Vision Statement - Australasian College of Dermatologists

THE AUSTRALASIAN COLLEGE OF DERMATOLOGISTS

Vision Statement 

The AusTrAlAsiAn College of DermATologisTs 

is A fellowship of DermATologisTs TrAineD To The 

highesT professionAl sTAnDArDs, whose objeCTive 

is To serve The CommuniTy by proviDing The 

besT quAliTy DermATologiCAl CAre. 

The Australasian College of Dermatologists is the accredited medical college 

responsible for the training and professional development of 

medical practitioners in the specialty of dermatology. 

Dermatologists are qualified medical practitioners who, through additional training, 

have obtained postgraduate qualifications to specialise in the diagnosis, treatment 

and prevention of skin, nail and hair diseases and skin cancers. 

Medical practitioners who have successfully completed the training program of 

the Australasian College of Dermatologists are Fellows of the College (FACD). 

1

Strategic Objectives 

The sTrATegiC objeCTives of The College Are: 

1. To provide and maintain dermatological education at all levels. 

2. To define and maintain the standards of ethical practice. 

3. To promote better public awareness about the skin and its care and the prevention of skin disease. 

4. To provide the best standards of professional service to all members of the community. 

5. To support and promote dermatological research. 

6. To undertake its objectives competently, efficiently and responsibly. 

2

Contents 

Message froM the President 4-5 

froM the honorary secretary 6-7 

chief executive officer’s Message 8-9 

Board of directors 2008/09 10 

college staff 10 

froM the state faculties 11-17 

New South Wales 12-13 

Queensland 14 

South Australia 15 

Victoria 16 

Western Australia 17 

College 18-19 

Current Membership 19 

New Fellows 2008/09 19 

College Awards 19 

Awards from the 2008 Examinations 19 

In Memoriam 19 

skin & CAnCer founDATions 20-23 

Skin and Cancer Foundation Australia (New South Wales) 21 

Skin and Cancer Foundation Victoria 22-23 

eDuCATionAl CommiTTee reporTs 24-36 

Accreditation of Training Programs 25 

Examination Outcomes 26 

Education Committee 27 

Board of Censors 28-29 

Board of Training 30 

Curriculum Committee 31 

IMG Assessment Committee 32-33 

Professional Development Committee 34 

Selection Task Force 35 

Trainee Representative Committee 36 

CommiTTee reporTs 37-47 

Report of the Editorial Board of the Australasian Journal of Dermatology 38 

Ethics Committee 39 

Indigenous Affairs Committee 40 

International Dermatology Outreach Committee 41 

Public Affairs Committee 42-43 

Rural and Regional Services Committee 44 

Scientific Meetings Committee 45-46 

Scientific Research Committee 47 

National Skin Cancer Steering Committee 

of The Cancer Council Australia – College Representatives 48 

GP Training Task Force 49 

rePort froM new Zealand derMatological society inc. 50 

finAnCiAls 51-81 

Donations Made to the Australasian College of Dermatologists 52 

Donations Made by the Australasian College of Dermatologists 52 

Directors’ Report 53-57 

Financial Report 58-81 

3

4 

Message 

from the President 

This is my second and final report as President of 

College. Last year, you may remember, I mentioned 

how busy and productive the year had been. This 

year has been even more so, with projects such 

as the complete review of our trainee selection 

process, approval and implementation of our new 

strategic plan, ongoing work on AMC accreditation, 

including introduction of the curriculum, and 

preparation for the second Rural Meeting in Noosa. 

AmC ACCreDiTATion 

The first annual progress report to 

the AMC since the 2007 review, 

was submitted late last year. It 

indicated that we were on track for 

our review in 2010. Subsequently, an 

informal meeting was held between 

the Chair of the AMC, the Chair of 

the AMC Assessment Committee, 

representatives of the College Board 

including myself, and Victoria Baker- 

Smith (our Education Manager). This 

meeting reinforced the fact that we 

are well on the way to achieving full 

accreditation at the 2010 review. 

Vital to this process is the successful 

implementation of the curriculum, 

to which so many of you have 

contributed. 

sTrATegiC plAn 

After extensive consultation with 

College Fellows and State Faculties, the 

final strategic plan was approved at the 

November 2008 Board Meeting and 

is now being implemented. This will 

be an ongoing regular review process 

in keeping with good governance 

practice. 

seleCTion proCess 

As forecasted in my report last 

year, the College Board resolved to 

commission an independent review 

of the national selection process. This 

review involved extensive consultation 

with all relevant stakeholders, and I 

thank you all for your time and effort 

in assisting with this process. I believe 

that the modifications suggested 

will further ensure that selection of 

trainees continues to be both open and 

transparent.

gp TrAining Course 

The full GP training course is due to be 

rolled out at the end of this year. As 

we all know, Rob Paver has done an 

amazing job. 

rurAl issues 

Some progress has been made in 

this area and further discussions and 

planning will occur at the second Rural 

Meeting in Noosa, to be held in March 

2009. 

meDiA 

College’s high media profile has 

been further developed by a closer 

association with the state and national 

Cancer Councils. 

inDigenous heAlTh 

Dr Ian McCrossin has joined the 

Indigenous Health Sub-Committee 

of the CPMC and we look forward to 

further activity in this area. 

CollegiAliTy 

College has continued its commitment 

to improving collegiality amongst its 

registrars, with the continuation of the 

highly successful first year bonding 

weekend instituted by Epiderm three 

years ago. I believe that this is an 

extremely important initiative for 

College, as the registrars are indeed 

our future. 

boArD AnD sTAff 

ConTribuTions 

I would like to thank all Board 

members, all Committee members, 

all members of the State Faculty 

executives and all other College 

Fellows, who have contributed so 

much of their time and energy to 

College. We are indebted also to our 

superb education and management 

team, without whom we could not 

undertake the numerous and complex 

tasks demanded of us. Thank you all! 

It is incredible to think that my term 

as your President is nearing its end. I 

believe that a significant amount has 

been achieved during this time and 

I am proud to have been part of it. I 

am confident that Dr Ian McCrossin, 

as College’s next President, will most 

capably take over the reins in May and 

will continue to work for the future of 

College. 

Thank you for allowing me the great 

privilege of serving as your President. 

GLENDA WOOD 

President 

5

6 

From the 

Honorary Secretary 

This is my last report as the Honorar y Secretar y of 

College. As you know, I have been in this position 

for the last five years and, during that time, I 

have seen huge changes at College. These have 

included the impact of AMC accreditation on the 

development of our training program, particularly 

the curriculum and assessment processes. 

Other important reforms have included 

the governance structure, which 

has resulted in a much more active, 

effective and committed leadership for 

the College. 

It has been my great pleasure to 

serve the members in this position. It 

has been my privilege to have been 

involved in the work undertaken by 

the College staff and many of the 

College Fellows in bringing about these 

changes, which have now brought our 

College to the forefront of Australia’s 

other medical colleges. 

You will see from the reports of 

the President and the CEO, that 

many significant issues have been 

successfully addressed over the last 

twelve months by the committees and 

staff of College. 

I would like to thank the Board of 

Training and the State Directors of 

Training, who work through the State 

Faculties in ensuring that the training 

program in each of our states meets 

the requirements as set out in our 

Training Program Handbook, and as 

endorsed by the AMC. The number 

of training positions has expanded 

greatly over the last three years; and 

the ability to integrate additional 

positions within the State Faculty 

training programs, is a credit to the 

State Faculties and their Directors of 

Training. The extra positions have 

been developed, both through the 

traditional state government hospital 

system, as well as more innovative 

pathways, supported by funding 

from institutions such as the Skin 

and Cancer Foundations and federal 

government grants for private 

practice training. All this has involved 

a significant amount of work, from 

both the Directors of Training, hospital 

Heads of Department, and also the 

College administrative and educational 

staff. 

The Skin and Cancer Foundations go 

from strength to strength, and this 

is particularly demonstrated by the 

recent move of the Skin and Cancer 

Foundation Victoria to new offices.

Indeed, the Foundations provide 

a shining example of the ability of 

dermatologists as a group to work 

together to provide services to the 

patients of our respective states, in 

areas where service delivery has been 

lacking through the public hospital 

systems. 

“the Foundations provide 

a shining example of the 

ability of dermatologists 

as a group to work together 

to provide services to the 

patients of our respective 

states...” 

Chris Baker and the Board of Censors, 

again, have provided a transparent 

assessment and examination process to 

our trainees. In particular, the clinical 

examination process has become quite 

a task, with the increased numbers 

of candidates presenting to this 

examination. This is carried out by 

the Board of Censors in association 

with the State Faculties and it has 

been further finetuned by the 

educational staff of College. This works 

extraordinarily well and is a credit to all 

those involved. 

Pam Brown has brought into 

prominence the Board of Training. 

In fact, over the last few years, 

this Board has become increasingly 

important as regards the issue of 

in-training assessment. Once the intraining 

assessment process reaches 

a consistent level of reliability, then it 

may be possible for a further decreased 

emphasis on the exit examination. 

Martin Haskett and the International 

Medical Graduate Assessment 

Committee have worked very hard 

to enable additional overseas trained 

dermatologists to be accredited as 

being comparable to, or partially 

comparable to, our own Fellows. 

This has enabled a number of these 

dermatologists to be elected to College 

Fellowship. We look forward to further 

assessments over the next few years, 

resulting in increased numbers to our 

ranks. 

Glenda Wood, Cathy Reid and Rodney 

Sheaves have made further inroads in 

the selection of our new trainees. This 

process has been further developed in 

line with the AMC requirements. 

The Trainee Representative Committee 

has been in place now for a number of 

years and sends a committee member 

to the Board meetings, as well as to 

meetings of the Board of Censors. This 

enables trainees from an early stage to 

feel part of College and to be present 

when decisions are made which will 

reflect on the training program. 

Orli Wargon has taken on the 

difficult and time-consuming task of 

Editor of the Australasian Journal of 

Dermatology. Delwyn Dyall-Smith 

was certainly a hard act to follow, 

and her outstanding work is to be 

recognised this year with the award of 

the College’s Silver Medal. You will see 

that there is a new look for the Journal. 

I am confident that the Journal will 

continue to be a significant part of the 

educational arm of College into the 

future. 

The Public Affairs Committee has 

continued to work very closely 

with our PR consultants, S2i 

Communications. This has ensured a 

high level of media contact and media 

presence for dermatology throughout 

Australia. This has been a continuous 

work in progress, and my thanks go 

out to all of the College Fellows who 

have helped in this regard over the 

years. It is not easy to drop everything 

at short notice to undertake a TV or 

radio interview, but it is important 

to maintain our position at the top 

of the dermatological and skin care 

educational and treatment pyramid. 

The Rural and Regional Services 

Committee have put on the second of 

the rural meetings, which was held in 

Noosa in March 2009. This was wellattended 

and highlighted the great 

progress that has been achieved in 

providing both outreach and residential 

services to rural and regional Australia. 

There is still a long way to go but, 

fortunately, we have the enthusiastic 

College Fellows and College staff to 

develop programs in this area further. 

Our conferences are getting larger 

and, because of this, we will undertake 

concurrent sessions at the forthcoming 

Annual Scientific Meeting on the Gold 

Coast. This is a first for our ASM, 

and will ensure that the maximum 

amount of information will be able 

to be presented, in such a way that 

attendees can make a choice regarding 

which areas they wish to attend. 

I am pleased that I can leave to my 

successor, a smoothly and efficiently 

functioning organisation. This 

relies heavily on our exceptionally 

dedicated and hardworking College 

administrative and educational staff. 

Without these individuals, it would be 

impossible for College to undertake 

the political, scientific and educational 

activities that we do. It would also 

be very difficult to cope with the 

amount of bureaucratic reporting to 

governments. 

Similarly, without the committees of 

College and the hardworking College 

Fellows that give up their time to 

assist College on these committees, 

we would not be able to function. My 

thanks to all of you who have helped 

in this regard and I look forward to 

reading about the further successes of 

College in the 2009/10 Annual Report. 

STEPHEN SHUMACK 

Honorary Secretary 

7

8 

Chief Executive 

Officer’s Message 

governAnCe 

The reform of College’s corporate 

governance adopted in 2006/07 continues 

to pay dividends in well-considered and 

expeditious decision-making by the College 

Board of Directors. All Directors have been 

assigned a portfolio and are required to 

report regularly on the areas under their 

management. This has resulted in Directors 

developing specialised expertise and 

experience which is invaluable in facilitating 

the proper operation of the College. 

The ethical tenets of corporate governance 

are observed, with Directors declaring 

their interests at each meeting, and these 

interests are discussed by other Directors 

as appropriate. As well, the effective 

functioning of the Board is monitored by all 

Directors, who are required to assess their 

and other Directors’ performance and the 

quality of decision-making. 

Some Directors are coming to the end of 

their appointments in May 2009. It is to be 

hoped that the new Board can maintain the 

high standard of effective governance that 

now exists. 

Most of the Board committees have 

been extremely active in undertaking 

their duties; in a few cases, a shortage 

of members as a result of resignations or 

other changes, have meant a lessoning in 

efficiency. 

The adoption and implementation of a 

new strategic plan was a high point of the 

Board’s performance in 2008. 

eDuCATion 

Guided by the recommendations of the 

AMC review, College is pushing ahead 

with implementation of the new training 

program curriculum and development of 

new systems of assessment. 

A major review of the Professional 

Development Program was undertaken 

in 2008 by an independent consultant. 

It is proposed to implement the reforms 

recommended by the consultant, in 2009. 

Following recommendations by the AMC 

in their review, the College commissioned 

an external consultant to review the 

trainee selection process. This was an 

important undertaking which resulted 

in a substantial report with far-reaching 

recommendations. The consultant sought

opinions from faculties and individual 

members, as well as the Board; and 

undertook a wide review of literature 

and current practice in selection. His 

recommendations were adopted by the 

Board; they are being implemented in 

the trainee selection process in 2009. 

We are confident that the process will 

be consistent with the national training 

program selection objectives and will 

be equitable and transparent. Faculties 

are strongly involved in all steps of the 

process. 

Almost half of the College staff are 

now involved in our educational 

activities, which is right and proper, 

given that our primary role is to be a 

provider of education. The number 

of educational officers has been 

increased to meet the demands of 

the AMC and other Government 

agencies in meeting their requirements 

for our training activities. This is a 

consequence of being recognised by 

the Government as the accredited 

training provider in dermatology for 

Australia. What this means is that 

the College is able to offer training in 

dermatology to groups other than just 

for dermatology registrars and for the 

continuing professional development 

of its existing Fellows; namely, general 

practitioners, dermatological nurses 

and undergraduate medical students. 

The College has moved swiftly to 

assume its training role in regard to 

these groups. The second intake of 

general practitioners proceeding under 

the ACD/RACGP/ACRRM Certificates 

in Primary Care Skin Management 

and Primary Care Dermatology 

commenced in October 2008. Some 

140 GPs have now undertaken, or are 

currently undertaking, these certificate 

courses. 

The College is also involved in 

discussions with various university 

medical schools in the development 

and implementation of undergraduate 

learning modules. 

In 2009, the College will launch a 

Dermoscopy Workshop for general 

practitioners and rural generalists. 

meeTings 

The Annual Scientific Meeting held 

in Sydney in 2008 saw our largest 

ever attendance, approximately 

“We now have our largest component of staff, ever: eleven 

staff members, of whom six are part-time. Although our 

resource-base is the smallest of all twelve medical colleges, 

we are nevertheless expected by the Government and the 

wider community, to perform at the same level as the 

larger colleges...” 

900 delegates, of whom half were 

dermatologists. Associate Professor 

Diona Damian produced an 

outstanding scientific program, which 

was widely hailed by delegates. She 

has set a high standard which will not 

be easy to equal. 

Planning is in hand for the 42nd 

Annual Scientific Meeting, which will 

be held on the Gold Coast in May 

2009. We also have a busy program 

of meetings scheduled up to five 

years ahead, which includes for 2009, 

the Rural Dermatology Meeting in 

Noosa in March; the Joint Meeting 

with the Japanese Dermatological 

Association in Sapporo, Japan in July; 

and the Biennial Spring Conference, 

to be held in the Hunter Valley, NSW, 

in October. Some members may not 

appreciate that most of the work for 

these meetings is undertaken in-house 

by College staff, with support from 

consultants for specialised areas such 

as registration, trade exhibitions and 

public relations. We are well-advanced 

in planning for meetings in 2010, 2011 

and 2012. 

governmenT relATions 

The change of Federal Government 

has had an impact on the medical 

colleges in that relationships have had 

to be developed anew with the current 

Minister for Health. The decision by 

the Federal and State Governments as 

the Council of Australian Governments 

(COAG) to introduce a national 

registration and accreditation scheme 

has had a considerable impact on the 

medical profession and has been the 

subject of much discussion amongst 

the medical colleges, through the 

Committee of Presidents of Medical 

Colleges (CPMC). 

At a departmental level, funding from 

the Department of Health and Ageing 

for colleges’ projects has diminished, 

reflecting the economic downturn and 

a change in Government priorities. 

finAnCes 

I am delighted to report that College’s 

financial position remains strong. This 

is despite the fact that we have taken 

on extra programs and projects in 

2008, adding to our administrative 

and staffing costs. We now have our 

largest component of staff, ever: 

eleven staff members, of whom six are 

part-time. Although our resource-base 

is the smallest of all twelve medical 

colleges, we are nevertheless expected 

by the Government and the wider 

community, to perform at the same 

level as the larger colleges, in terms 

of the educational services we offer, 

as well as the provision of advice and 

information to Government, and in 

educating the wider community about 

skin health issues. 

Our investment portfolio has suffered 

from the impact of the world recession, 

but its performance has been better 

than many comparable funds over the 

last twelve months. 

Your college is financially stable and 

professionally committed to serving its 

members’ interests and to advancing 

the status and reputation of the 


RODNEY SHEAVES 

Chief Executive Officer 

9

Board of Directors 2008/09 

elected directors 

Dr Pamela Brown 

Dr John Coates 

Dr Martin Haskett 

Dr Catherine Reid 

Dr Carl Vinciullo 

10 

DR GLENDA WOOD 

A/PROFESSOR CHRIS BAKER 

DR CARL VINCIULLO 

DR IAN McCROSSIN 

DR PAMELA BROWN 

ex officio 

President Dr Glenda Wood 

President-Elect Dr Ian McCrossin 

Honorary Secretary Dr Stephen Shumack 

Honorary Treasurer Dr John Coates 

DR STEPHEN SHUMACK 

DR MARTIN HASKETT 

Chair, Board of Censors A/Professor Chris Baker 

College Staff 

DR JOHN COATES 

DR CATHERINE REID 

Chief Executive Officer Rodney Sheaves 

Education Manager Victoria Baker-Smith 

Education Officer Claudia Casson 

Education Officer Bob Corderoy 

Education Officer (Professional Development) Denise Smith 

(from March 2009) 

Administrative Officer (Education) Tony Moore 

Accounts and Administrative Coordinator Roopan Singh 

Administrative Assistant, Accounts Jade Huang 

Senior Administrative Officer Rosie Cavaleri 

Administrative Officer Roslyn Wagstaff 

Administrative Officer Caroline Daly

FROM 

THE 

STATE FACULTIES 

new south wales 

Queensland 

south australia 

victoria 

western australia 

11

New South Wales Faculty 

Chair Dr David Cook 

Honorary Secretary Dr Catherine Drummond 

Honorary Treasurer Dr Eileen Collins 

Director of Training Dr Phillip Artemi 

The NSW Faculty has had a year of 

mixed success in our two main areas 

of activity: registrar training and 

development of dermatology services 

throughout the state. We have seen 

an expansion of services to rural areas 

and an increase in training positions. 

Limited funding and loss of some 

grants, which had previously supported 

training positions, have tempered 

these successes. 

Our trainees are to be congratulated 

on their success in their final 

examination, with all satisfying the 

requirements for Fellowship. The 

Faculty welcomes Caroline Thoo, 

Ann-Maree Kurzydlo and Hanna 

Kuchel to College Fellowship. We also 

congratulate Dr Monisha Gupta, who 

has become our first international 

medical graduate (IMG) to complete 

training and successfully pass the 

Fellowship examination. 

The training of registrars to successfully 

achieve Fellowship is a prime focus 

of the Faculty. We have seen further 

improvements in this process over the 

last twelve months. All NSW training 

institutions achieved full accreditation 

after Board of Censors inspections 

during 2008. We have also had a new 

training position created and accredited 

at Liverpool Hospital in 2009. 

Liverpool Dermatology now has three 

positions serving a very busy hospital 

and outpatient clinic. Along with 

general and surgical dermatology 

clinics, the department now has 

one of the busiest biologic clinics in 

Sydney. This clinic, run by Dr Geoff 

12 

Cains and Dr Jane Woods, has recently 

acquired funding for a dietitian and 

psychological services to offer a more 

holistic approach to severe psoriasis 

management. 

The Foundation funds many of our 

training positions and supports both 

research and education. Clinics at 

The Faculty would like 

to formally thank and 

acknowledge the Skin and 

Cancer Foundation for their 

ongoing commitment to 

dermatology training and 

services in NSW. 

both the Westmead and Darlinghurst 

sites offer our trainees experience 

in subspecialty areas such as Mohs’ 

surgery, laser, HIV dermatology, vulval 

diseases, and cosmetic dermatology. 

The Foundation also gives trainees 

important exposure to rural practice, 

with trainees now attending clinics 

at Griffith, Lismore, Coffs Harbour, 

Wyong, Nowra, Wollongong, Port 

Macquarie, Bourke, Brewarrina, 

Bowral, and Kiama. 

The exposure of trainees to rural 

practice early in their career will 

hopefully result in more taking up the 

call to increase the rural work force 

in future years. A further initiative 

of the Faculty this year was to offer 

sponsorship to cover registration costs 

to the Noosa Rural Dermatology 

Meeting to all our registrars. Some 

have taken up the offer and it is again 

hoped that this experience will translate 

to an ongoing interest in rural practice. 

The Faculty rural dermatology 

subcommittee, with the aid of our 

rural liaison officer, Sue Hinton, 

has continued working towards 

furthering rural services. We have 

recently received new funding for a 

dermatologist to visit Griffith. The 

committee continues to explore means 

of funding and to encourage major 

centre dermatologists to provide rural 

services. Our rural involvement has 

been further extended with the aid 

of IMG dermatologists filling Area of 

Need positions in rural and regional 

locations. Some of these dermatologists 

have now become College Fellows 

and the Board will consider others for 

Fellowship after a period of mentorship 

by a Fellow. This College program has 

made the greatest recent impact on 

rural dermatology in NSW and the 

Faculty is keen to continue its support 

for this program. 

The Faculty has continued to support 

the dermatology education of general 

practitioners. Many Fellows give 

presentations to local divisions of 

general practice and some have also 

been involved in the College’s GP 

education program with presentations 

and mentorship of GPs in their rooms 

and clinics. The Faculty has also 

initiated its first full-day dermatology 

update seminar as a conjoint 

educational event with the NSW 

College of General Practice. General

practitioner education has been 

furthered with the Newcastle branch 

of the Faculty creating a GP registrar 

position at John Hunter Hospital. 

This position allows a local general 

practitioner to spend six months in 

the dermatology department in a 

funded position experiencing hands-on 

dermatology training. 

The Faculty congratulates Associate 

Professor Stephen Lee, who was 

awarded the Member of Order of 

Australia (AM) as part of the Australia 

Day Honours list. Stephen was 

recognised for his service to medicine in 

the field of dermatology as a clinician, 

mentor and educator. This is a fitting 

reward as recognition for his past and 

ongoing efforts in these areas. 

Finally, I would like to thank the Fellows 

who contribute their valuable time and 

energy to the various Faculty activities. 

A special thank you is expressed to 

retiring committee members. Dr Pam 

Brown is retiring from her role as the 

NSW College Director and has given 

much time to her education portfolio. 

Dr Kate Drummond is retiring as our 

secretary, but will still be contributing 

to dermatology as an assistant 

editor for the Australasian Journal of 

Dermatology. 

13

Queensland Faculty 

Chair Dr Greg Siller 

Honorary Secretary Dr Catherine Faulkner 

Honorary Treasurer Dr Catherine Faulkner 

Director of Training Dr Megan Andrews 

2008 was the year of 

consolidation of the 

achievements that we 

have worked so hard on 

as a Faculty over the last 

five years. By this I mean: 

• The expansion and maturation of 

our training program – although I 

see a limited ability for any further 

expansion at least for the short term. 

• Establishment and now expansion 

of the Professorial Department 

with new, and may I say, overdue 

redevelopment on the Princess 

Alexandra Campus this year. 

• Accreditation of the College by the 

Australian Medical Council with the 

Faculty’s assistance. 

• The redevelopment of the 

Queensland Skin and Cancer 

Foundation at Greenslopes Private 

Hospital and the establishment of the 

Queensland Institute of Dermatology. 

14 

Looking back, it has been a very 

satisfying year of consolidation. But 

change is continual. We have also 

seen change in the dermatological 

landscape and I am sure there is more 

to come. New models of health care 

delivery are developed and trialled, 

in private, but also in public and in 

public/private partnerships, and we 

have seen examples of all these here 

in Queensland in the last year. We can 

expect further change too. 

Publicly, Queensland Health is under 

increasing pressure to meet political 

targets of health delivery. These 

targets are either self imposed but 

more commonly now imposed from 

Canberra. We need to continue to 

work with government bodies, even 

when the rules and the targets change 

mid course. 

Rural dermatological services in 

Australia and Queensland remain 

of concern to the College. Area of 

Need positions are likely in Cairns, 

Rockhampton and Bundaberg. How 

best to address rural and regional 

dermatological services is problematic. 

Perhaps the Queenlsand Faculty’s 

members and its the new executive 

should closely watch the new “rural 

training model” that New South Wales 

has recently established and give 

consideration to the establishment of a 

similar system. 

As Faculty Chair, I wish to express my 

many thanks to the members of Faculty 

who helped me this year, especially 

Megan Andrews, our Director of 

Training who has perhaps the most 

challenging job of the executive. 

Finally, a special thanks to Cath 

Faulkner who, while only working 20m 

down the hallway, manages to be so 

busy we find it easier to communicate 

via email. Cath has been a blessing 

over the last two years and I am very 

grateful for all of her efforts. It can be a 

frustrating experience being Secretary, 

but she has managed her role with 

great professionalism and competence.

South Australian Faculty 

Chair Dr Gillian Marshman 

Honorary Secretary Dr Karen Koh 

Honorary Treasurer Dr Stuart Murray 

Director of Training Dr Vincent O’Brien 

This has been a very busy and, at 

times, contentious year for the Faculty, 

working within the South Australian 

health jurisdiction. There have been 

stormy times with regard to industrial 

issues within South Australia, with 

a number of major disputes arising 

for specialists working in the hospital 

sector. As an outcome from this, there 

have been some major renegotiations 

of packages and enticement for people 

to return to the public sector, which 

has been sorely under resourced. We 

will watch and await developments 

with interest with regard to visiting 

specialists in this situation. 

Ongoing discussions are still occurring 

with regard to the new hospital to be 

built in the city (originally called the 

Marjorie Jackson Nelson, but now to be 

renamed the Royal Adelaide Hospital). 

The model of care in the new hospital 

remains only vaguely elucidated at 

this point, and the impact that this will 

have on training and service provision, 

particularly in ambulatory care 

disciplines such as dermatology, will be 

awaited with great interest. 

In the hospitals themselves, there have 

been some relocations both at the 

Royal Adelaide and Flinders Medical 

Centre. The Dermatology Day Unit at 

the Royal Adelaide has been relocated 

closer to the Outpatient Department, 

and the Dermatology Outpatients 

at Flinders Medical Centre has been 

relocated to the second floor with 

purpose-built outpatient suites. At the 

Royal Adelaide Hospital, Dr Catherine 

Reid will be taking long service leave 

and we congratulate her on her 

outstanding service to that institution. 

Dr Shireen Sidhu will be taking over 

as Head of Unit and also Supervisor of 

Training at that institution. At Flinders, 

there is ongoing work with the Dean of 

the Medical School to undertake more 

undergraduate teaching in dermatology 

and an eczema management CD 

that the Flinders Nurse Practitioner, 

Marianne Grillo, has developed, is 

now available for patients to access. 

At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and 

Women’s & Children’s Hospital, the 

previously half-time shared position of 

a registrar has now been converted into 

a full-time position at each institution 

and this is working very well. There is 

also now an eczema/allergy combined 

clinic at the Women’s & Children’s 

which is heavily oversubscribed. At the 

Queen Elizabeth, the Renal Unit with 

its transplant patients has moved some 

of its services to the Royal Adelaide, 

which has an impact on dermatology 

services at both institutions. Dr 

Jenny Menz continues as Head of 

Department at the Repatriation General 

Hospital and is currently overseeing 

the training of an IMG trainee. The 

Repatriation Hospital is also the venue 

for a combined biologics dermatology/ 

rheumatology tertiary clinic that is run 

once a month and has been a very 

successful undertaking. 

South Australian dermatologists 

continue to provide services to 

country areas and in that regard we 

are probably punching above our 

weight. Goolwa, Yankalilla, Kangaroo 

Island, Port Lincoln, Mount Barker, the 

Peninsulas, South East of SA, Darwin 

and Alice Springs are included amongst 

those places visited by Adelaide 

dermatologists. Nevertheless, the 

ongoing need for dermatology services 

in rural and regional Australia continues 

to be an issue that we must address. 

We congratulate Drs Patrick Walker 

and Annette Pearce for gaining 

Fellowship of the College and welcome 

them to our Faculty. South Australia 

currently has ten trainees and two 

international medical graduates in 

upskilling positions. Dr Vin O’Brien is 

stepping down as Director of Training, 

and we thank him for his enormous 

contribution to this very important 

area of Faculty core business. The new 

Director of Training will be Dr Shireen 

Sidhu. 

At our recent AGM, we were privileged 

to have Dr Pam Brown as a guest 

to speak about the changes that are 

being made to the curriculum for 

dermatology. It was very useful to have 

an on-the-ground discussion with all 

the Fellows involved with training and 

assessment at this early stage. 

The Faculty has also been delighted to 

receive the late Dr Geoffrey Hunter’s 

Australasian College of Dermatologists 

gown and cap, which has been 

kindly presented to Faculty by his 

son, Mr Alan Hunter. Jeffrey Hunter 

was an extraordinary dermatologist 

with achievements in both clinical 

dermatology and dermatopathology, 

and of course had enormous 

involvement in the founding of College. 

The gown will be available through 

College to be used by South Australian 

graduants in the future. 

With regard to College matters, Dr 

Cathy Reid will step down from her 

position on the Board of Directors after 

serving admirably for three years, and 

Dr Jenny Menz will replace her. We 

thank Cathy for her very active role on 

the Board and appreciate Jenny taking 

up this extremely important position. 

On a lighter note, a number of our 

Faculty were able to attend the 

European Academy of Dermatology 

and Venereology Meeting in Paris at 

the end of 2008, and all found it a very 

worthwhile experience. It was also an 

opportunity to catch up with our “ex 

pat”, Dr David Burdon-Jones, who has 

been working in the UK for several 

years now. At the time of writing, a 

number of South Australians are also at 

the American Academy Dermatology 

Meeting in San Francisco, and we look 

forward to hearing from them about 

new initiatives and activities both in 

clinical dermatology and investigative 

research work when they return. 

15

Victorian Faculty 

Chair Dr Josephine Yeatman 

Secretary Dr David Gill 

Treasurer Dr Mei Mui Tam 

Director of Training Dr Bruce Tate 

The Victorian Faculty 

continues to focus on 

training and expansion of 

service provision of both 

urban and rural services. 

training 

We thank Dr Bruce Tate, who recently 

resigned from the Director of Training 

position. Bruce put in a huge amount 

of work coordinating the program 

and also organising the rosters. The 

responsibility for rosters has now been 

delegated to Fiona Gillen, a part-time 

employee of the Faculty, allowing 

Bruce’s successor, Dr Jill Cargnello, to 

focus specifically on training issues. 

Fiona will also manage the registrars’ 

16 

rural roster, allowing these to be 

more seamlessly coordinated with 

the hospital rosters. Our first year 

registrars were all once again successful 

in passing there Clinical Sciences and 

Pharmacology exams, allowing them 

to start to concentrate on clinical 

dermatology early in their program. We 

welcome three international medical 

graduates (IMGs), Dr Theodore Carner, 

Dr Shobha Joseph and Dr Kamaldeep 

Sandhu, to the training program. Their 

training positions have been funded by 

the federal government. 

rural services 

The centres of Horsham, Sale, Burnie, 

Warrnambool and Portland are still 

operating and attracting MSOAP 

funding. It is likely that a centre starting 

in Swan Hill will also receive funding. 

59% of dermatologists participate in 

the Rural Outreach program or work 

privately in the country. The DHS 

funding for registrar travel is winding 

up and MSOAP will hopefully be able 

to cover this cost in the future. 

acadeMic derMatology 

We congratulate Dr Tony Hall on being 

appointed to the Faculty of Medicine at 

Deakin University, and also Associate 

Professor Greg Goodman who has 

been promoted in the Department of 

General Practice of Monash University. 

Associate Professor Peter Foley has 

shifted his research activities from 

St Vincent’s Hospital to the Skin and 

Cancer Foundation of Victoria. 

executive coMMittee 

The Executive Committee remains 

extremely active and has recently 

had an influx of new blood with 

Drs Paul Curnow, Cate Scarff, Lee 

Mei Yap and Jacinta Opie joining 

the more experienced Fellows. The 

Faculty is exploring the possibility 

of commissioning a history of 

dermatology in Victoria.

Western Australian Faculty 

Chair Cl. A/Professor Kurt Gebauer 

Honorary Secretary Dr Hock Cheng Chua 

Honorary Treasurer Dr Hock Cheng Chua 

Director of Training Dr Clare Tait 

The West Australian Faculty was 

fortunate to negotiate extra funding 

from the Health Department for two 

new registrar positions. This is a 50% 

increase in trainee numbers, requiring 

an enormous effort from the previous 

Director of Training, Dr Clare Tait. In all 

teaching hospitals, consultants agreed 

to relinquish their own offices and 

step into the corridor, thus allowing 

a trainee to have desk space. Clearly, 

from an infrastructure point of view, 

this is extremely unsatisfactory. No 

dermatology unit in Western Australia 

has its own secretary, office or 

dedicated space. Teaching of medical 

students is done wherever we can. 

Training of residents and registrars 

is done in their consultation rooms 

(previous consultant’s consultation 

room). At the time of writing, from 

a trainee perspective this system has 

been functioning satisfactorily for three 

months. 

There have been significant numbers 

of senior dermatologists relinquishing 

visits to country areas. We have been 

very fortunate that a number of the 

younger dermatologists have agreed to 

take on these outreach clinics. At the 

time of writing, Albany still has failed 

to attract a visiting dermatologist. This 

is something the Faculty is working on 

locally. 

Various executive positions have 

rotated. There are new representatives 

for the Director of Training, Dr Graham 

Thom, Professional Development 

Committee Dr Jonathon Chan, 

whilst Dr Carl Vinciullo remains our 

representative on the Board. On our 

local executive, Clinical Associate 

Professor Kurt Gebauer remains as 

Chairman and Dr Hock Cheng Chua, 

Secretary/Treasurer. 

In 2009 the trainee posts of the West 

Australian Faculty will be assessed by 

the Board of Censors. We will also be 

hosting the Fellowship examinations 

with which a large part of the faculty 

will be intimately involved as occasional 

Examiners. 

Local challenges ahead include the 

establishment of a new tertiary referral 

hospital, the “Fiona Stanley” in the 

southern corridor of Perth, as well 

as the reduction in size and capacity 

of the Royal Perth and Fremantle 

Hospitals. The Faculty is liaising with 

the Health Department regarding what 

sort of dermatological service will be 

placed here. 

A provisional agreement with the 

previous Government and Health 

Department was that we were 

promised two further registrar positions 

for 2010. As the hospital infrastructure 

is so tight, clinic space and consultant 

numbers so regulated, how and where 

we would place such registrars seems 

at first an insurmountable problem. To 

be placing registrars in private practice 

for training is a concept that is being 

tentatively explored. 

The major changes being developed 

by the Australasian College of 

Dermatologists as a result of 

the AMC and other reviews, for 

example, curriculum development 

implementation, do require a huge 

amount of time and effort on West 

Australian Faculty members. In the next 

five to ten years, a significant number 

of senior heads who have served the 

community and the College extensively 

and charitably, will have retired. It will 

be on the incumbent and graduating 

generations to assist the general West 

Australian community in taking on 

these roles. 

17

COLLEGE 

18

Chief Executive 

Officer’s Message 

Current Membership 

fellows 

Queensland 72 

New South Wales 177 


Victoria 100 


New Zealand 9 

TOTAL 434 

trainees 

Queensland 20 

New South Wales 26 


Victoria 25 


TOTAL 85 

associate MeMBers 34 

new fellows successful 

in the 2008 fellowshiP 

exaMination Process 

Dr Katherine Armour 

Dr Sarah Brennand 

Dr Jennifer Cahill 

Dr Monisha Gupta 

Dr Johanna Kuchel 

Dr Ann-Maree Kurzydlo 

Dr Mignon Moyle 

Dr Annette Pearce 

Dr Genevieve Sadler 

Dr Caroline Thoo 

Dr Patrick Walker 

new fellows elected in 2008 

under clause 11.1.1(a) of the 

college’s constitution 

Dr Anina Fitzgibbon 

Dr Pascale Guitera 

Dr Maria Jones-Caballero 

Dr Prasad Kumarasinghe 

Dr Michael Sladden 

Dr Harvey Smith 

college awards 

Silver Medal 

Dr Delwyn Dyall-Smith 

Dr Robert Paver 

Certificate of Appreciation for 

Distinguished and Valuable 

Contribution to College 

Ms Rosie Cavaleri 

Dr Caroline Mercer 

awards froM 2008 

exaMinations 

Australasian College of 

Dermatologists Travelling Fellowship 

for 2008 


Founders’ Medal for Procedural 

Dermatology for 2008 


President’s Medal for Pharmacology 

for 2008 

Dr Anita Lasocki 

Ken Paver Medal for Excellence in 

the Clinical Sciences Examination in 

2008 

Dr Young Jin Kim 

in MeMoriaM 

Dr Jean Mason-Johnson, OAM – 1 

September 2008 

Dr John Tonkin – 29 October 2008 

19

SkIN 

AND 

CANCER 

FOUNDATIONS 

20

The Skin and Cancer 

Foundation Australia 

(New South Wales) 

The Skin and Cancer Foundation 

Australia continues to make a 

significant contribution to dermatology 

training in New South Wales. The 

Foundation offers more registrar 

training positions than any other 

dermatology training centre. This 

year we have expanded the training 

opportunities on offer by combining 

some of our training positions with 

multiple rural dermatology practices. 

The registrars are finding these rural 

rotations a valuable training experience. 

We also offer Mohs’ surgery and 

laser training positions, and we are 

involved in medical student and general 

practitioner training, upskilling of 

overseas trained dermatologists, as well 

as training and upskilling of nurses and 

ancillary staff. 

This year we have also expanded our 

research capability with appointment 

of Associate Professor Pablo Penas as 

a part-time director of research and Dr 

Veronica Preda as a research fellow. 

Professor Penas is involved in analysis 

of the Mohs’ surgery database with 

respect to factors affecting defect size, 

evaluating suction blister techniques in 

vitiligo, developing a web formulary for 

booking patients for surgery, a quality 

of life study in laser treated patients 

and evaluating the role of dermoscopy 

in diagnosis of non-melanoma skin 

cancer. 

Dr Preda has worked with Dr John 

Sullivan to produce Modern Medicine 

articles on the management of 

acne, and co-authored a chapter on 

HIV dermatology with Dr Margot 

Whitfeld. Under the direction of A/ 

Professor Kossard, she has catalogued 

a range of interesting cases presented 

at our monthly meetings, and the 

clinicopathological correlation, and 

presented this valuable source of 

continuing medical education on Dr 

McColl’s “dermconsult” website. 

As always, A/Professor Kossard’s 

dermatopathology division contributes 

greatly to research and registrar 

training. College recognised his major 

contribution to dermatology by 

awarding him the College’s Silver Medal 

in 2008. He has presented research 

into a new pathway of development 

of squamous cell carcinoma, and in 

lymphocytic vasculitis. His department 

has expanded the range of antibody 

probes including MSH-2 for diagnosis 

of Muir-Torre syndrome, D2-40 to 

mark for lymphatic tumour invasion, 

and HHV-8 in Kaposi’s sarcoma. The 

laboratory was re-accredited by NATA 

in 2008. 

The Westmead facility opened its 

expanded surgical suites and is already 

functioning at nearly full capacity. Two 

Mohs’ fellows, Drs Adrian See and 

Hassan Kalouche, completed Mohs’ 

training. Westmead is the largest 

Mohs’ surgery centre in Australia. 

With the support of Dr Leslie Storey, a 

low cost Mohs’ surgery service for the 

disadvantaged has been established. 

Dr Storey also developed a nurse’s 

education program and was involved in 

registrar, student and GP teaching. Dr 

A/Professor Steven Kossard was 

awarded the College’s Silver Medal 

in 2008 

Maria Jones-Caballero has also joined 

the staff. 

Laser services have been expanded 

and with it training opportunities 

for the Mohs’ fellows and registrars. 

Westmead now has a Sciton 

profractional laser and broad band 

light, as well as CO2 resurfacing, 

NdYag and V-beam lasers. They 

conduct a regular hair removal clinic. 

At Darlinghurst, the IPL (Intense Pulsed 

Light) has performed well in treating 

vascular and pigmented conditions. 

Its effectiveness has been boosted 

by combining it with ALA cream. Dr 

John Sullivan has commenced clinics 

in biologic treatments for psoriasis and 

in cosmetic fillers and Botox injections. 

Drs Monisha Gupta and Hanna Kuchel 

begin work in early 2009. Surgical 

services are provided by Drs de Launey, 

Hannaford and Krivanek. Dr Eddie 

Lobel continues to provide a valuable 

patch testing clinic. Dr Mark Shifter’s 

oral medicine clinic is heavily patronised 

and a valuable training opportunity for 

our registrars. 

The Foundation continues to look 

to our members and the broader 

dermatology community to define 

how we may best direct our activities 

to ensure that we are supporting the 

practice of dermatology in a way that is 

meaningful. 

DR RODNEY HANNAFORD 

Medical Director, Skin and Cancer 

Foundation Australia (Darlinghurst) 

21

Skin and Cancer Foundation Victoria 

The Skin and Cancer Foundation of 

Victoria has completed the move to 

our new facility at 80 Drummond 

Street, Carlton. The move took place 

over the first weekend in September, 

with interruption to only a single 

week of operating. The development 

of the new state-of-the-art facility 

was the culmination of a three-year 

project, and it was with a great sense 

of achievement that all members and 

staff at the Foundation witnessed its 

completion; although it was with a 

heavy heart that we said goodbye to 

95 Rathdowne Street, which had been 

our home for over ten years. All at the 

Foundation are looking forward to life 

in the new facility with its state-ofthe-art 

clinical resources, the increase 

in floor space, and the improved 

functionality it offers for patients and 

staff. 

In November, we were delighted to 

welcome Professor David de Kretser 

AC, Governor of Victoria, and Mrs de 

Kretser, back to the Skin and Cancer 

Foundation to officially open the 

facility. Our staff and clinicians took the 

opportunity to show the Governor and 

Mrs de Kretser over the new facilities 

at the Foundation and to discuss the 

ongoing role of the Foundation in the 

cutaneous health of Victorians. 

In conjunction with the move to the 

new facility, the Foundation launched 

a new public face. Ms Lisa Albert, a 

valued member of the Foundation 

board, and marketing manager for 

Diana Ferrari, undertook a review 

of our branding, logo and corporate 

image. She was instrumental in 

facilitating a fresh new logo and 

22 

branding schematics that will now 

appear on all publications and 

communications from the Foundation. 

This time of change is also 

an opportunity to look at 

what we do and how we do 

it. An operational review of 

administrative and clinical 

services is to occur in the 

first half of 2009. As part of 

this review, Professor Robin 

Marks is to undertake a 

formal review of skin cancer 

services at the Foundation. 

The Foundation continues to play a 

key training role for dermatology in 

Victoria. In line with our commitment 

to training, the hard work of Chris 

Baker and Joe Mercuri in 2008, saw 

the Foundation obtain two new 

training positions funded by the Federal 

Government under the ESSTP program. 

These positions, to help meet the 

workforce shortage of dermatologists, 

are to explore and develop new 

training environments. The positions 

have proven very successful in 2008, 

and funding has been renewed for 

2009/10. In addition, from 2009, 

the Foundation has agreed to host 

a Government-funded international 

medical graduate (IMG) upskilling 

position. The aim of this position 

is to train a dermatologist with an 

overseas specialist qualification to 

fulfill Australian requirements. These 

developments are in line with the 

teaching and training mission of the 

Foundation and will bring the number 

of training jobs hosted or supported 

by the Foundation to five. All trainees 

attend clinics at the Foundation and 

use the education facilities provided 

in the course of their training. We 

were pleased to welcome Dr Kate 

Borchard, Dr Anita Lasocki, Dr Michelle 

Rodrigues and Dr Shally Gupta as our 

College registrars in 2008, and thank 

them for their help in ensuring the 

smooth running of the Foundation’s 

clinical services. Congratulations 

are extended to Drs Mignon Moyle, 

Katherine Armour, Jennifer Cahill and 

Sarah Brennand for their success in the 

Australasian College of Dermatologists 

Fellowship exams in 2008. For the 

forthcoming 2009 year, we offer a 

warm welcome to Dr Susan Robertson, 

Dr Alana Tuxen, Dr Rebecca Dunn, Dr 

Victoria Pearce and Dr Shally Gupta. 

In my first report as President, I would 

like to take the annual opportunity to 

recognise the hard work of Joe Mercuri, 

Foundation Manager, the nursing 

team so ably lead by Jane English, 

the administrative team, and all staff 

at the Skin and Cancer Foundation. 

Their dedication and outstanding 

commitment ensured the smooth 

transition to the new facility and allows 

the ongoing day-to-day running of the 

organisation, the delivery of expert 

specialty dermatology services and 

other activities of the Foundation. 

I would like to thank the members 

of our Executive for giving of their 

time and skills to the management 

of the Foundation. In particular, we

acknowledge the years of valuable 

service on the Executive given by 

Mr David Payes, former President Dr 

Greg Goodman, and Ms Lisa Albert, 

who have stepped down from the 

committee. We welcome Dr Michelle 

Goh and Dr Mignon Moyle, who 

have joined the Executive. We greatly 

appreciate the ongoing commitment 

of the following dermatologists: A/ 

Professor Chris Baker, Drs Chris 

McCormack, Mei Tam, Alvin Chong, 

Michael Rich, and Dr Hugh Roberts as 

our trainee representative. I would also 

like to welcome Ms Fiona Gillen, who 

will take on the dual roles of Marketing 

and Events, and Customer Service 

Manager. 

One of the roles of the SCF is to 

advocate for patients with skin 

disease and to work toward producing 

better health outcomes. In line with 

this aim, the SCF has spearheaded 

the establishment of the Australian 

Psoriasis Registry. The Registry, with 

support from the Australasian College 

of Dermatologists, Epiderm and the 

pharmaceutical industry, has been 

developed over the last twelve months 

at the SCF and expands the model of 

the Rheumatology Database. Over 

100 patients have been entered on the 

Registry from Melbourne sites and a 

national roll out is proposed to occur 

during 2009. The twin aims of the 

Registry are to collect data on response 

to therapy and follow health outcomes 

in patients who are on biologic and 

systemic agents. 

The SCF continues to actively support 

academic dermatology. On 2 February 

2009, a new division at SCF, “Data, 

Education and Research Management 

(DERM)”, commenced. The staff of the 

division comprise A/Professor Peter 

Foley (Division Director), Jan Campbell 

(Division Manager), Marlene Rennie 

(Administrative Officer), and Simon 

Cumming (Data Manager). The new 

staff members will be situated in the 

back administration area. The division, 

which represents a redeployment of 

staff previously in the Department of 

Dermatology, St Vincent’s Hospital 

Melbourne, with whom they will 

continue to work closely, will 

maintain the undertaking of clinical 

trials, conduction of health services 

research, development of databases, 

administrative and analytical support 

for the psoriasis registry, performance 

of research studies, and development 

and dissemination of community 

education programs and resources. 

We welcomed a number of new 

members and contributors to the 

SCF this year. Our clinical services 

and clinician involvement in clinics 

is increasing year by year. Surgical 

services, contact dermatitis, transplant 

dermatology, radiotherapy and 

phototherapy are areas where we have 

additional consultant staff and have 

increased services. In May 2008, we 

welcomed Dr Diana Tran, who joined 

Dr Michael Rich in providing consultant 

services to the melanoma clinic. 

Once again, we are grateful for the 

generous support received from our 

many contributors, supporters and 

sponsors. This has enabled the Skin 

and Cancer Foundation to perform its 

important work for over 20 years now, 

and to continue and grow its activities 

in the future. 

A/PROFESSOR PETER FOLEY 

President, Skin and Cancer 

Foundation Victoria 

Skin and Cancer Foundation Victoria’s 

new premises at 80 Drummond Street, 

Carlton 

23

EDUCATIONAL 

COMMITTEE 

REPORTS 

24

Accreditation of Training Programs 

In 2008, the Board of Censors 

inspected the training positions that are 

part of the Victorian training program. 

These training positions are located at: 

• St Vincent’s Hospital 

• Skin and Cancer Foundation Inc 

• Western Hospital 

• Monash Medical Centre 

• Box Hill Hospital 

• Repatriation and Austin Hospitals 

• Royal Melbourne Hospital 

• Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute 

• Alfred Hospital 

• Royal Children’s Hospital 

On the recommendation of 

the Board of Censors, the 

Education Committee gave 

full accreditation to the 

Victorian Faculty training 

positions until the next 

scheduled inspection in three 

to five years. 


considered written applications for 

accreditation of the following new 

positions: 

• Cairns Base Hospital (Queensland) 

• Queensland Institute of Dermatology 

(Queensland) 

• Skin and Cancer Foundation Australia 

(Darlinghurst, New South Wales) 

On the recommendation of the Board 

of Censors, the Education Committee 

gave full accreditation of these 

positions until the next scheduled 

inspection of training positions in the 

states in which these training positions 

are located. 


accredited the training positions that 

are part of the New South Wales 

Training Program. These training 

positions are located at: 

• Westmead Hospital/Westmead 

Children’s Hospital/Skin and Cancer 

Foundation Australia (Westmead) 

• Skin and Cancer Foundation 

• Prince of Wales Hospital 

• Liverpool Hospital 

• St Vincent’s Hospital/Skin and Cancer 

Foundation Australia (Darlinghurst) 

• Royal Prince Alfred Hospital 

• Concord Repatriation and General 

Hospital 

• Royal Newcastle Hospital/John 

Hunter Hospital 

• Royal North Shore 

The Board of Censors has 

recommended to the Education 

Committee that these positions be fully 

accredited. The Education Committee 

will consider these recommendations at 

their next scheduled meeting. 

25

Examination Outcomes for 2008 

clinical sciences 

May examination 

Total passed 10 

Total failed 1 

TOTAL SAT 11 

PharMacology 

May examination 



TOTAL SAT 21 

fellowshiP 

Written papers 



TOTAL SAT 13 

Written papers and clinical 

component 



TOTAL SAT 12 

26 

November examination 



TOTAL SAT 13 

November examination 



TOTAL SAT 4 

Clinical component 



TOTAL SAT 12

Education 

Committee 

Dr Pam Brown 

convenor 

Dr Pam Brown, 

Chair of Board of Training 

MeMBers 

Dr Chris Baker, 

Chief Censor 

Dr Martin Haskett, Convenor, 

IMG Assessment Committee 

Dr Anne O’Neill, Convenor, 

Professional Development Committee 

Dr Warren Weightman, Convenor, 

Curriculum Committee 

Ms Victoria Baker Smith, 

Education Manager 

The Education Committee is 

responsible for the formulation, 

promulgation and implementation 

of educational policy in the 

Australasian College of Dermatologist. 

Our policy goal is to set a world 

class standard for dermatology 

education for undergraduate medical 

students, trainee dermatologists, 

professional development of specialist 

dermatologists, other specialists and 

allied health workers, plus establishing 

transparent standards for international 

medical graduates who wish to 

practice dermatology in this country. 

The membership of the committee 

comprises the Chairs of the 

educational committees overseeing 

and implementing the policy 

objectives that have been established. 

The committee is essential for the 

functional integration of input from 

all the committees, each of which has 

a specialist role to play to ensure the 

program works. This requires a close 

and cooperative relationship amongst 

the committee convenors. 

The implementation of the curriculum 

is the major educational thrust for 

2009. This has, as might be expected, 

created many flow on effects for 

all committees, as aligning trainee 

teaching and assessment, professional 

development for Fellows, assessment 

of international medical graduates with 

the curriculum, plus fine-tuning of the 

curriculum document itself to make 

it user-friendly and comprehensive 

is ongoing. Communication with, 

and education of, all College Fellows 

regarding this change is a major focus. 

The internet is increasingly used to 

streamline our activities. It serves as 

a resource for teaching, obtaining 

feedback from participants in various 

College programs, plus a unifying role 

to ensure that our program is truly a 

national one. 

My thanks go to the committee 

members, who give many hours of 

their of their time to advancing all 

these projects. In addition, I would 

like to acknowledge and thank our 

Education Manager, Victoria Baker- 

Smith, who broadens our perspective 

and provides support for our efforts. A 

special thanks to Bob Corderoy, who is 

the driving force behind our e-learning 

efforts, and Tony Moore, who is the 

organiser behind the scenes. 

27

28 

Board 

of Censors 

A/Professor Chris Baker 

chief censor 


censors 

Dr Eileen Collins 

Dr Tim Elliott 

A/Professor Kurt Gebauer 

Dr Choo-Tian Lee 

Dr Anne Lewis 

Dr Rosemary Nixon 

Objectives: As defined in clause 27 of the constitution, to 

• examine all applications for admission to examination for the 

Diploma of the College or for admission of Fellows; 

• report on such applications to the Board; 

• super vise any lectures, demonstrations or course 

of instruction by the College designedto assist candidates to obtain 

instruction in those maters in which the candidate will be examined 

for the Diploma of the College; and 

• conduct the examination for the Diploma of the College according 

to the requirements established by the Board from time to time. 

The Board of Censors continues to 

be responsible for the assessment 

of trainees throughout the training 

program, accreditation of training 

positions and active participation in 

matters of training and education. 

Consolidation of the new education 

structure and reporting of the Board of 

Censors to the Education Committee 

has resulted in close functional 

integration. There is coordination of 

activities between these committees, 

which are supported by the invaluable 

work of the College’s education staff. 

In addition, there is a close working 

relationship between the Chief Censor, 

A/Professor Chris Baker and the 

Convenor of the Education Committee, 

Dr Pam Brown, both of whom are 

members of the Board of Directors 

of College. This structure indicates 

the high priority College places on all 

matters of education and assessment 

of trainees and the lifelong learning of 

Fellows. 

exaMinations 

The Board of Censors is responsible 

for the production and staging of the 

College’s exam processes. Our role is 

to ensure that all assessments are of 

the highest possible standard, meet 

medical education benchmarks and 

are of the utmost procedural fairness. 

Including the Board, over 20 Fellows 

of College were involved in the exam 

process in 2008, ensuring extensive 

peer consideration of exam content and 

standard. 

Fellowship Examinations 

Written examinations covering 

medical dermatology and procedural 

dermatology were held in June 2008. 

They are offered annually and consist 

of short essay and multiple choice 

format. Successful candidates were 

invited to attend the viva examinations 

in Melbourne held in August 2008. 

The vivas consists of OSCEs (including 

procedural dermatology, practical 

histopathology and laboratory 

dermatology), long case vivas and 

short case vivas. To be eligible to sit 

the Fellowship examinations, a trainee 

must complete all necessary parts of 

the training program. To complete 

these examinations successfully, the 

trainee must demonstrate clinical 

competency expected of a specialist 

dermatologist in Australia. 

In 2008, 13 candidates presented for 

the written examinations, of which 

12 passed and were admitted to the 

vivas. Of the 12 candidates who 

presented for the viva examinations, 11 

were successful. The pass rate of the 

Fellowship examinations in 2008 was 

84.6%. 

The Board is particularly grateful to the 

local Victorian Fellows who assisted 

as occasional examiners for the viva 

exams, and the observers, Dr Gayle 

Fischer (immediate past censor) and 

Professor Chee Leok Goh (Chairman, 

Specialist Training Committee for 

Dermatology Academy of Medicine, 

Singapore). In addition, the Board 

thanks the OSCE subcommittee 

and, in particular, acknowledges 

the contribution of Dr Arthur 

Fischer, dermatopathologist, for his 

contribution to the dermatopathology 

section.

clinical science and 

PharMacology exaMinations 

The preliminary examinations assess 

learning of the clinical sciences 

and pharmacology as they apply 

to dermatology. Learning in these 

areas underpins the future learning 

and practice of clinical dermatology. 

The examinations are held in May 

and November each year. Trainees 

must successfully complete both 

examinations to continue as an 

advanced trainee. 

Clinical Sciences Examinations 

In 2008, 23 candidates sat and 

passed the clinical sciences paper, 

with 22 passing on the first attempt. 

Pharmacology Examination 

In 2008, 25 candidates sat 

and passed the pharmacology 

examination, with 24 passing on the 

first attempt. 

Singapore 

Arrangements are being explored to 

make the College’s Clinical Sciences 

and Pharmacology examinations 

available to the junior trainees in 

the Singapore Specialist Training 

Program. Although recognising some 

curriculum differences, the Singapore 

Specialist Training Committee for 

Dermatology has expressed interest 

in using these assessments for their 

trainees. Once agreement is reached, 

it is expected that the joint use of the 

exams will occur in 2009. 

in-training assessMents 

A process of formative and summative 

in-training assessments occurs regularly 

during the training program. The 

summative in-training assessments are 

provided twice yearly by the relevant 

clinical supervisors and supervisor of 

training, and are forwarded to the 

Board of Censors for assessment and, 

if necessary, action. Clarification and 

improvements to the SITA processes 

are being implemented to improve the 

value and reliability of these important 

assessments. The Board recognises 

the effort and dedication of all clinical 

supervisors in participating in this 

critical assessment task. 

training Position 

accreditation 

In 2008, the accreditation teams 

from the Board of Censors visited 

and assessed the Victorian and NSW 

training programs. The programs 

were found to be of a high standard 

and the individual positions to largely 

meet the training requirements. The 

Board thanks the local Directors and 

Supervisors of Training, as well as 

the trainees, for their assistance in 

conducting these visits. 

The Board of Censors intends to 

review the accreditation process and 

requirements for accredited training 

positions during 2009. This is to ensure 

the accreditation process is integrated 

with the new curriculum, is efficient 

and is considerate of the changing 

nature of clinics and environments 

where training is taking place. 

curriculuM iMPleMentation 

and BluePrinting 

The Board of Censors has continued 

throughout 2008 to provide input to 

the development and implementation 

of the new curriculum. A key task for 

the Board, with expert direction from 

College’s education staff, Victoria 

Baker-Smith and Bob Corderoy, is 

to ensure that assessment tasks 

are directly linked to the relevant 

sections or performance criteria of the 

curriculum. The process of assessment 

blueprinting of the curriculum was 

formally commenced in 2008, with 

concurrent workshops in Melbourne 

and Sydney, and will be completed 

during 2009. 

assessMent review 

Concurrent with the assessment 

blueprinting, a review of College’s 

current assessment structure has been 

commenced under the direction of Dr 

Tim Elliott. The review will map out 

potential short and long-term changes 

that may be made to the improve the 

current assessment system. The role of 

the Fellowship exam will be critically 

examined and areas of assessment 

that may be better assessed earlier in 

stages or by different methods will 

be identified. This review will also 

look at the introduction of new and 

innovative assessment tasks. One 

currently in development, under the 

direction of Bob Corderoy, is an online 

dermoscopy module that may form 

part of competency testing for this 

clinical skill. 

recognition and thanks 

I would like to acknowledge and 

express sincere thanks to our 

immediate past chief censor, Dr 

Caroline Mercer, for her extraordinary 

work in this position. Her dedication 

and vision has established the current 

strategies and efficient systems that 

remain in place. Thanks also to the 

Trainee Representative Committee, 

who now have representation at 

all Board of Censors meetings. 

Their contribution and feedback is 

proving to be of enormous value. 

The Board wishes to give special 

acknowledgement to the education 

and administrative staff of College, 

who have been of enormous assistance 

to the Board of Censors. Thanks 

to Tony Moore for his efforts in 

streamlining and attending to the 

administration of training matters. 

Victoria Baker-Smith, Education 

Manager, has provided exceptional 

guidance and effort in helping us 

progress the educational reforms. Bob 

Corderoy, who brings experience and 

passion for the implementation of new 

educational activities and technologies, 

has been instrumental in providing 

innovative direction and structure for 

the College’s learning and assessment 

processes. Finally, thanks to my fellow 

Board members who, with dedication 

and generosity, provide their expertise 

and time for all the assessment and 

Board activities. 


Chief Censor 

29

Board 

of Training 

30 

Dr Pam Brown 

chair 

Dr Pam Brown 

MeMBers 

Dr Megan Andrews 

Dr Phillip Artemi 

Dr Vincent O’Brien 

Dr Clare Tait 

Dr Bruce Tate 

Objectives: The Board of Training was established to recognise the 

key role of Directors of Training in College’s educational efforts 

and to support them in the administration and development of the 

College’s training program by bringing them together as members 

of the Board of Training. 

The Board of Training is responsible 

for overseeing the implementation of 

the College’s training and assessment 

programs in the individual states, 

ensuring national consistency. The 

Director of Training ensures that each 

trainee has the opportunity to achieve 

the aims and goals of the training 

program. These requirements have to 

be put into the context of changing 

patterns of employment, with parttime 

training becoming more common 

and requests for interrupted training 

because of the needs of another 

member of the family. 

The Board of Censors defines the 

standards and the tools for assessing 

the acquisition of the behaviours, 

skills and attributes required by a 

competent dermatologist. The Directors 

of Training, in conjunction with the 

Supervisors of Training and the Clinical 

Supervisors, are responsible for using 

these tools and assessing whether the 

goals of the educational program are 

being achieved in the workplace setting, 

and whether the methodology works. 

The functional integration of our 

education structure is achieved 

through the medium of the Education 

Committee, where input from all 

committees involved in education is 

assessed and evaluated. 

With the introduction of the 

curriculum in 2009 as the template 

for all educational activities, plus 

the concomitant move to broaden 

and increase the ongoing in-training 

assessment of trainees, this has 

become a more demanding task. 

Over the past 18 months, College has 

supported a series of workshops run 

by the Cognitive Institute, to help the 

teachers and supervisors understand 

and feel comfortable with the task of 

supervising and providing feedback. 

Further work on implementing intraining 

assessment will be undertaken. 

The Board of Training had significant 

input into the extensive revision of the 

Training Program Handbook 2009, 

providing much practical perspective to 

various sections of the document. 

The Board of Training is responsible 

for organising the First and Third 

Year training days. There were three 

goals for the First Year Training Day: 

introduction to basic dermatologic 

procedures, communication skills, i.e. 

what it means to be a specialist and 

how that impacts your interactions, 

and last but not least, collegiality, 

i.e. getting to know your peers. 

Dr Robert Paver ran the surgical 

workshop and Melanie Kirkbride 

ran the communication section. Dr 

Megan Andrews went over what the 

trainees should aim to achieve in their 

first two years of training. This group 

of trainees will be the first group to 

have the curriculum to guide them 

from day one. Feedback from the 

participants indicates that we achieved 

our goals, but we have taken notice of 

suggestions to build on for next year. 

The Third Year Training Day covered 

communication skills, from the 

perspective of the ways in which 

individuals communicate in clinical 

situations and how this may affect 

the patient/doctor interaction. This 

workshop was run by Professor Stewart 

Dunn from the Pam McLean Cancer 

Communications Centre, Sydney 

University Medical School. The Chief 

Censor gave advice to the trainees as to 

what they needed to complete before 

the end of their third year of training. 

In the second part of the day, the 

trainees participated in a workshop run 

by the Cognitive Institute on work-life 

balance, and renewed friendships with 

their interstate peers over dinner. At 

the time of this report, feedback on the 

day’s program had not been analysed. 

Dr Phillip Artemi, along with Bob 

Corderoy, are working to establish 

online teaching modules. We hope 

that experts from different parts of 

the country will share their knowledge 

nationally. 

The Board of Training would like 

to acknowledge the efforts of our 

Education Manager, Victoria Baker- 

Smith, Bob Corderoy, Education Officer, 

and Education Administrative Officer, 

Tony Moore, whose efforts are essential 

in allowing us to move forward.

Curriculum 

Committee 

convenor 

Dr Warren Weightman 

MeMBers 

Dr Judith Cole 

Dr Ian Hamann 


Dr Chris McCormack 

Dr Greg Siller 

Dr Anthony White 

Dr Li-Chuen Wong 

Ms Victoria Baker-Smith, 

College’s Education Manager 

Objectives: To make recommendations to the Board of Censors and 

the Education Committee on all issues of curriculum development 

and implementation for the registrar training program 

The curriculum for the dermatology 

training program was released in 

February 2009. The curriculum was 

finalised at the end of June 2008 after 

a lot of hard work by many people, 

including the College education officers, 

members of the Curriculum Committee, 

and the many Fellows who attended 

the focus groups that prepared the 

individual modules. I took over as Chair 

of the Curriculum Committee from 

Chris Baker in June 2008. 

The College is running several 

education sessions for Fellows and 

trainees on how to use the curriculum 

for learning, teaching and assessment. 

Sessions will be run in each state and at 

the Annual Scientific Meeting. 

There will continue to be fine-tuning of 

the curriculum document as we receive 

feedback from the parties who use it 

and, at the end of 2009, there will be a 

major review. 

The curriculum is the foundation of a 

training program. It defines the skills, 

behaviour and knowledge required to 

practise dermatology in Australia. It 

will be used to guide learning, teaching 

and assessment of dermatology 

trainees and international medical 

graduates. This will minimise the need 

for trainees to spend large amounts of 

time ‘learning’ the content of several 

texts, allow them to gain a deep 

understanding of the essential aspects 

of their clinical training and will provide 

them with the basic ‘skills set’ to begin 

practice. 

The curriculum is comprised of 16 

modules. There are three cornerstone 

modules. The Fundamentals of Clinical 

Practice module has been designed to 

cover the ‘baseline’ knowledge, skills 

and behaviours pertaining to clinical 

practice. The Procedural Dermatology 

module is a specialist practice 

module and covers a number of basic 

procedures as well as several advanced 

procedures. The Professional Qualities 

module (still in development) is 

designed to cover all those behaviours 

expected of a competent practicing 

dermatologist. The 26 key learning 

objectives, which form the basis of 

what may be considered ‘competent 

dermatological practice’, are distributed 

across these three cornerstone 

modules. Completion of the ‘specialist 

content area’ modules, comprising the 

remainder of the curriculum, assumes 

that the knowledge, skills, behaviours 

and procedures learned and assessed in 

modules one, two and three are always 

adopted and applied, and will be an 

integral component of the overall 

assessment of competency in these 

modules. 

The College is also considering how to 

adapt the curriculum to teach medical 

students. 

The next step, already underway, will 

be to review the assessment processes 

using the curriculum as a guide. This 

will lead to significant changes in how 

we examine trainees over the next 

few years. There will be less emphasis 

on the Fellowship examination and 

more emphasis on assessment during 

the training program, involving a 

wide range of strategies fitted to 

the learning situation. When these 

are implemented, the Fellowship 

examination will no longer be the 

hurdle that it is now. 

31

IMG 

Assessment 

Committee 


convenor 


MeMBers 

Ms Claudia Casson 

Dr Adriene Lee 

A/Professor Chris Baker, 

Chief Censor 

Dr Bishakha Rajagopalan 

Dr Howard Studniberg 

Ms Roslyn Wagstaff 

Ms Rae Scott 

(health jurisdictions representative) 

32 

Patricia Warn 

(community representative) 

Objectives: To be responsible for all stages of the assessment of 

international medical graduates for specialist recognition and Area 

of Need positions. 

This committee is constituted by the 

Board of Directors principally to assess 

the comparability of the competence 

and professional skills of international 

medical graduates (IMGs) who wish 

to work in Australia as dermatologists. 

The College performs this task at 

the behest of the Australian Medical 

Council. 

The committee has met approximately 

every 12 weeks to fulfill its obligation 

to provide applicants with a timely 

response, and the accompanying table 

indicates the manageable numbers 

of applications received and the 

assessment outcomes. There are signs 

that there will be increasing numbers 

of applicants. This year the College 

videoconferencing facilities have been 

used to interview applicants in their 

originating country and this has been 

found to be very satisfactory. 

Another function of the committee is 

to recommend and accredit training 

programs for those applicants deemed 

to require further training before being 

deemed substantially comparable to 

an Australian-trained dermatologist. 

It is pleasing to report that the federal 

government has provided substantial 

funds to allow three such training 

programs to be run in 2009. 

There has been considerable activity 

this year by all involved parties 

to try and simplify and clarify the 

pathways that all international medical 

graduates follow to be assessed for 

specialist recognition. Attendance 

at commonwealth government-run 

workshops has been beneficial to 

the committee, although there has 

not been substantial change in the 

assessments pathways for specialists. 

Medicare Provider Number restrictions 

continue to apply to all applicants 

for a period of 10 years from the 

commencement of practise in Australia 

(District of Workforce Shortage). 

College staff and Fellows who are not 

part of the assessment committee 

have been working hard to create and 

fill Area of Need positions which will 

potentially benefit the rural community 

a great deal. The applicants for these 

positions undergo the same assessment 

process as those seeking to work in a 

District of Workforce Shortage. 

The biggest challenge ahead lies 

with the need to align our IMG 

assessment process with the new 

College curriculum and the associated 

assessments blueprint to determine 

if specific competencies are held by 

applicants. A much delayed launch of 

our online IMG guide and application 

form is imminent. 

The College staff’s members involved 

in this area, Claudia Casson and Ros 

Wagstaff, are again highly commended 

for their calm yet energetic 

management of the high number of 

enquiries relating to this area. We are 

also very grateful to our community 

representative, Mr John McKendrick 

who retired from the position in 

2008, and to his replacement, Ms 

Patricia Warn. The health jurisdiction 

representative on the committee, Ms 

Rae Scott, is thanked for her insight 

and advice. 

The College Fellows who give their 

time to this committee are also 

thanked most sincerely.

suMMary of origin of aPPlications for 2008/09 

Brazil (1) 

Colombia (1) 

Egypt (2) 

France (1) 

Germany (3) 

India (5) 

Philippines (1) 

South Africa (5) 

Spain (1) 

United Kingdom (2) 

United States of America (1) 

sPecialist recognition (sr) and area of need (aon) assessMent outcoMes – January to deceMBer 2008 

sPecialist recognition aPPlications 

Number of applications received 

With original 

qualifications from 

an English speaking 

country 

With original 


a non-English 

speaking country, 

but with further 


an English speaking 

country 

With qualifications 

only from a non- 

English speaking 

country 

Origin of application, e.g. AMC, employment agency All AMC - All AMC 

Number of assessments completed 7 - 9 

Number completed in three months or fewer 4 - 6 

Number completed in more than three months 1 - 5 

Number assessed as requiring two or fewer years of 

training to be seen as Substantially Comparable to an 

Australian-trained dermatologist 

Number assessed as Substantially Comparable 

– no training/assessment required 

7 

- 

1 - 6 

6 - 1 

Outcomes of any other assessments - - 2 Not Comparable 

Number of current and previous applicants who undertook 

training in 2008 as specified by the ACD 

sPecialist recognition aPPlications 

- - 3 

Number of applications received - - 1 

Origin of application, e.g. AMC, employment agency - - AMc 

Number of assessments completed - - 1 

Number completed in eight weeks or fewer - - 1 

Number completed in more than eight weeks - - - 

9 

33

Professional 

Development 

Committee 

34 

convenor 

Dr Anne O’Neill 

MeMBers 

Dr Jonathan Chan 

Dr Catherine Scarff 

Dr Michael Sladden 

Dr Keng Ee Thai 

Dr Todd Wiadrowski 

Objectives: To oversee implementation and further development of 

the Professional Development program 

The College’s aim is that all Fellows 

participate in our Professional 

Development Program to demonstrate 

professional commitment to their 

specialty and the services they deliver 

to patients and the community. 

Following the Australian Medical 

Council’s recommendations, Dr Eleanor 

Long was engaged to review our 

Professional Development Program. In 

brief, Dr Long felt that our Professional 

Development Program required 

updating, and that a new program 

should focus around the day-to-day 

services offered by dermatologists. 

Aspects of quality assurance, ethics, 

communication, problem-solving and 

practice management should all be 

considered. 

The ability that Fellows now have 

to self-select their areas of interest 

and largely ignore some areas of 

dermatology that are core knowledge, 

may need to be reviewed. The 

Professional Development Committee 

has reviewed this report and, in 

broad terms, supports Dr Long’s 

recommendations. These are: 

1. That the College reviews the 

objectives of the Professional 

Development Program and 

upgrades the status of professional 

development within the profile of 

ACD responsibilities. 

2. That the Professional Development 

Program be updated to align 

with the newly-implemented 

curriculum; directing professional 

development involvement towards 

practice-based and educationallyproductive 

activities; providing a 

greater range of action-based and 

problem-solving activities designed 

to interest, engage and intrinsically 

reward Fellows of the College. 

Many of these can be computerbased 

and web-sourced activities. 

3. That the Annual Scientific Meeting 

should include regular and 

substantial features on professional 

development so Fellows of the 

College can see a benefit from 

professional development. 

4. Consider increasing the amount of 

College resources that are spent on 

educational staff to design, develop 

and monitor a new Professional 

Development Program. However, 

the cost of this will be considerable 

and some of the cost of such a 

program may be borne by the 

Fellows. 

It is clear that the College must revamp 

its Professional Development Program 

and, in doing so, make the Program 

relevant and attractive to Fellows so 

that universal involvement is attained.

Selection 

Task Force 

Dr Glenda Wood 

chair 

Dr Glenda Wood, 

President 

MeMBers 

Dr Cathy Reid 

Mr Rodney Sheaves, 


Objectives: To review, develop and oversee the selection of 

registrars into the training program. This is a presidential task 

force which reports direct to the Board of Directors. 

In 2007, the Board of Directors 

reviewed the year’s experience in 

selecting trainees, with a view to 

introducing changes. The selection 

process was also reviewed by the 

Australian Medical Council (AMC) 

during the accreditation visit in that 

year. The AMC made several important 

recommendations regarding the 

selection process. 

Because of the limited time available, 

it was decided to follow the 

2007 process in 2008, with some 

modifications to make the process 

administratively simpler, more effective 

and cheaper. However, at the same 

time, the Board decided that the 

selection process should be reviewed 

by an external consultant during 2008, 

who should make recommendations 

for 2009 and thereafter. 

Dr Nick Reynolds was appointed, with 

a wide brief to review the process. 

Dr Reynolds is a psychologist with 

considerable HR experience. He had 

previously advised the RANZCO on 

its selection process. Dr Reynolds 

consulted widely with Faculties and 

individual Fellows who had previously 

been involved in selection. He also 

invited submissions from individual 

Fellows. His report contained wideranging 

recommendations and was 

considered by the Board of Directors in 

November 2008. The Board adopted 

the report and his recommendations 

are now being implemented in the 

2009 selection process of trainees 

who will enter the training program in 

January 2010. 

A copy of Dr Reynolds’ report was 

submitted to the AMC, which 

commended the College’s decision to 

undertake an external review of the 

process; and supported Dr Reynolds’ 

recommendations. 

In 2008, there were 63 applicants 

for training positions to be filled in 

2009. There were a total of 17 training 

positions. The following candidates 

were selected: 

new south wales 

Dr Vanessa Bock 

Dr Haady Fallah 

Dr Michelle McRae 

Dr Saxon Smith 

Queensland 

Dr Kathryn De’Ambrosis 

Dr Karl Rodins 

Dr Philip Singh 

south australia 

Dr Aaron Boyce 

Dr Kate Newland 

Dr Emma Ryan 

victoria 

Dr Rebecca Dunn 

Dr Desmond Gan 

Dr Ellen Ma 

Dr Leona Yip 

western australia 

Dr Tony Caccetta 

Dr Rachael Foster 

Dr Glen Foxton 

35

Trainee 

Representative 

Committee 

36 

Dr Hugh Roberts 

chair 

Dr Hugh Roberts 

MeMBers 

Dr Katie Le 

New South Wales 

Dr Brad Jones 

Queensland 

Dr Rachel Manifold 

South Australia 

Dr Eleni Yiasemides 

Western Australia 

Objectives: To represent the views of trainees to the Board on 

educational matters. The Committee members are all trainees 

elected by the trainees in each Faculty. 


was established in 2005 to represent 

dermatology trainees and to allow 

communication directly with the 

College. Members of the committee 

are dermatology registrars elected 

from each state at the beginning of 

the academic year. The committee 

for 2008 was a well balanced mix of 

senior and junior trainees reflected in 

the column to the left. 

In 2008, members of the Trainee 

Representative Committee were 

invited to attend regular meetings of 

the Board of Censors and Board of 

Directors. Key issues discussed included 

private practice training, overseas 

training positions and changes to 

the dermatology curriculum and 

publication requirements. Committee 

members have also attended the 

AMA’s Doctor in Training meetings to 

represent the College. The committee 

has also been involved in the review of 

College policies, including assessment 

of the College selection process, 

dismissal from training and the College 

policy on bullying. 


met face-to-face in Sydney during the 

Annual Scientific Meeting in 2008, 

and regularly corresponded via email 

throughout the year. Direct contact 

with both the Board of Censors and 

Board of Directors was particularly 

appreciated by trainees, as it allowed 

prompt clarification of any training, 

logbook or exam-related queries. 

First and third year trainees have 

recently attended weekend training 

retreats in Sydney. These meetings 

offer a fantastic opportunity for 

trainees to meet with registrars from 

other states and form friendships 

which will continue throughout 

registrar years and beyond. It also gives 

interstate trainees a chance to visit the 

College office and meet members of 

the College. 

In summary, the Trainee Representative 

Committee is an excellent forum for 

registrars to communicate any training 

issues directly with the College. We 

thank the College, Board of Directors 

and Board of Censors for their ongoing 

support.

COMMITTEE 

REPORTS 

37

Report of the 

Editorial 

Board of the 

Australasian 

Journal of 

Dermatology 

editor 

A/Professor Orli Wargon 

assistant editors 

Dr Alexander Chamberlain 

Dr Gayle Fischer 

Dr Catherine Drummond 

Dr Alan Watson 

Dr Kurosh Parsi 

Dr Lynette Gordon 

A/Professor Steven Kossard 

A/Professor Marius Rademaker (NZ) 

international advisory Panel 

38 

Professor Jeffrey Callen 

Professor John Hawk 

Professor David Koh 

Professor John McGrath 

Professor Takeji Nishikawa 

Professor Clark C. Otley 

Dr Ashfaq Margoob 

Objectives: Responsible for 

editorial direction and policy 

of the Australasian Journal of 

Dermatology. 

In 2008/09 we farewelled two 

hardworking members of our Editorial 

Board: Dr Jonathan Chan, who has 

worked on the Board since 2006, and 

Dr Tim Elliott, who has gone on leave 

for 2009. We thank them for their 

contributions. 

We are pleased to welcome Dr Duncan 

Stanford, who agreed to work on the 

surgical papers, and Professor Peter 

Soyer, who will add his expertise to the 

new dermoscopy page. 

We look forward to working with 

a new internationally-renowned 

dermatologist, Dr Ashfaq Margoob, 

from Memorial Sloan-Kettering 

Cancer Centre, New York, who, 

having contributed significantly to the 

College’s Annual Scientific Meeting in 

2008 and to the Australasian Journal 

of Dermatology (AJD) in 2009, has 

joined our International Advisory 

Panel. 

Our publisher since 1995, Blackwell 

Publishing, merged with Wiley and Son 

in 2007 to become Wiley-Blackwell. 

Both companies had Melbourne offices 

and, in January 2008, moved to a new 

building in Richmond. We are pleased 

they have been appointed publisher 

for the Journal for the next three-year 

contract period from 2009. As I am in 

Sydney, Alma Ross, Medical Journal 

Publishing Manager, has visited me 

a number of times, and the Editorial 

Assistant, Shaneen Goodwin, has also 

come up to Sydney. Both have been 

very helpful, making the transition 

easier. 

For several years, the Journal has 

offered a prize for the best article 

published by a trainee of College in 

a volume. This prize was named for 

the first and longest serving Editor of 

the Journal, Dr Adrian Johnson. We 

would like to congratulate Dr Emma 

Haverhoek as the recipient of the 

volume 49, 2008 prize for her research 

report: “Prospective study of patch 

testing in patients with vulval pruritus”. 

This is my first annual report as Editor 

of the Journal and I am very grateful 

for the hard work that the previous 

editor, Dr Delwyn Dyall-Smith, has 

put into the Journal over the last 14 

years, achieving many milestones and 

preparing for the ISI accreditation as 

we await our first Impact Factor in 

2009. 

Volume 50 issue 1 has been issued 

with a new cover, celebrating 50 years 

and featuring the College colours. 

The cover change was debated by 

the Editorial Board, which meets by 

teleconference quarterly. 

Volume 50 issue 1 has two new 

features: ‘In Other Journals’ which Dr 

Alan Watson has written and a new 

‘Dermoscopy’ section which Dr Alex 

Chanberlain, Dr Marius Rademaker 

and Professor Peter Soyer will edit. 

Work is also underway for the AJD to 

be the official journal for the Australian 

and New Zealand Vulval Diseases 

Society. 

I would like to thank the Editorial 

Board members who all work very 

hard, and the many people at Wiley- 

Blackwell Publishing, who all are very 

available and receptive, helping to 

produce our Journal with its unique 

Australasian flavour. 

Orli Wargon 

EDITOR

Ethics 

Committee 

convenor 

A/Professor Chris Commens 

MeMBers 

Dr Jennifer Byth 

Dr Geoffrey Cains 

Dr Josephine Yeatman 

Objectives: To deal with 

ethical aspects of the College’s 

activities and to provide 

guidelines and advice on 

College members’ relationships 

with patients, other health 

professionals, commercial 

organisations and the general 

public, as referred to it by the 

College Board. 

The Australian Medical Council Draft 

Code of Ethics was reviewed by the 

committee. This code is now being 

extensively redrafted so it will be 

interesting to see if the prohibitive tone 

of the original draft is changed. 

Several problems involving 

relationships between Fellows were 

referred and addressed to the best 

of the limited legal power of the 

committee. 

Fellows should recognise that a 

number of state medical boards state 

that accepting material gifts and 

sponsorship from pharmaceutical or 

device companies is unacceptable. 

Fellows should look carefully at 

their state code before accepting 

sponsorship. 

Fellows who have an interest or 

expertise in medico-legal or ethical 

issues should contact the committee 

convenor If they are interested in 

joining the committee. 

39

Indigenous 

Affairs 

Committee 

40 

convenor 

Dr Ian McCrossin 

MeMBers 

Dr Colin Parker 

Dr Gordon Rennick 

Dr Maureen Rogers 


Dr Li-Chuen Wong 

Objectives: To advise the Board 

on all indigenous matters, 

including the provision of 

dermatological services and 

projects concerning indigenous 

health. 

The aims and objectives of 

the committee are to provide 

dermatological medical services to 

the indigenous population and to 

accumulate experience and expertise 

in indigenous skin disease that can 

be communicated to College Fellows, 

general practitioners, medical 

students, nurses, Aboriginal health 

workers and the government. 

In 2008, further visits to Elcho Island 

were made using residual funding 

from the East Arnhem Healthy Skin 

Project. Services were provided to 

the Ngalkanbuy Health Centre at 

Galiwin’ku and for Marthakal which 

services the homelands. College 

Fellows who provided honorary 

services included Drs Maureen Rogers, 

Colin Parker, Anne Howard, Martin 

Haskett, Tony White, Gordon Rennick, 

Rowland Noakes and Ian McCrossin, 

as well as Claird Grills, a trainee from 

Victoria. Lectures and discussions 

about infectious skin diseases were 

provided to nurse practitioners and 

Aboriginal health workers. The 

Commonwealth Government funding 

has ceased for this project, despite 

numerous submissions to a number of 

departments. However, the Marthakal 

Homeland Resource Centre has 

obtained funding for visits to continue 

to the homelands in 2009 and Claire 

Grills, Ian McCrossin and Colin Parker 

will visit Elcho Island in the first half 

of 2009. 

A specialist content area module 

covering Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander Skin Disease is being 

developed to be included in the 

new curriculum, and a seminar will 

be held at the Rural, Regional and 

Indigenous Dermatology Meeting in 

Noosa in March 2009, to document 

the experience of rural Fellows from 

the various states. Ian McCrossin 

is representing the College on the 

Committee of Presidents of Medical 

Colleges Australian and Indigenous 

Health Subcommittee, which is 

developing a generic (cultural 

competency) and college-specific 

curriculum, as well as examining 

recruitment, retention and support 

and community engagement. 

The College has obtained funding 

under Round 8 of the Support Scheme 

for Rural Specialists (SSRS) to extend 

the online support site set up last 

year under Round 7. One project in 

this round is a module on Indigenous 

Health Issues. 

Image captured by Dr Maureen 

Rogers on a visit to Galiwin’ku, Elcho 

Island

International 

Dermatology 

Outreach 

Committee 

convenor 

Dr Gillian Marshman 

MeMBers 

Professor Ross Barnetson 

Dr Timothy O’Brien 


Dr Margot Whitfeld 

Objectives: To establish and administer a coordinated program 

of international aid, volunteer services, dermatology education 

and overseas-trainee sponsorship, targeted to the Asia-Pacific and 

where possible more distant regions, provided by volunteer Fellows 

and trainees of the College, to seek out relevant and appropriate 

funding sources to allow implementation of the program and to 

encourage a spirit of voluntarism amongst the College membership 

The areas of activity of the 

International Dermatology Outreach 

Committee (IDOC) this year have 

predominantly related to individual 

committee members’ own clinical 

and service programs. The ongoing 

work of Dr Margot Whitfeld in the 

development of the Fiji-wide strategy 

for the eradication of scabies has been 

an invaluable effort and had the full 

support of the IDOC. Margot has 

worked tirelessly on this project and 

currently has instituted a Trust Fund for 

the project. She has recruited a Project 

Officer, Lucia Romani, and voluntary 

members of the public, and needs to 

be congratulated for her untiring and 

sacrificial efforts. 

Tim O’Brien has successfully applied 

for further funding for a Peruvian 

registrar to have access to Australian 

dermatology teaching as an upskilling 

program, and he continues to visit Peru 

on a regular basis. 

Gill Marshman will continue to visit 

West Timor, where there is now a 

medical school in its first year of 

operation in the capital city, Kupang. 

With Flinders International Health 

Group, she will be involved in 

curriculum development and teaching 

at that institution, which is a partnered 

project with Flinders University. 

AusAID funding has been gained for 

Flinders International Health Group to 

be involved in service provision across 

a broad range of disciplines for West 

Timor. 

IDOC now is officially allied with the 

International League of Dermatologic 

Societies and, at a meeting in Paris in 

2008, at the Educational Committee a 

proposal was put forth to concentrate 

on providing culturally-sensitive but 

generically-appropriate teaching 

resources for general use across 

a broad range of clinically-skilled 

professionals, which was unanimously 

agreed upon. At the time of writing, 

Dr Margot Whitfeld is the IDOC’s 

representative at the AAD meeting 

of the Educational Committee of 

ILDS, and will be further discussing 

the role of an Asia Pacific centre for 

dermatology upskilling within the 

region. 

We recognise that there are a number 

of our Fellows who provide input into 

the provision of dermatology services 

in many countries, both our near 

neighbours and further afield. We 

would welcome contact from any of 

those Fellows who would be interested 

in being involved in IDOC, and 

encourage them to contact any of the 

committee members. 

The issue of funding for activities such 

as these is ever present as many are 

self-funded. We would hope in the 

future that College would consider 

a mechanism by which a longer 

term provision of funds for outreach 

programs may be developed. 

41

Public 

Affairs 

Committee 

42 

convenor 

Dr Stephen Shumack 

(Honorary Secretary) 

MeMBers 

Dr Pam Brown 

Dr Jill Cargnello 

A/Professor John W. Kelly 

Dr James Muir 

Dr Cathy Reid 



Ms Roslyn Wagstaff, 

College’s Administration Officer 

Objectives: To develop and 

implement public affairs 

strategies for College, including 

media relations, public relations 

and political relations. 

Media releases 

• Skin Cancer Detection Upskilling for 

GPs – 5 May 2008 

• Fractional Laser Resurfacing - The 

Latest and Greatest Craze - And It 

Works! – 19 May 2008 

• The Skin - A Killer Defence System – 

21 May 2008 

• Australia Tops the List as Food 

Allergy Hypochondriacs – 22 May 

2008 

• Encouraging Results in Early 

Melanoma Research – 26 May 2008 

• Dermatologists Coming to the Aid 

of the Northern Territory – 17 June 

2008 

• Spring into Sun Protection – 2 

October 2008 

• ACD and Cancer Council Australia - 

National Skin Cancer Action Week, 

16 to 22 November 2008: Absentminded 

teens – exposed and burnt 

reveals new Cancer Council research 

– 16 November 2008 

• Illawarra teenagers not heeding 

skin cancer warning – 17 November 

2008 

• Australia at cutting edge of 

melanoma treatment – 1 February 

2009 

• Millions of dollars gained, thousands 

of cancers avoided through skin 

cancer campaign - $2.32 for every 

$1 invested – 21 February 2009 

Media resPonses 

Media interviews and coverage have 

included the following: 

Print Media 

In the 2008/09 period, the following 

print publications have interviewed 

Fellows of College: 

Newspapers 

The Advertiser x 3 

The Adelaide Messenger x 2 

The Age x 2 

The Australian x 3 

Bunbury Mail 

Canberra Times x 2 

Courier Mail (Brisbane) x 3 

Daily Telegraph x 7 

Herald Sun x 8 

Illawarra Mercury x 4 

The Independent (University of 

Queensland) 

The Leader, Victoria x 2 

Maroondah Leader, Melbourne 

The Mercury (Hobart) x 2 

The Northern Star 

Northern Territory News x 2 

Sun Herald x 9 

Sunday Age x 6 

Sunday Herald Sun x 9 

Sunday Mail x 13 

Sunday Telegraph x 5 

Sunday Times 

Sunraysia 

Sydney Morning Herald x 10 

The West Australian x 8 

The Western Independent 

Townsville Bulletin 

Newspaper lift outs 

Body + Soul x 2, Mind and Body, 

Sunday x 3, Sunday Life x 3, 

Sydney Magazine. 

Magazines 

Australian Country Style x 2 

Australian Doctor x 2 

Australian Natural Health 

Blackmore’s Loyalty Health 

Blue Water 

Brisbane News x 2 

Cleo x 2 

Coasting 

Consult 

Cosmopolitan x 2 

Choice x 2 

Dolly 

Emporium 

Empower 

Famous 

Fashion Capital 

Fernwood Gym magazine x 2 

Fresh (Woolworths) 

Girlfriend 

Good Health and Medicine 

Good Taste 

Grazia x 3 

GU private health member magazine 

x 3

Harper’s Bazaar x 2 

HBA private health member magazine 

HBF private health member magazine 

HCF Fit and Well private health 

member magazine 

HealthSmart 

Just Health and Beauty x 2 

Madison 

Medical Observer 

Men’s Health x 3 

Natural Health and Beauty 

New Idea 

Notebook 

NW 

Perth Vita 

Pharma In Focus 

PostScript 

Practical Parenting 

Qantas in-flight magazine 

Readers’ Digest x 6 

Retail Pharmacy x 4 

Russh 

Sydney Magazine 

Time 

Virgin Blue in-flight magazine 

Vital Health x 2 

Vogue 

Woman’s Day x 3 

Women’s Health 

Skin Things Articles in Medical 

Observer 2008/09 

Cutaneous larva migrans 

– Dr Adrian Lim 

Pityriasis versicolor 


Trigeminal trophic syndrome 


Hansen’s disease 


Suddenly Swollen Scars – Sarcoidosis 


Squamous Cell Carcinoma 


Tibialis anterior herniation 


Pityriasis rosea 


12 myths 

– Dr Stephen Shumack and Dr Adrian 

Lim 

Phototoxic sunburn – Dr Adrian Lim 

Radio 


radio stations have interviewed Fellows 

of College: 

ABC Radio Albury 

ABC Radio Alice Springs 

ABC Radio Brisbane x 2 

ABC Radio Central Victoria, 

Overnights 

ABC Radio Melbourne 774 x 2 

ABC Radio Victoria, Statewide Drive 

ABC Radio Sydney, 

Richard Glover Drive 

ABC Radio Townsville 

ABC Radio Western Australia 

Brisbane 4BC, Greg Cary 

Highland FM, NSW 

Melbourne 3AW, Talking Health 

Newcastle 2HD, 

Breakfast with Luke Grant x 2 

Nova 937 News, Perth 

Perth 6PR 

Sydney 2UE, Tim Webster 

Triple J, Hack 

Television 


television programs have interviewed 

Fellows of College: 

ABC: 

Can We Help? 

The Gruen Transfer 

Media Watch – from A Current Affair 

and Today Tonight stories 

Channel 7: 

Sunrise 

The Morning Show 

Today Tonight x 2 

Channel 9: 

60 Minutes 

A Current Affair x 3 

News x 5 

Today Show 

What’s Good For You x 5 

Channel 10: 

9am with David and Kim 

News x 2 

SBS: 

News x 2 

Other: 

Educational video – Assessing Skin 

Conditions (distributed throughout 

universities and hospitals) 

Good Health Television x 2 

Pharmacy TV 

Web-based Media 


web media have interviewed Fellows 

of College: 

6 Minutes x 2 

abc.net.au/health, Health and 

Wellbeing section x 2 

beautyheaven.com.au 

beautydirectory.com.au x 2 

femail.com.au 

goldcoast.com.au 

letsshop.com 

smh.com.au 

superliving.com.au 

aww.ninemsn.com.au (Australian 

Women’s Weekly) x 3 

Media relations 

Two “media relations” days were held 

to further strengthen ACD relationship 

with targeted medical media: 

Date: 15 May 2008 

Theme: ACD Annual Scientific 

Meeting 2008 

The following journalists attended: 

Milissa Deitz, Body & Soul 

(Daily Telegraph) 

Dr Linda Calabresi, Reed Business 

(6 Minutes) 

Louise Durack, Reed Business 

(6 Minutes) 

Tara Ali, Women’s Health 

Louise Hall, Sun Herald 

Date: 11 December 2008 

Theme: Three minute skin checks 

and other topics 

The following journalists attended: 

Jenny Pogson, Australian Doctor 

Louise Hall, Sun Herald/Sydney 

Morning Herald 

Dr Linda Calabresi, Reed Business 

(6 Minutes) 

Nicole Wraight, Women’s Health 

Kirrilly Burton, Medical Observer 

Cancer Council Developments – 

National Skin Cancer Action Week 

The ACD was invited by the Cancer 

Council to co-brand National Skin 

Cancer Action Week 2008, which was 

held from 16 to 22 November. 

Stephen Shumack attended and spoke 

at the launch in Melbourne on 16 

November 2008. 

43

Rural and 

Regional 

Services 

Committee 

44 

convenor 

Dr Ian McCrossin 

MeMBers 

Dr Lloyd Hale 

Dr Ian Hamann 

Dr James Muir 

Dr Lachlan Warren 

Objectives: To advise the Board on all rural and regional matters, 

including the provision of dermatological ser vices, training in rural 

and remote areas and projects. 

The aims and objectives of the 

committee are to increase the 

availability of dermatological medical 

and surgical services to Australians 

living in rural and regional areas 

and provide support to those 

dermatologists currently working in 

those areas. 

The committee members all service 

rural and regional areas, with Ian 

Hamann servicing the north coast 

of New South Wales; Ian McCrossin 

servicing the South Coast and outback 

New South Wales (through the Royal 

Flying Doctor Service); Lloyd Hale 

servicing western rural Victoria and 

south-western rural New South Wales; 

Lachlan Warren servicing Darwin; and 

Jim Muir servicing rural Queensland 

through telemedicine. 

Individual dermatologists from the 

State Faculties provide outreach 

services to a very large number of rural 

and regional centres in every state and 

territory. A new addition is a service 

to Mackay in Queensland by Godfrey 

Wagner and Rowland Noakes. 

There are a number of Area of Need 

positions, either already occupied or 

in development, in Wagga Wagga, 

Shepparton, Albury, Taree, Lismore, 

Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Townsville, 

Cairns and Darwin. 

Two new rural registrar training 

positions in New South Wales have 

been established, which commenced 

in January 2009, with Federal 

Government funding through the 

Extended Specialist Training Program 

(ESTP) scheme. The Skin and Cancer 

Foundation Australia (NSW) is the 

fund holder for the positions, which 

are predominantly on the north coast 

and south coast of New South Wales. 

A rural and regional training position 

shared by Cairns and the Mater 

Hospital in Brisbane has been 

established by Drs Leith Banney 

and Jim Muir. The fund holder is 

Queensland Health. 

The College has established a specific 

New South Wales rural training 

position to commence in 2010, and 

the trainee will spend the majority of 

his/her training in rural and regional 

private practice, particularly in the 

newly-established positions. 

The highlight of the year will be 

the Rural, Regional and Indigenous 

Dermatology Meeting in Noosa, 

Queensland, in late March. At the 

meeting, there will be a review of the 

progress of the recommendations 

from the 2007 Queenscliff meeting, 

a review of the current demographics 

in each state, case presentations 

of interesting patients from the 

bush, a symposium on indigenous 

dermatology, workforce forums and 

planning for the future. Drs Bert 

Pruim and David Leslie have done 

a tremendous amount of work to 

produce a very good clinical, political 

and social program.

Scientific 

Meetings 

Steering 

Committee 

convenor 

Dr Catherine Reid 

MeMBers 

Dr Paul Chee 

Dr Michael Freeman 

Dr Karen Koh 

Dr Adrian Lim 

Dr Karyn Lun 

Dr John Relic 

Professor Rodney Sinclair 

Dr Jamie Von Nida 


Chief Executive Office 

The role of the committee is 

to oversee, plan and develop 

all scientific meetings of 

College. In 2007, two major 

meetings were held: the 40th 

Annual Scientific Meeting in 

Adelaide from 13 to 16 May 

2007; and the Biennial Spring 

Conference, in association 

with the International Contact 

Dermatitis Symposium 

(ICDS) and the Asia 

Pacific Environmental and 

Occupational Dermatitis 

Symposium (APEODS) on 

the Gold Coast, from 27 to 30 

September 2007. 

asM adelaide, May 2007 

College’s meetings in Adelaide are 

always successful events. The city is an 

attractive destination. The Convention 

Centre works well as a venue, with 

close proximity between the plenary 

sessions, break-out meetings and the 

trade exhibition. There is good quality 

accommodation close by and Adelaide 

offers attractive social activities. 

The 2007 meeting was, therefore, 

well attended, with a total of 

631 delegates, comprising 243 

dermatologists, 64 vocational trainees, 

224 trade representatives and 78 

accompanying persons, as well as 

staff, media and others. 

An excellent scientific program was 

organised by Dr Lachlan Warren, with 

the social program coordinated by Dr 

Jeff Wayte and Dr Cathy Reid. 

The overseas speakers included 

Professor Elise Olsen from the Duke 

Dermatopharmacology Study Center, 

Duke University, Durham, North 

Carolina, USA, and Professor J. 

Alastair Carruthers, From Vancouver, 

the prominent cosmetic dermatologist 

specialising in botulinum toxin and 

fillers. Other overseas speakers were: 

Dr John Lear from Manchester Royal 

Infirmary, UK, Professor Colin Jahoda 

from Durham University, UK, and 

Professor Jean Carruthers, Clinical 

Professor of Ophthalmology at the 

University of British Columbia. 

As in previous years, the meeting 

was preceded by a conference of the 

Australian Society for Dermatology 

Research and the Australian 

Dermatology Nurses’ Association 

Annual Conference. 

The Hon. Jane Lomax-Smith, South 

Australian Minister for Education 

and Children’s Services, Minister for 

Tourism and Minister for the City 

of Adelaide, gave a provocative 

speech as the John Reid Orator at the 

conferring ceremony. 

College owes a debt of gratitude to 

Lachlan, Jeff and Cathy for organising 

an outstanding meeting. 

Biennial sPring conference/ 

contact derMatitis Meeting, 

gold coast, octoBer 2007 

This meeting was unique in that 

it comprised the College’s regular 

Biennial Spring Conference in 

association with a special contact 

dermatitis conference, made up of two 

Contact associations. The meeting 

was presented as one conference, 

but with both common and separate 

streams. This worked well. 

The ASM 2008 Visiting Professor was 

Professor Ilona Frieden, Professor 

of Paediatrics and Dermatology and 

Chief of the Division of Paediatric 

Dermatology at the University of 

California, San Francisco 

45

The co-convenors were Dr Susi 

Freeman and Dr Adrian Lim. The 

visiting speakers were Professor John 

McGrath from King’s College, London; 

Professor An Goossens from the 

Department of Dermatology, Catholic 

University, Leuven, Belgium; and Dr 

James Taylor from the Cleveland Clinic 

Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. 

The meeting followed the College’s 

successful formula for its Biennial 

Spring Conferences; namely, the 

approach was more informal and 

family-friendly and the program was 

interleaved with social opportunities. 

These included a whale-watching 

expedition, a tour of the Gold 

Coast hinterland, and a spectacular 

conference dinner at Sea World, 

complete with polar bears and 

performing dolphins. This meeting 

attracted 137 dermatologists, 

26 vocational trainees, 23 trade 

representatives and 63 accompanying 

persons, as well as staff, media and 

others. A particularly large contingent 

of overseas dermatologists attended, 

many of whom proceeded afterwards 

to the ILDS World Congress in Buenos 

Aires. Our thanks are due to the 

excellent work of Susi Freeman and 

Adrian Lim in ensuring the success of 

this conference. 

46 

future Meetings 

Because of the need to commit 

both venues and speakers, College’s 

meetings require considerable forward 

planning. The program for forthcoming 

meetings is as follows: 

• 2nd Rural Dermatology Weekend 

Meeting, Noosa, Queensland, 20 to 

22 March 2009 (convenors: Dr B. 

Pruim and Dr D. Leslie) 

• 42nd Annual Scientific Meeting, Gold 

Coast, Queensland, 17 to 20 May 

2009 (convenors: Dr K. Lun and Dr 

M. Freeman) 

• Joint ACD/Japanese Dermatological 

Association Conference, Sapporo, 

Japan, 10 to 12 July 2009 

(convenors: Dr A. Shibaki and Dr A. 

Lim) 

• Biennial Spring Conference, Hunter 

Valley, NSW, 8 to 11 October 2009 

(convenors: Dr J. Relic and P. Chee) 

• 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting, 

Darwin, NT, 16 to 19 May 2010 

(convenor: Dr K Koh) 

• 44th Annual Scientific Meeting, 

Perth, WA, 15 to 18 May 2011 

(convenor: Dt J Von Nida) 

• 45th Annual Scientific Meeting, 

Brisbane, Queensland, 

26 to 30 May 2012 

(convenor to be advised) 

The College’s conferences are 

an important expression of its 

commitment to scientific research, as 

well as to the professional development 

of its members. They are an essential 

service to our members, to enable 

them to maintain the highest standards 

of professional practice. The College, 

therefore, accords its meetings 

considerable priority in its strategic 

objectives. The aim is to increase the 

standard and enrich the content of the 

meetings each year. Strong attendance, 

not only by all members of College, but 

also by dermatologists from overseas, 

as well as associated specialists is 

evidence that we are delivering quality 

conferences.

Scientific 

Research 

Committee 

convenor 

Dr Anne Howard 

MeMBers 

A/Professor P. Foley 

Professor I. Frazer 

A/Professor S. Gilmore 

Professor G. Halliday 

A/Professor D. Jolley 

Dr P. Kaur 

A/Professor P. Fernandez Penas 

A/Professor J. Rothnagel 

Professor R. Sinclair 

Professor H.P. Soyer 

Professor W. Weninger 

Objectives: To examine applications for funding from the Scientific 

Research Fund and the Fred Bauer Foundation, and recommend 

grants. The Committee’s mission is to promote a culture of 

research in Australian dermatolog y, by alerting dermatologists to 

the availability of research funds and encouraging applications 

for grants, and offering advice on research directions and sources 

of possible donations for the Scientific Research Fund from both 

private and government sectors. 

As the Scientific Research Fund is registered with the Australian 

Taxation Office (ATO) for tax deductible status, the members of 

the Committee have to be approved by the NH&MRC on behalf of 

the ATO. 

The Scientific Research Committee was 

established to assess dermatological 

research projects and be responsible 

for the allocation of research funds. 

Most of these funds come from 

College members who have donated 

money for research. The members 

of the committee who advise on the 

projects are scientists and College 

researchers who generously give 

of their time to read through these 

projects and assess their worth, the 

viability of the projects and their likely 

outcome in furthering knowledge in 

dermatology. Fortunately these days 

we have a number of professorial units 

and other researchers who are doing 

great work of very high standard. 

Applications up to a total of $25,000 

per grant are considered in two 

rounds each year. The closing dates 

for applications are the 1 January 

and 1 July. When I first took over as 

convenor of this committee we had 

quite a number of research projects 

to consider, all of a high standard. 

After a lot of deliberating, money was 

awarded to Associate Professor Steve 

Gilmour for a project researching the 

genetics of psoriasis. 

The Fred Bauer grant was the 

next award to be assessed by our 

committee. Again, many worthy 

projects applied for this grant of 

$15,000. It was awarded to a group 

researching eczema. 

I would like to warmly thank all 

members of my committee for their 

input. They are all busy people with a 

lot to do and are very generous with 

their time and effort. 

47

National 

Skin Cancer 

Steering 

Committee of 

The Cancer 

Council 

Australia 

48 

- college rePresentatives 

MeMBers 

A/Professor Peter Foley 

Dr Ian Hamann 

The Cancer Council Australia’s National Skin Cancer Steering 

Committee continues to meet by teleconference ever y two months 

and meets face-to-face annually, the 2008 meeting being a wholeday 

event held in Melbourne. Craig Sinclair remains Chairman 

of this committee, which is composed of representatives of the 

College, each of the State Cancer Councils, the Cancer Council 

Australia, and the Cancer Society New Zealand. 

Significant efforts have been given 

to the development of a proposal 

prepared by the SunSmart division of 

the Cancer Council Victoria entitled, 

‘Skin Cancer Prevention: A Blue 

Chip Investment in Public Health’, to 

advocate for continued funding by 

the Australian Government for skin 

cancer prevention. The report provides 

a summary picture of the severity of 

skin cancer incidence and mortality 

in Australia, highlighting the success 

of the long-term commitment to skin 

cancer prevention; provides a summary 

of the SunSmart program over the 

preceding years and emphasises the 

cost-effectiveness of such a program. 

Based on an economic analysis of 

skin cancer prevention undertaken 

by Deakin University as part of 

this proposal, the study found that 

every $1 invested by the Australian 

Government in skin cancer prevention 

will yield a $2.32 return over a 20 year 

investment. In prevention terms, this 

represents excellent value for money. 

The UV index/UV alert first appeared 

with daily weather forecasts several 

years ago. Research is currently 

underway to assess the best method 

to communicate the UV Index to 

the Australian public to improve its 

impact on motivating sun protection 

behaviour. 

The Standards Australia revision of 

the Standard for Solaria for cosmetic 

purposes was completed in late 2008. 

As a consequence of this document, 

most of the states of Australia have 

implemented legislation based on the 

new Standard. This has resulted in 

anyone under the age of 18 or having 

very fair skin being banned from the 

use of sun beds. 

The five SunSmart steps remain 

unchanged. Australians are advised 

to continue to use appropriate sun 

protective clothing, wear broadbrimmed 

hats, seek shade to reduce 

UV radiation exposure, slip on a pair 

of sunglasses to protect the eyes, and 

slop on sunscreen to those areas which 

cannot be otherwise protected. 

Vitamin D is produced as a result 

of exposure of the skin to UVB 

from sunlight. The human body 

needs vitamin D to regulate calcium 

levels in the blood and to maintain 

musculoskeletal health. The current 

recommendation is that a few 

minutes of sun exposure outside 

the peak UV period on most days of 

the week to small areas of the body 

is sufficient to maintain vitamin D 

levels. Sunbathing is not promoted 

and regular use of sunscreen when 

the UV radiation level reaches three 

or above is recommended. A brochure 

documenting the regular need for small 

amounts of sun exposure, particularly 

in the winter months, was published 

during the year, in conjunction 

with the College and Osteoporosis 

Australia. 

A booklet for junior primary school 

teachers is currently in the process 

of being developed by the Cancer 

Council, while the need for sun 

protection has been included in a 

national workplace document. 

Hopefully all the hard work that has 

gone into the development of the blue 

chip proposal that has evolved over 

the last 12 months or so will result in 

adequate funding being provided for 

ongoing publication and promotion of 

the SunSmart message. Unfortunately, 

to date the Australian Government 

have not provided any indication that 

the national sun protection campaign 

will continue. The outcome of our 

advocacy efforts will not be known 

until the May 2009 budget.

GP Training 

Task Force 

chair 

Dr Robert Paver 

MeMBers 

Dr Adrian Mar 

Dr Ian McColl 

Dr James Muir 

Objectives: To develop a dermatolog y training course for GPs and 

rural physicians, in association with the RACGP and ACRRM. 

The GP Training Task Force has 

continued its work this year to 

deliver the Certificate in Skin Cancer 

Management, with the second intake 

complete and the workshop scheduled 

for the weekend of the 27 to 29 March 

2009 with 63 participants. These 

will all need to be allocated clinical 

attachments and also to submit their 

online cases. 

The second component of the 

course, the Certificate in Primary 

Care Dermatology, is well advanced. 

Nearly all topics are written and are 

currently in the editing pipeline. The 

hope is that the entire course will be 

completed and uploaded ready for 

participants by the end of this year, 

and at the latest by the College annual 

meeting in 2010. 

This will bring us to the next phase of 

the project. Once the whole course 

is finished and online, the job of the 

task force will have been completed 

and the task force can then be 

dissolved. Prior to that happening, 

however, the College will need to 

establish the structure under which 

the program will operate and be 

maintained. The original plan was to 

pay a dermatologist a fee to upgrade 

and maintain and improve the course 

on a continuous basis so that it doesn’t 

get outdated. The workshop will need 

to be organised and delivered annually 

and the case submission program will 

need to be serviced by a dermatologist 

as well. 

I would like to thank Claudia Casson 

again and all the College staff who 

devote so much time to making all 

these things we do happen, and the 

committee, who have supported the 

program from the start. 

The task force’s recommendations to 

the College’s Board of Directors are: 

1. Dissolve the task force once the job 

is complete; 

2. Place the GP training program 

under the umbrella of the Education 

Committee; 

3. Consider the mechanism which will 

need to be implemented to resource 

the ongoing requirements of the 

course, i.e. 

A dermatologist to upgrade and 

maintain the online course 

A dermatologist to service the case 

review requirements of the course 

A dermatologist to run the annual 

procedural dermatology workshop 

The College mechanism for 

providing clinical attachment 

positions; 

4. Consider a member of College 

and a structure to continue the 

early work done by Bob Corderoy, 

Gayle Fisher and myself to develop 

an online dermatology course for 

undergraduates, using the core 

material from the GP course. 

The course will need a properly 

constituted curriculum, a task 

currently assigned to Chris Baker 

and Warren Weightman. 

49

Report from 

New Zealand 

Dermatological 

Society Inc 

50 

President 

Dr Elizabeth Baird 

secretary 

Dr Matthew Strack 

treasurer 

Dr Sonya Havill 

We held our annual meeting in 

Queenstown in association with the 

Australasian College of Dermatologists. 

The meeting was very successful, 

however several members had their 

flights home delayed due to an icy 

runway. 

Planning is well advanced for our 2009 

annual meeting, which will be held in 

Napier from 26 to 29 August 2009. 

As a group we were saddened that our 

colleague, Dr Leicester Hodge, had 

to retire due to ill health. Most of the 

dermatologists in New Zealand have 

received training from Leicester and we 

will all miss his acerbic wit. 

New members were welcomed, Martin 

Keef has emigrated from the United 

Kingdom to live in Christchurch, Ian 

Coutts has returned to New Zealand 

to practice in Wellington and Fiona 

Larsen has returned to practice on the 

North Shore of Auckland. 

The major concern of the year has 

been the liberalization of prescribing 

rights for oral retinoids; this will 

allow general practitioners and nurse 

practitioners to prescribe isotretinoin 

2008/09 has been a busy year in New Zealand. 

and acitretin. This was first mooted in 

September and the NZDSI made strong 

submissions outlining the anticipated 

problems and pitfalls. We also tried to 

address the inequity of access issues, 

which were the basis for the proposal. 

This was to no avail and from 1 

March 2009 general practitioners and 

nurse practitioners can prescribe oral 

retinoids. 

All practitioners prescribing the 

medication must obtain a special 

approval number and tick a box 

saying that they are experts in the 

management of skin diseases that are 

treated with oral retinoids. No formal 

education program has been set up 

and it is unclear how often and under 

which circumstances an audit will be 

performed. The NZDSI will continue to 

monitor the situation. 

I would like to thank all the members 

of the New Zealand executive for their 

hard work. I would also like to thank 

Dr Stephen Shumack for his support. 

ELIZABETH BAIRD 

President

FINANCIALS 

australasian college of 

derMatologists 

and its controlled entities 

a.B.n. 99 411 356 609 

51

Donations made to The Australasian 

College Of Dermatologists 

1 March 2008 to 28 feBruary 2009 

Australasian College of Dermatologists’ Travelling Fellowship $7,000 

Sponsored by Galderma Australia Pty Ltd 

(Recipient: Dr. G Sadler) 

Schering-Plough Award 2008 $6,000 

Neutrogena Educational Grant for Final Year Registrars to Attend $10,000 

American Academy of Dermatology Meeting 

Sponsored by Neutrogena (Johnson & Johnson Pacific P/L) 

The Mole 

Experien Healthcare Finance (autumn issue No. 76, 2008) $2,000 

Schering-Plough Pty Ltd (summer issue No. 79, 2008) $3,250 

Mastering Supervision Challenges Workshop $9,000 

Sponsored by iNova Pharmaceuticals 

F & E Bauer Foundation 2008 $22,000 

Medical Observer $4,400 

For clinical reviews and articles written by Fellows 

Victorian Faculty 

Melbourne University Undergrad Prize $600 

Monash University Undergrad Prize $500 

Scientific Research Fund 

Donation by Galderma Australia Pty Ltd (Jan 2008) $ 7,000 

Tempo Publications on behalf of Dr A. Patel $ 1,000 

Entertainment Book $ 303 

Donations by ACD Fellows $26,900 

College is grateful to the many fellows of College who each donated $100 to the Scientific Research Fund in 2008/2009 

Donations made by The Australasian 

College Of Dermatologists 

1 March 2008 to 28 feBruary 2009 

Trainee relocation grant $28,000 

One-off grant for trainee to cover loss of income due to UK visa issues $10,000 

Trans Tasman Exchange Scholarship 2008 (Recipient: Dr B. Jones) $2,000 

The Cancer Council Australia: National Skin Cancer Awareness Campaign $10,000 

52

Directors’ Report 

The Directors present their report together with the Financial Report of the Australasian College of 

Dermatologists (“the College”) and of the consolidated entity, being the College and its Faculties, for the year 

ended 28 February 2009. 

MeMBers of the Board 

The Directors of the Board at any time during or since the end of the financial year were: 

Dr Glenda Wood President MBBS, FACD, FAICD 

Dr Ian McCrossin President Elect MBBS, FACD 

Dr Stephen Shumack Honorary Secretary MBBS, FACD, FAICD 

Dr John Coates Honorary Treasurer MBBS, FACD 

A/Professor Chris Baker Chief Censor MBBS, FACD 

Dr Pamela Brown Board Member MBBS, FACD 

Dr Martin Haskett Board Member MBBS, FACD 

Dr Catherine Reid Board Member MBBS, FRACP, FACD 

Dr Carl Vinciullo Board Member MBBS, FACD 

faculty office Bearers 

New South Wales 

Dr David Cook MBBS, DRACOG, DA, FACD 

Dr Catherine Drummond MBBS, FACD 

Dr Eileen Collins MBBS, FACD 

Dr Phillip Artemi MBBS, FACPP, FACD 

Queensland 

Dr Greg Siller MBBS, FACD 

Dr Catherine Faulkner MBBS, FACD 

Dr Megan Andrews MBBS, FACD 

South Australia 

Dr Gillian Marshman MBBS, FACD 

Dr Karen Koh MBBS, FACD 

Dr Stuart Murray MBBS, BSc., BEc, FACD 

Dr Vincent O’Brien MBBS, Dip. RACOG, FACD 

Victoria 

Dr Josephine Yeatman MBBS, FACD 

Dr David Gill MBBS, FACD 

Dr Mei Mui Tam MBBS, FACD 

Dr Bruce Tate MBBS, FACD 

Western Australia 

Cl. A/Professor Kurt Gebauer MBBS, FACD, FACP 

Dr Hock Cheng Chua MBBS, FACD 

Dr Clare Tait MBBS, MRCP, FACD 

There were seven meetings of the Board of Directors during the financial year. The number of Board meetings and meetings 

of Board committees attended by each member of the Board during the year is as set out in the separate table. 

53


attendance By directors of Meetings of Board coMMittees 

Name Status Board of Directors 

Meeting 

Dr Glenda Wood President 7 (7) 

Dr Ian McCrossin President Elect 7 (7) 

Dr Stephen Shumack Honorary Secretary 7 (7) 

54 

Audit 

Committee 

Dr John Coates Honorary Treasurer 5 (7) 2 (2) 

Dr Caroline Mercer Chief Censor (to May 2008) 2 (7) 

Education 

Committee 

A/Professor Chris Baker Chief Censor (from May 2008) 5 (7) 2 (2) 

Dr Pamela Brown Board Member 6 (7) 2 (2) 

Dr Martin Haskett Board Member 6 (7) 2 (2) 

Dr Catherine Reid Board Member 7 (7) 

Dr Carl Vinciullo Board Member 7 (7) 

* Figures in bold brackets indicate total number of meetings held during the financial year 

coMPany secretary 

The Council appointed Dr Stephen Shumack MBBS, FACD, FAICD as company secretary in May 2004. 

PrinciPal activities 

The principal activities of the Australasian College of Dermatologists and its Faculties during the year were: 

a) Promotion of dermatology and dermatological research and training; and 

b) Organisation of scientific meetings; and 

c) Conduct of examinations of award of diplomas to successful candidates. 

There was no significant change in the nature of those activities during the year. 

oPerating result 

The operating profit from ordinary activities of the College and its Faculties for the financial year is as follows: 

This Year Last Year 

$ $ 

Operating loss from College operations (694,436) (199,776) 

Operating (loss)/ profit from Faculties operations 20,828 (9,552) 

Accumulated funds of the economic entity at year end totalled $3,256,713 (2008: $3,930,321). 

dividends 

Being limited by guarantees, the Australasian College of Dermatologists does not declare and pay dividends.

Board of 

Censors 

Board of 

Training 

IMG Assessment 

Committee 

2 (4) 2 (4) 

4 (4) 1(4) 

review of oPerations 

2 (2) 

3(4) 

Results for the year have been significantly affected by: 

Risk Management 

Committee 

1 (1) 

1 (1) 

Selection 

Task Force 

3(3) 

Scientific Meetings 

SteeringCommittee 

3(3) 2(2) 

• An impairment loss on the College’s investment portfolio of $903,110. If this had not occurred, there would have been an 

operating profit of $229,502 from the College’s and Faculties’ operations. 

• The 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting, Sydney, May 2008, resulting in a surplus of $626,627. 

• The Joint ACD/NZDS Surgical Meeting, Queenstown, October 2008, resulting in a surplus to College of $17,667. 

• An overall increase of income in 2009 over 2008. 

• An increase in income from programs and projects including, in particular, increased revenue from project management. 

• Increased donations, grants and sponsorship. 

• Increased interest income. 

• Increased income from the Australasian Journal of Dermatology. 

• There has been no significant increase in administrative expenses over 2008. 

• There has been a decrease in programs and project expenses over 2008. 

• There has been increased expenditure on public education and on education and training, reflecting increased activity in 

accordance with community and educational objectives and the requirements of the Australian Medical Council. 

In the light of the increased activities, programs and projects undertaken in 2008/09, the Directors consider the performance 

of the financial operations of the College and the Faculties was satisfactory. However, the Directors are concerned at the 

extent of the downturn in the value of the College’s investments. This was the result of a worldwide situation commencing in 

2007, which deteriorated further in 2008 and into 2009. The Directors are disappointed that this situation while unavoidable 

for College, should have adversely affected the outcome of the College’s financial operations in 2008/09. 

55


events suBseQuent to Balance 

No matters or circumstances have arisen since the end of the financial year which significantly affected, or may significantly 

affect the operations of the College and its Faculties, the results of those operations, or the state of affairs of the economic 

entity in future financial years. 

directors’ interest and Benefits 

No Director has received any remuneration during the year other than reimbursement of expenses incurred to attend the 

meetings of the Board. 

No Director has received or become entitled to receive during or since the financial year, a benefit because of a contract 

made by the College or Faculty with a Director, a firm of which a Director is a member or an entity in which a Director has a 

substantial financial interest. 

During or since the financial year, the company has paid premiums to insure the directors against liabilities for costs and 

expenses incurred by them in defending any legal proceedings arising out of their conduct while acting in the capacity of 

director of the Australasian College of Dermatologists other than conduct involving a wilful breach of duty in relation to the 


Premiums were paid for each of the directors as per Note 18 to the Financial Statements. The insurance contract entered into 

by the College prohibits disclosure of the nature of the liabilities insured by the insurance contract and the amount of the 

premiums. 

environMent regulations 

The College operations are not regulated by any significant environmental regulation under a law of the Commonwealth or of 

a state or territory. 

auditors’ indeMnification 

The company has not, during or since the financial year, in respect of any person who is or has been an auditor of the 

Australasian College of Dermatologists or a related body corporate, indemnified or made any relevant agreement for 

indemnifying against a liability incurred as an auditor, including costs and expenses in successfully defending legal 

proceedings, or paid or agreed to pay a premium in respect of a contract insuring against a liability incurred as an auditor for 

the costs or expenses to defend legal proceedings. 

Proceedings on Behalf of the coMPany 

No person has applied for leave of Court to bring proceedings on behalf of the company or intervene in any proceedings to 

which the company is a party for the purpose of taking responsibility on behalf of the company for all or any part of those 

proceedings. 

The company was not a party to any such proceedings during the year. 

56

auditors’ indePendence declaration 

The lead auditor’s independence declaration as required under section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001 has been received 

and can be found on page 8 of the Annual Report. 

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the members of the Board: Dated at Rhodes this 29th day of April, 2009. 

——————————————— ——————————————— 

Dr. J. Coates - Treasurer Dr G. Wood - President 

auditor’s indePendence declaration under section 307c of the corPoations act 2001 to the 

directors of the australiasian college of derMatologists 

I declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, in relation to the audit for the financial year ended 28 

February 2009 there have been: 

(i) no contraventions of the auditor independence requirements as set out in the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to the 

audit; and 

(ii) no contraventions of any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit. 

HALL CONSULTING GROUP 

Chartered Accountants 

Level 4, 71-73 Archer Street 

CHATSWOOD NSW 2067 

——————————————— 

Christopher J Hall 

Partner 

Chatswood 

29th April 2009 

57

Income Statement 

For the year ended 28 February 2009 

58 

Consolidated College 

2009 2008 2009 2008 

Note $ $ $ $ 

Revenue from ordinary activities 2 2,920,041 2,685,378 2,806,964 2,600,884 

Expenses 

Programs and projects expenses 848,453 1,020,883 798,732 974,455 

Employee benefits expenses 3a 1,006,140 838,722 1,006,140 838,722 

Public education expenses 182,379 158,321 177,135 153,923 

Operating lease expenses 165,084 158,304 165,084 158,304 

Member education and training expenses 423,563 271,745 405,346 255,639 

Depreciation and amortisation expense 3b 60,112 63,104 60,057 63,030 

Cost of goods sold – books and brochures 6,587 3,278 6,587 3,278 

Administration expenses 332,823 360,377 296,753 319,777 

Impairment loss 3c 903,360 425,477 903,360 425,477 

Total expenses 3,928,501 3,300,211 3,819,194 3,192,605 

Operating (loss)/profit before finance costs (1,008,460) (614,833) (1,012,230) (591,721) 

Financial income 354,300 424,012 337,243 410,452 

Finance expenses (19,448) (18,507) (19,449) (18,507) 

Net finance costs 4 334,852 405,505 317,794 391,945 

Loss from ordinary activities before tax (673,608) (209,328) (694,436) (199,776) 

Income tax expense 1(c) - - - - 

Loss attributable to members (673,608) (209,328) (694,436) (199,776) 

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Statement of Recognised Income 

and Expenditure 


Retained 

Earnings 


Fair Value 

Reserve 

Total 

Retained 

Earnings 

Fair Value 

Reserve 

Balance at 1 March 2007 4,139,649 276,172 4,415,821 3,872,787 276,172 4,148,959 

Profit attributable to the entity (209,328) - (209,328) (199,776) - (199,776) 

Transfer of impairment loss to 

Profit and Loss 

Total 

- (276,172) (276,172) - (276,172) (276,172) 

Balance at 29 February 2008 3,930,321 - 3,930,321 3,673,011 - 3,673,011 

Balance at 1 March 2008 3,930,321 - 3,930,321 3,673,011 - 3,673,011 

Loss attributable to the entity (673,608) - (673,608) (694,436) - (694,436) 

Balance at 28 February 2009 3,256,713 - 3,256,713 2,978,575 - 2,978,575 

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements. 

59

Balance sheet 

As at 28 February 2009 

Current Assets 

60 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

Note $ $ $ $ 

Cash and cash equivalents 6 2,407,179 1,312,135 2,271,270 1,275,178 

Trade and other receivables 7 200,187 138,418 198,920 133,942 

Other financial assets 8 859,816 1,280,082 703,106 1,051,225 

Other current assets 9 238,192 200,283 238,192 200,283 

Inventory - brochures 16,669 10,383 16,669 10,383 

Total current assets 3,722,043 2,941,301 3,428,157 2,671,011 

Non-current assets 

Financial assets 8 1,596,991 2,500,222 1,596,991 2,500,222 

Property, plant and equipment 10 140,989 158,456 140,823 158,234 

Intangible assets 11 14,648 28,007 14,648 28,007 

Total non-current assets 1,752,628 2,686,685 1,752,462 2,686,463 

Total assets 5,474,671 5,627,986 5,180,619 5,357,474 

Current Liabilities 

Trade and other payables 12 170,942 178,836 165,806 175,499 

Provisions 13 63,536 44,855 63,536 44,855 

Other Liabilities 14 1,926,558 1,416,990 1,915,780 1,407,125 

Total current liabilities 2,161,036 1,640,681 2,145,122 1,627,479 

Non-Current Liabilities 

Provisions 13 56,922 56,984 56,922 56,984 

Total non-current liabilities 56,922 56,984 56,922 56,984 

Total liabilities 2,217,958 1,697,665 2,202,044 1,684,463 

Net assets 3,256,713 3,930,321 2,978,575 3,673,011 

Equity 

Retained earnings 16 3,256,713 3,930,321 2,978,575 3,673,011 

Total Equity 3,256,713 3,930,321 2,978,575 3,673,011 

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Statements of cash flows 


Cash flows from operating activities 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

Note $ $ $ $ 

Subscriptions and levies received 1,031,991 806,859 996,099 774,306 

Education income received 384,274 365,846 384,275 365,846 

Receipts from meetings and training projects 1,835,662 2,075,184 1,849,490 2,056,394 

Receipts from donations and grants 110,507 99,550 36,650 67,825 

Other receipts 53,541 61,962 38,422 31,716 

Cash paid for meetings and training projects (844,508) (1,032,245) (844,508) (1,033,400) 

Cash paid for grants and donations (350,899) (301,935) (297,024) (251,802) 

Cash paid to suppliers and employees (1,851,976) (1,981,892) (1,804,560) (1,894,932) 

Cash generated from operations 368,592 93,329 358,844 115,953 

Interest paid - - - - 

Net cash from operating activities 17 368,592 93,329 358,844 115,953 

Cash flows from investing activities 

Proceeds from investments 420,266 461,845 348,119 461,845 

Interest received 147,267 120,246 130,210 106,685 

Trust distributions received 207,902 227,210 207,902 227,210 

Payment for investments - (718,846) - (685,950) 

Payment for property, plant and equipment (16,338) (68,977) (16,338) (68,977) 

Payment for website and software (13,196) (13,277) (13,196) (13,277) 

Direct investment expenditure (19,449) (18,508) (19,449) (18,507) 

Net cash (used in)/from investing activities 726,452 (10,307) 637,248 9,029 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 1,095,044 83,022 996,092 124,982 

Cash and cash equivalents at 1 March 1,312,135 1,229,113 1,275,178 1,150,196 

Cash and cash equivalents at 28 February 6 2,407,179 1,312,135 2,271,270 1,275,178 

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements. 

61

Notes to the consolidated 

financial statements 

1. stateMent of significant accounting Policies MeMBers of the Board 

The consolidated financial report of the Company for the year ended 28 February 2009 comprises The Australasian College of 

Dermatologists (the College) and its Faculties (together referred to as the “consolidated entity”). 

Basis of Preparation 

The financial report is a general purpose financial report which has been prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting 

Standards including Australian Accounting Interpretations, other authoritative pronouncements of the Australian Accounting 

Standards Board (“AASB”) and the Corporations Act 2001. 

The financial report has been prepared on an accruals basis and is based on historic costs modified by the revaluation of 

selected non-current assets, and financial assets and financial liabilities for which the fair value basis of accounting has been 

applied. 

The financial report is presented in Australian dollars and all values are rounded to the nearest dollar. 

Statement of Compliance 

The financial report complies with Australian Accounting Standards. 

The preparation of a financial report in conformity with the Australian Accounting Standards requires management to make 

judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and reported amounts of assets and liabilities, 

income and expenses. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting 

estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period or in the period of 

the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods. 

The accounting policies set out below have been applied consistently to all periods presented in the financial report. Where 

relevant, the accounting policies applied to the comparative period have been disclosed if they differ from the current period 

policy. 

A number of standards and amendments were available for early adoption however, in the opinion of the directors, none of 

these standards and amendments are expected to have a significant impact on the financial results and have not been applied 

by the Company. 

The following is a summary of the material accounting policies adopted by the economic entity in the preparation of the 

financial report. 

(a) Company structure 

62 

The Australasian College of Dermatologists is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated and domiciled in 

Australia. In the event of the College being wound up, the liability of each member, or each former member who 

ceased to be a member within a year of the College being wound up, is limited to an amount not exceeding $20. As 

the company is limited by guarantee, there is no reference in the Balance Sheet to share capital or shareholders’ equity. 

As at 28 February 2009 there were 434 members (2008: 427). 

(b) Principles of consolidation 

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the College and all of its Faculties. Control 

exists as the College has the power, directly or indirectly, to govern the financial and operating policies of the Faculties 

so as to obtain benefits from their activities. All inter-company balances and transactions between the entities in the 

economic entity have been eliminated on consolidation. Accounting policies of the Faculties are consistent with those 

applied by the College. 

The Faculties controlled by the College at all time during the financial year are: New South Wales Faculty, Queensland 

Faculty, Western Australia Faculty, South Australian Faculty and Victorian Faculty.

(c) Income Tax 

The College is a not-for-profit organisation which meets the criteria of a scientific organisation and is therefore exempt 

from income tax under Division 50 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. The tax exempt status is self-assessed on 

an annual basis in accordance with Taxation Office guidelines. The Board has determined that the College retains its 

tax-exempt status during the financial year. 

(d) Property, plant and equipment 

Each class of property, plant and equipment is carried at cost or fair values less, where applicable any accumulated 

depreciation and impairment losses. The consolidated entity recognises in the carrying amount of an item of property, 

plant and equipment the cost of replacing part of such an item when that cost is incurred if it is probable that the 

future economic benefits embodied with the item will flow to the consolidated entity and the cost of the item can be 

measured reliably. All other costs are recognised in the income statement as an expense as incurred. 

Plant and equipment that have been contributed at no cost or for nominal cost are valued at the fair value of the asset 

at the date it is required. 

Depreciation 

Depreciation is charged to the income statement on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of each part 

of an item of property, plant and equipment. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of either the 

unexpired period of the lease or the estimated useful lives of the improvements. 

The depreciation rates used in the current and comparative periods are as follows: 

Class of Fixed Asset Depreciation Rate 

Leasehold improvements 13.70% 

Fixtures and fittings 10% - 40% 

Library 17% 

Impairment 

The carrying values of property, plant and equipment are reviewed for impairment when events or changes in 

circumstance indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. If such an indication exists and where the carrying 

values exceed the recoverable amount, the asset is written down to the recoverable amount. 

Gains and losses on disposals are determined by comparing proceeds with the carrying amount. These gains or losses 

are included in the income statement. 

Derecognition and disposal 

An item of property, plant and equipment is derecognised upon disposal or when no further future economic benefits 

are expected from its use or disposal. 

Any gain or loss arising on derecognition of the asset (calculated as the difference between the net disposal proceeds 

and the carrying amount of the asset) is included in the Income Statement in the year the asset is derecognised. 

(e) Intangible assets 

Intangible assets acquired are initially measured at cost. Following initial recognition, intangible assets are carried at 

cost less any accumulated amortisation and any accumulated impairment losses. At each reporting date, the College 

reviews the carrying value of the intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have 

been impaired and if such indication exists, the asset is written down to its recoverable amount. 

Website development cost and computer software 

Website development cost, being the cost incurred in developing the website to the operational stage, and computer 

software development cost are recognised as non-current intangible assets where it is probable that future economic 

benefits will arise. Costs associated with subsequent maintenance of the website are expenses. Website and software 

development costs are amortised over the shorter of the periods in which the related benefits are expected to be 

realised, or three years. The amortisation expense on intangible assets with finite lives is recognised in profit and loss 

with the function of the intangible asset. 

63



(f) Receipts in advance 

64 

Receipts in advance are carried at original invoice amount in respect of goods and services to be provided subsequent 

to balance date. Receipts in advance include examination fees, trainee selection fees, training projects enrolment fees 

and receipts for projects and conferences held after balance date. Membership fees received in advance are disclosed 

as Annual subscriptions in advance under the heading Current Liabilities (note K(i)). 

(g) Financial instruments 

Financial instruments are initially measured at cost on trade date, which includes transaction costs, when the related 

contractual rights and obligations exist. Subsequent to initial recognition these instruments are measured as set out 

below. 

Available for sale financial assets 

Financial instruments being investments in BT Private Wrap Portfolios are classified as available-for-sale financial 

assets and are measured at fair value with any resultant gain or loss being recognised directly in equity, except for 

impairment losses. When these investments are derecognised, the cumulative gain or loss previously recognised 

directly in equity is recognised in profit or loss. 

Fair value is determined based on bid prices at balance sheet date for all quoted securities. Valuation techniques are 

applied to determine the fair value for all unlisted securities, including recent arm’s length transactions and reference 

to similar instruments. 

Financial instruments classified as available-for-sale are recognised/derecognised by the company on the date it 

commits to purchase/sell the investments. 

Impairment 

When a decline in the fair value of an available-for-sale financial asset has been recognised directly in equity and 

there is objective evidence that the asset is impaired, the cumulative loss that had been recognised directly in equity is 

recognised in profit or loss even though the financial asset has not been derecognised. The amount of the cumulative 

loss that is recognised in profit or loss is the difference between the acquisition cost and current fair value, less any 

impairment loss on the financial asset previously recognised in profit or loss. 

If, in a subsequent period, the fair value of an available for sale asset increases and the increase can be objectively 

related to an event occurring after the impairment loss was recognised in profit or loss, the impairment loss is 

reversed, with the amount of the reversal recognised in profit or loss. 

(h) Employee benefits 

Provision is made for the company’s liability for employee benefits arising from services rendered by employees to 

balance date. Employee benefits expected to be settled within one year together with benefits arising from wages, 

salaries and annual leave which may be settled after one year are recognised as current liabilities and have been 

measured at undiscounted amounts expected to be paid when the liability is settled plus related oncosts. Employee 

benefits payable later than one year have been measured at the net present value and recognised as non-current 

liability. 

Long Service Leave 

The liability for long service leave is recognised in the provision for employee benefits and measured as the present 

value of expected future payments to be made in respect of services provided by employees up to the reporting date 

using the projected unit credit method. Consideration is given to expected future wage and salary levels, experience 

of employee departures, and periods of service. Expected future payments are discounted using market yields at the 

reporting date on national government bonds with terms to maturity and currencies that match, as closely as possible, 

the estimated future cash outflows. 

Contributions are made by the company to employee superannuation funds and are charged as expenses when 

incurred.

(i) Trade and other payables 

Trade and other payables are stated at cost. They represent liabilities for goods and services provided to the College 

prior to the end of the financial year that are unpaid and arise when the College becomes obliged to make future 

payments in respect of the purchase of these goods and services. Trade payables are non-interest bearing and are 

normally settled on 30 days terms. 

(j) Trade and other receivables 

Trade and other receivables are stated at their cost less impairment losses. 

(k) Revenue and expenses 

Revenue and expenses are recognised to the extent that it is probable that their respective economic benefits will 

flow to or be lost or consumed by the College, and the revenue and expenses can be reliably measured. The following 

specific recognition criteria must also be met before revenue or expenses are recognised: 

i) Subscriptions 

The College membership subscription year is 1 January to 31 December. Fees are payable annually in advance. Only 

those member fee receipts which are attributable to the current financial year are recognised as revenue. 

Fee receipts relating to periods beyond the current financial year are shown in the Balance Sheet as Annual 

subscriptions in Advance under the heading of Current Liabilities. 

ii) Other revenue-generating activities 

The College undertakes certain activities which are accounted for on a work-in-progress basis including training 

workshops, annual conferences and other projects and grant programs. The College’s policy of accrual accounting with 

respect to the recognition of revenue and expenses on such activities is as follows: 

a) For activities which are completed on or before balance date, any surplus or deficit is incorporated into the year’s 

results; 

b) For activities which take place wholly after the end of the financial year, any revenue received and expense incurred 

on such activities prior to balance date is deferred and carried forward in the Balance Sheet within Receipts in 

Advance and Prepayments respectively; 

c) For activities which span the balance date, a proportion of the final projected net surplus is recognised in the 

financial year on the percentage of completion basis. 

iii) Sale of goods 

The College recognises revenue from the sale of goods when physical control of the goods passes to the purchaser 

pursuant to an enforceable sales contract and the costs incurred or to be incurred in respect of the transaction can be 

measured reliably. Risks and rewards of ownership are considered passed to the buyer at the time of delivery of the 

goods to the customer. 

iv) Interest income and expense 

Interest income on bank bills and deposits is recognised on an accruals basis (using the effective interest method, 

which is the rate that exactly discounts the estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the investment) 

where the College attains control of a right to receive consideration for an investment. Interest expense on borrowings 

is recognised on an accruals basis. 

v) Grants 

The College grants funds to certain members. These funds are paid to support medical research and development and 

are expensed at the time of payment. 

Donations and bequests are recognised as revenue when received unless they are designated for a specific purpose, 

where they are carried forward as prepaid income on the balance sheet. 

Government grants 

Government grants and contributions are stated at fair value where there is reasonable assurance that the grant 

will be received and all attaching conditions will be complied with. When the grant relates to an expense item, it 

is recognised as income over the periods necessary to match the grant on a systematic basis to the costs that it is 

intended to compensate. 

All revenue is stated net of the amount of goods and services tax (GST). 

65



(l) Inventories 

66 

Inventories are measured at the lower of cost and current replacement cost. Inventories acquired at no cost, or for 

nominal consideration are valued at the current replacement cost as at the date of acquisition. 

(m) Operating lease payments 

(n) Trusts 

Payments made under operating leases are recognised in the income statement on a straight-line basis over the term 

of the lease. Lease incentives received are recognised in the income statement as an integral part of the total lease 

expense. 

The following trust funds have been established to accept gifts and bequests from members and others and pay 

grants and scholarships: H.C. Florence Bequest, Scientific Research Fund, Surgical Society and Fred Bauer Trust Fund. 

The financial statements of the trust funds are not consolidated with those of the College and its Faculties because the 

company has no direct control over them. The financial statements of the trust funds are shown in Note 23. 

(o) Cash and cash equivalents 

For the purpose of the Statement of Cash Flows, cash and cash equivalents includes cash on hand, at call deposits 

with banks or financial institutions, other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months 

or less, and bank overdrafts. 

(p) Goods and services tax (GST) 

Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of GST, except where the amount of GST incurred 

is not recoverable from the Australian Taxation Office. In these circumstances, the GST is recognised as part of the 

cost of acquisition of the asset or as part of an item of the expense. Receivables and payables in the balance sheet are 

shown inclusive of GST. 

Cash flows are presented in the cash flow statement on a gross basis, except for the GST component of investing and 

financing activities, which are disclosed as operating cash flows. 

(q) Provisions 

Provisions are recognised when the entity has a legal or constructive obligation, as a result of past events, for which it 

is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will result and that outflow can be reliably measured. 

(r) Comparative figures 

When required by the Accounting Standards, comparative figures have been adjusted to conform to changes in 

presentation for the current financial year.

2. revenue 

Revenue from operating activities: 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Member subscriptions and levies 846,640 745,026 814,923 713,843 

Education revenue 263,141 209,300 263,141 209,300 

Revenue from programs and projects 1,477,878 1,475,454 1,477,878 1,475,454 

Revenue from project management 106,102 61,200 115,911 67,110 

Revenue from sale of books 11,686 12,493 11,686 12,493 

Donations, grants and sponsorship revenue 187,748 158,930 106,991 111,206 

Other revenue 26,846 22,975 16,434 11,478 

3. exPenses 

(a) Employee benefits expenses include: 

2,920,041 2,685,378 2,806,964 2,600,884 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Employee annual leave provided 18,681 14,822 18,681 14,822 

Employee long service leave provided (62) 11,192 (62) 11,192 

Employee recruitment and training 8,106 10,162 8,106 10,162 

Payroll Tax 31,690 - 31,690 - 

Workers’ compensation insurance 10,063 5,998 10,063 5,998 

Salaries and wages 620,951 505,689 620,951 505,689 

Superannuation contributions 75,907 63,106 75,907 63,106 

Consultancy fees 240,804 227,753 240,804 227,753 

(b) Depreciation and amortisation expenses include: 

1,006,140 838,722 1,006,140 610,969 

Amortisation – Website & software 26,556 30,286 26,556 30,286 

Depreciation – Leasehold improvements 6,843 5,777 6,843 5,777 

Depreciation – Furniture and equipment 26,713 26,372 26,658 26,298 

Depreciation – Library - 669 - 669 

(c ) Significant expenses include: 

Impairment loss on financial assets BT Private Wrap Portfolio: 

60,112 63,104 60,057 63,030 

Gain removed from equity - 276,172 - 276,172 

Loss recognised in profit and loss (903,110) (701,649) (903,110) (701,649) 

(903,110) (425,477) (903,110) (425,477) 

67



4. net finance costs 

Financial income 

68 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Interest income 146,398 120,245 129,341 106,685 

Unit trust distribution income 207,902 227,210 207,902 227,210 

Other investments: 

Capital gain/(loss) on sale of investments - 76,557 - 76,557 

Financial expenses 

Other investments: 

354,300 424,012 337,243 410,452 

Direct investment expense 18,008 18,507 18,009 18,507 

Financial adviser fee 1,440 - 1,440 - 

19,448 18,507 19,449 18,507 

Net finance costs 334,852 405,505 317,794 391,945 

5. auditors’ reMuneration 

Audit services 

Auditor of the Company: 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Audit of financial reports 34,400 34,250 23,650 24,500 

Other audit engagements 1,200 2,200 1,200 2,200 

Taxation Services 1,810 3,400 1,810 3,400 

37,410 39,850 26,660 30,100

6. cash and cash eQuivalents 

Current 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Cash on hand 1,000 1,000 600 600 

Cash at bank – Westpac Bank 114,330 69,925 74,553 43,425 

Cash at bank – Westpac Maxi Direct 1,317,320 551,008 1,221,589 540,952 

Cash at bank - IMG Upskilling Grant 261,771 - 261,771 - 

Cash at bank – RASTS Program - 13,203 - 13,203 

Cash at bank – NT Healthy Skin Project 13,387 63,525 13,387 63,525 

Cash at bank – Westpac Investment Portfolio 664,747 594,950 664,746 594,950 

Cash at bank – SSRS 34,624 18,523 34,624 18,523 

7. trade and other receivaBles 

2,407,179 1,312,135 2,271,270 1,275,178 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Trade receivables 200,187 137,982 194,249 132,213 

Other receivables - 75 4,671 1,729 

GST receivable - 361 - - 

200,187 138,418 198,920 133,942 

Trade receivables are non-interest bearing and are generally on 30-day terms. Trade receivables balances do not contain 

impaired assets. A total of $158,284 receivables are past due date. However, based on the credit quality it is expected that 

those amounts will be received within 3 months after the due date. 

69



8. financial assets 

Current 

Current 

70 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Bank term deposits 789,816 1,210,082 633,106 981,225 

Rental bond 70,000 70,000 70,000 70,000 

Non-current 

Available for sale financial assets 

859,816 1,280,082 703,106 1,051,225 

BT Private Wrap Portfolio at fair value 1,596,991 2,500,222 1,596,991 2,500,222 

Available for sale financial assets comprise investments in the ordinary issued capital of various entities which form part of the 

BT Private Wrap Portfolio. There are no fixed returns or fixed maturity dates attached to these investments. 

The BT Private Wrap Portfolio consists of investments in listed companies and unlisted trusts valued at fair value being the 

bid prices at the balance sheet date for all quoted securities and recent arm’s length sale prices of unlisted securities. The 

impairment loss recognised in respect of this investment portfolio this financial year (refer to Note 3c) relates to the collapse of 

Basis Yield Fund and other funds which form part of the BT Private Wrap Portfolio. 

9. other current assets 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Prepayments 238,192 199,414 238,192 199,414 

Accrued income - 869 - 869 

238,192 200,283 238,192 200,283

10. ProPerty, Plant and eQuiPMent 

In dollars Note Leasehold 

Improvements 

Cost 


Fixtures 

and 

fittings 

Library Total 

Leasehold 

Improvements 

Fixtures 

and 

fittings 

Library Total 

Balance at 1 March 2007 27,303 237,628 22,830 287,761 27,303 224,605 22,830 274,738 

Additions at cost 19,448 49,528 - 68,976 19,448 49,528 - 68,976 

Disposals - (22,443) - (22,443) - (22,443) - (22,443) 

Balance at 29 February 2008 46,751 264,713 22,830 334,294 46,751 251,690 22,830 321,271 


Additions at cost 3,135 13,203 - 16,338 3,135 13,203 1 16,338 

Disposals - (3,547) - (3,547) - (3,547) - (3,547) 


Depreciation and impairment losses 


Depreciation expense 5,777 26,370 669 32,816 5,777 26,296 669 32,742 

Disposals - (22,440) - (22,440) - (22,440) - (22,440) 



Depreciation expense 6,843 26,713 - 33,556 6,843 26,657 - 33,500 

Disposals - (3,298) - (3,298) - (3,298) - (3,298) 


Carrying Ammounts 

At 1 March 2007 23,104 98,526 669 122,299 23,104 98,230 669 122,003 

At 29 February 2008 36,775 121,681 - 158,456 36,775 121,459 - 158,234 

At 1 March 2008 36,775 121,681 - 158,456 36,775 121,459 - 158,234 

At 28 February 2009 33,067 107,922 - 140,989 33,067 107,756 - 140,823 

71



11. intangiBle assets 

In dollars 

Cost 

72 

Website 

Development 

Cost 

Software 

Development 

Cost 


Total 

Website 

Development 

Cost 

Software 

Development 

Cost 

Balance at 1 March 2007 29,590 37,306 66,896 29,590 37,306 66,896 

Additions – internally developed - 13,277 13,277 - 13,277 13,277 

Balance at 29 February 2008 29,590 50,583 80,173 29,590 50,583 80,173 


Additions – internally developed - 13,197 13,197 - 13,197 13,197 


Amortisation and impairment losses 


Amortisation expense 11,836 18,450 30,286 11,836 18,450 30,286 



Amortisation expense 7,896 18,660 26,556 7,896 18,660 26,556 


Carrying Ammounts 

At 1 March 2007 19,732 25,284 45,016 19,732 25,284 45,016 

At 29 February 2008 7,896 20,111 28,007 7,896 20,111 28,007 

At 1 March 2008 7,896 20,111 28,007 7,896 20,111 28,007 

At 28 February 2009 - 14,648 14,648 - 14,648 14,648 

Amortisation of the development costs is calculated over 3 years useful life and commenced upon completion of the projects 

in 2007 financial year in accordance with the policy of the company. 

Total

12. trade and other PayaBles 

Current 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Employee benefits: Liability for annual leave 63,536 44,855 63,536 44,855 

Non-current 

Employee benefits: Liability for long-service leave 56,922 56,984 56,922 56,984 

Current 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Receipts in advance 1,151,410 766,805 1,151,410 766,805 

Annual subscriptions in advance 775,148 650,185 764,370 640,320 

Fair value reserve 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Trade creditors 62,164 134,628 56,571 131,212 

Sundry creditors and accruals 28,880 44,208 28,880 44,208 

GST payable 14,898 - 15,355 79 

Deposits held - grants 65,000 - 65,000 - 

13. Provisions 

14. other liaBilities 

15. reserves 

170,942 178,836 165,806 175,499 

1,926,558 1,416,990 1,915,780 1,407,125 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Balance at the beginning of the year - 276,172 - 276,172 

Net decrease in fair value of available for sale financial assets - (276,172) - (276,172) 

Balance at the end of the year - - - - 

73



16. reserves 

74 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Retained profit at the beginning of the year 3,930,321 4,139,649 3,673,001 3,872,787 

Net profit for the year (673,608) (209,328) (694,436) (199,776) 

Retained profit at the end of the year 3,256,713 3,930,321 2,978,575 3,673,011 

17. reconciliation of cash flows 

froM oPerating activities 

Cash flows from operating activities 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Loss for the period (673,608) (209,328) (694,436) (199,776) 

Adjustments for: 

Depreciation and amortisation 60,112 63,104 60,057 63,030 

Impairment losses 903,360 425,477 903,360 425,477 

Net investment income recognised as investment activity (335,720) (405,505) (318,663) (391,945) 

Operating profit before changes in working 

capital and provisions 

(45,856) (126,252) (49,682) (103,214) 

Increase in prepayments (38,778) (33,441) (38,778) (33,441) 

Increase in receivables (61,769) (4,583) (64,978) (3,251) 

Increase/(decrease) in inventories (6,286) 2,303 (6,286) 2,303 

Increase/(decrease) in payables (6,905) 48,687 (8,705) 45,350 

Increase in provisions 18,619 26,015 18,619 26,015 

Increase in receipts in advance 509,567 180,600 508,654 182,191 

Cash generated from the operations 368,592 93,329 358,844 115,953 

Interest paid - - - - 

Net cash from operating activities 368,592 93,329 358,844 115,953

18. key ManageMent Personnel coMPensation 

Directors do not receive any income from the College for their services as directors. 

No director has entered into a contract with the College since the end of the financial year. 

Directors are reimbursed expenses incurred to attend the meetings of the Board and Committees. The total expenses 

reimbursed during the year were $17,142 (2008: $21,498). 

In addition the College has paid insurance premiums for each of the Directors listed in the Directors’ Report and the total 

amounts paid during the year were $3,444 (2008: $3,198). 

Other key management personnel 

Remuneration received or due and receivable by executive officers of the College in connection with the management of the 

affairs of the College: 

2009 2008 

$ $ 

Consulting fees 240,804 227,753 

These consulting fees are paid to TIK Enterprises Pty Ltd, a company related to Rodney Sheaves who is the CEO of the College. 

The above payments were made under normal commercial terms and conditions no more favourable than those 

available to other parties. The contract is renewed annually by the Board. 

19. oPerating leases 

Leases as lessee 

Non-cancellable operating lease rentals are payable as follows: 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

Less than one year 185,457 170,301 185,457 170,301 

Between one and five years 13,216 169,278 13,216 169,278 

198,673 339,579 198,673 339,579 

The consolidated entity leases premises at 9 Blaxland Road, Rhodes which is classified as operating lease. The lease 

commenced in December 2005 and runs for a period of 4 years and 3 months, with options to renew for a further 3 years 

each from March 2010. Lease payments are increased every year to reflect market rentals. The consolidated entity also leases 

a photocopier and telephone equipment. 

During the year ended 28 February 2009, $165,084 was recognised as an expense in the income statement in respect of 

operating leases (2008: $158,304). 

75



20. financial risk ManageMent 

The entity’s financial instruments consist mainly of deposits with banks, short-term investments, accounts receivable and 

payable. The entity does not have any derivative instruments at 28 February 2009. 

The College manages its exposure to key financial risks in accordance with its financial risk management policy. The objective 

of this policy is to support the delivery of the financial targets of the College while protecting future financial security. 

The main risks arising from the financial instruments of the College are: 

76 

- Interest Rate Risk 

- Credit Risk 

- Market Risk 

Interest rate risk 

Interest rate risk refers to the risk that movements in variable interest rates will affect financial performance by increasing 

interest expenses or reducing interest income. 

Interest rate risk arises from financial assets and liabilities that are subject to floating interest rates. The College exposure to 

market interest rates relates primarily to Cash and cash equivalents. The College does not have a bank overdraft facility or any 

other borrowings and is not exposed to any fluctuations in foreign currencies. 

The effective weighted average interest rates on those financial assets and liabilities which are exposed to interest rate 

fluctuations are as follows: 

Financial assets 

Cash and cash equivalent: 3.52% (2008: 7.71%). 

The following sensitivity analysis is based on interest rate risk exposures in existence at balance date: An increase in interest 

rates of 0.5 per cent would lead to an increase in the Company’s Member Funds of $11,057 (2008: $10,483) and a decrease 

in interest rates of 0.5 per cent would lead to a decreased of $11,057 (2008: $10,483). 

Credit risk exposure 

Credit risk on financial assets is minimised by dealing with recognised financial institutions and acceptable credit ratings. 

The College exposure to credit risk is limited as there is significant amount of low value individual debtors. Receivable balances 

are monitored on a regular basis with the result that the College exposure to bad debts is not significant. Management 

believes that the College does not have a concentration of credit risk. The College maximum amount of any loss which may be 

realised is the carrying amount of the financial instrument. 

Market risk 

The standard defines this as the risk that the fair value of future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of 

changes in market prices. 

The College can never be free of market risk as it invests in securities (BT Private Wrap Portfolio) which are not risk free – the 

market price of these securities can fluctuate. 

The College seeks to manage and constrain market risk by diversification of the investment portfolio across multiple stocks 

and industry sector and relies on the recommendation of Bluepoint Consulting Pty Ltd who have been appointed the Financial 

Planner to the College.

21. financial instruMents 

Net fair values 

The carrying amount of bank deposits, prepayments, accounts payable and accounts receivable approximate fair value. The 

net fair value of listed investments has been valued at the quoted market bid price at balance date adjusted for transaction 

costs expected to be incurred. Arm’s length transactions and reference to similar instruments are used for valuation of unlisted 

investments. The aggregate net fair values and carrying amounts of financial assets and financial liabilities are disclosed in 

the balance sheet and in the notes to the financial statements. Fair values of available for sale financial assets are in line with 

carrying values. 

Consolidated financial assets and liabilities by categories 

2009 Notes Total Loan and Receivables Financial Liabilities 

Current financial assets 

Cash and cash equivalents 6 2,407,179 2,407,179 - 

Trade receivables 7 200,187 200,187 - 

Total current financial assets 2,607,366 2,607,366 - 

Current financial Liabilities 

Trade and other payables 12 (170,942) - (170,942) 

Total current financial liabilities (170,942) - (170,942) 

Net financial assets/(liabilities) 2,436,424 2,607,366 (170,942) 

2008 

Current financial assets 

Cash and cash equivalents 6 1,312,135 1,312,135 - 

Trade receivables 7 137,982 137,982 - 

Other receivables 7 436 436 - 

Total current financial assets 1,450,553 1,450,553 - 

Current financial liabilities 

Trade and other payables 12 (178,836) - (178,836) 

Total current financial liabilities (178,836) - (178,836) 

Net financial assets/(liabilities) 1,271,717 1,450,553 (178,836) 

Financial liabilities are measured at amortised cost. 

77



22. contingent liaBilities 

The directors are of the opinion that provisions are not required in respect of these matters, as it is not probable that a future 

sacrifice of economic benefits will be required or the amount is not capable of reliable measurement. 

Contingent liabilities not considered remote 

Litigation 

The College was defending an action brought by Dr Shahib 

in both the 2007 and 2008 financial years. The Defence and 

appeal were successful and the matter has now been completed. 

Directors do not anticipate any further costs to result from this 

action. 

23. trust funds 

78 


2009 2008 2009 2008 

$ $ $ $ 

- 100,000 - 100,000 

2009 2008 

Balance Sheet $ $ 

Current assets 

Cash at bank 

H.C. Florance Bequest 292,800 253,297 

Investments in term deposits 

Scientific Research Fund 127,357 148,243 

Surgical Society 69,383 64,478 

Fred Bauer Foundation 91,000 84,617 

Investment in BT Private Wrap Portfolio at fair value 

H.C. Florance Bequest 1,626,847 2,436,782 

Other receivables 

Fred Bauer Foundation 15,000 - 

Total current assets 2,222,387 2,987,417 

Total liabilities - - 

Net assets 2,222,387 2,987,417 

Trust Funds 

H.C. Florance Bequest 1,919,647 2,690,079 




Trust funds at year end 2,222,387 2,987,417

2009 2008 

Income Statement $ $ 

Income 

Interest received 





Trust distribution and foreign income received 


Donations received 


Surgical Society 40 4,600 


Net capital (loss) on sale of investments 

H.C. Florance Bequest - (6,682) 

Total income 215,019 335,975 

Expenses 

Grants paid 



Surgical Society 

Investment expenses 

7,000 4,341 

H.C. Florance Bequest 

Write-down in fair value of investments 

4,345 14,812 


Total expenses 980,049 642,822 

Net surplus for the year (765,030) (306,847) 

Available trust funds balance at beginning of year 2,987,417 3,294,264 

Available trust funds balance at year end 2,222,387 2,987,417 

24. events after Balance date 

There has not arisen in the interval between the end of the financial year and the date of this report any item, transaction or 

event of a material unusual nature likely, in the opinion of the directors of the College, to affect significantly the operations of 

the College or the state; of affairs of the College in future financial years. 

79

Directors’ declaration 

In the opinion of the Directors of Australasian College of Dermatologists (“the Company”): 

(a) the financial statements and notes, set out on pages 56 to 76, are in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including: 

80 

(i) giving a true and fair view of the financial position of the Company and the consolidated entity as at 28 February 

2009 and of their performance, as represented by the results of their operations and their cash flows, for the year 

ended on that date; and 

(ii) complying with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Regulations 2001; and 

(b) there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Company will be able to pay its debts as and when they become due and 

payable. 

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors: 

Dated at Rhodes this 29th day of April, 2009. 

——————————————— ——————————————— 

Dr G. Wood - President Dr. J. Coates - Treasurer

Independent audit report to the 

members of The Australasian College of 

Dermatologists 

rePort on the financial rePort 

We have audited the financial report of The Australasian College of Dermatologists (the ‘Company’) and the College and 

its Faculties (the ‘Consolidated Entity’) for the year ended 28 February 2009, which comprises the balance sheet, income 

statement, statement of recognised income and expenditure and cash flow statement for the year ended on that date, a 

summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory notes and the directors’ declaration 

DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBIlITy FOR ThE FINANCIAl REPORT 

The directors of the company are responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial report in accordance 

with Australian Accounting Standards (including the Australian Accounting Interpretations) and the Corporations Act 2001. 

This responsibility includes establishing and maintaining internal controls relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of 

the financial report that is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error; selecting and applying appropriate 

accounting policies; and making accounting estimates that are reasonable in the circumstances. 

AuDITOR’S RESPONSIBIlITy 

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial report based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance 

with Australian Auditing Standards. These Auditing Standards require that we comply with relevant ethical requirements 

relating to audit engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial report is 

free from material misstatement. 

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial report. 

The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement 

of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control 

relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial report in order to design audit procedures that 

are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s 

internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of 

accounting estimates made by the directors, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial report. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion. 

INDEPENDENCE 

In conducting our audit, we have complied with the independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001. 

AuDITOR’S OPINION 

In our opinion the financial report of The Australasian College of 

Dermatologists is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including: 

a) giving a true and fair view of the company’s financial position as at 28 

February 2009 and of their performance for the year ended on that date; 

and 

b) complying with Australian Accounting Standards (including the Australian 

Accounting Interpretations) and the Corporations Regulations 2001. 

HALL CONSULTING GROUP 

Chartered Accountants 

Level 4, 71-73 Archer Street, 

CHATSWOOD NSW 2067 

——————————————— 

Christopher J Hall 

Partner 

Chatswood 

29th April 2009 

81

Suite 2A, Level 2, 9 Blaxland Road, Rhodes NSW 2138 

PO Box 2065, Boronia Park NSW 2111 

Telephone: 61 2 8765 0242 or 1300 361 821 (Australia only) 

Facsimile: 61 2 9736 2194 

Email: admin@dermcoll.asn.au 

www.dermcoll.asn.au

Vision Statement - Australasian College of Dermatologists

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