twrama 1990_final oc.. - AMA WA

OPINION
HCN: complex and out of control
by Dr Dror Maor
Co-Chair, Doctors in Training Committee
We have written many articles and wasted much time
with the numerous payroll debacles that come out of
HCN. The AMA spends numerous hours every single week
working for our members to find solutions for problems
caused by HCN. Every day members call the AMA or speak
to its representatives letting them know about incorrect
payments, underpayment, payment at wrong levels,
inappropriate deductions and even non-payment. Many of
these have no rhyme or reason and when questioned, are
often reversed.
In an article at the beginning of this year I wrote: “If
the government is not brave enough to get rid of HCN all
together, then there must at least be changes all the way
from the top down to create a culture different from what
there is today.”
This has obviously not occurred and the Health Minister,
Director General and all those who are in charge of HCN
are not only failing our patients but the public hospital
system and us, as doctors by not fairly paying us what we
are owed.
Junior doctors who work every day in the WA Health
System to help and do the right things by our patients
continue to get ignored by HCN and even dismissed by
the Health Department and Minister with regards to the
debacle that is HCN. We continue to have much difficulty
in understanding our pay slips and have very little way of
working out exactly how often mistakes are made. This
difficulty arises from the complexity of the payslips, the
various additions and deductions that occurs with on calls,
after hours and the numerous missed payments. For each
30 MEDICUS October