporates all of the following:
1. The taking of
a telephone call or calls, or receiving an email or emails, from a medical
practitioner on duty in a hospital about a patient.
2. Receiving the
history of the patient so that the patient's current medical condition and any
relevant past medical history including previous surgery and use of
medications, if known, is provided.
3. Discussing
with the medical practitioner on duty the patient's current medical condition
and asking questions in respect of the condition as necessary such that the
information provided enables an evaluation of the patient's physical condition.
4. Directing
further examination to be conducted as clinically required, and obtaining other
clinical information or opinion from other medical practitioners as necessary.
5. Identifying
the likely cause of the patient's condition and providing a diagnosis and a prognosis
based on the information provided from undertaking 1 to 4 above.
6. Ensuring that
there is a sufficient clinical justification for the proposed treatment
including, if relevant, admission to hospital.
7. Instructing
the medical practitioner on duty in a hospital what course of treatment should
be followed including ensuring the proposed treatment is not contra-indicated,
being satisfied that such treatment is able to be determined, and can be
properly implemented, without requiring the return of the on-call resident
medical officer or registrar. This would include developing or confirming a
management plan, or varying an existing management plan with the endorsement of
the staff specialist or VMO responsible for the care of the patient.
8 Directing
follow-up requirements and subsequently reviewing the patient, if appropriate,
based on those requirements.
9. Complying with
relevant NSW Health and local policies, procedures and directions.
(b) The provision
of a report by an on call registrar on images forwarded electronically in
circumstances where:
1. had the communications
technology involved not been utilised the registrar would have had to have
returned to the workplace to provide that report; and
2. there has
been prior approval at the facility level to the use, and the conditions of
use, of such technology by the registrar.
(xii) A clinical
appraisal provided remotely pursuant to subclause (xi)(a) above shall attract a
minimum payment of one hour at the appropriate overtime rate only in
circumstances where, if it had not been provided remotely, the on-call resident
medical officer or registrar would have otherwise needed to have returned to
the workplace. Any additional requirement to provide further clinical appraisal
falling within the hour from which the initial clinical appraisal commenced
shall not attract an additional payment. Any time worked beyond the expiration
of one hour shall be paid at overtime rates. Time where work is not being
performed will not be counted as time for the purposes of overtime payment.
2. This variation
shall effect on and from the first pay period after 20 December 2013.
C.G. STAFF J
____________________
Printed by
the authority of the Industrial Registrar.