QLD Doctors Undervalued – 08 August 2005
“Queensland is in danger of becoming a medical backwater unless doctors and nurses are paid what they’re worth”, Dr Bruce Shepherd, Chairman, Australian Doctors’ Fund said today.
Dr Shepherd said, “we’re hearing too many sad stories coming out of Qld. The Qld AMA states that Visiting Medical Officers in Qld public hospitals are the worst paid in Australia, and nurses are the second worst paid.”
We note there is a change of Health Minister and hopes this provides an opportunity to build better relations with Qld doctors.
Failure to do so will see an increasing number of registrars leave the state with subsequent shortages in key areas.
“We call on Health Minister, Stephen Robertson end the culture of fear and control in the Qld Public Hospital system. This can be achieved by re-medicalising Qld Health and ensuring that Qld doctors are paid what they’re worth,” Dr Shepherd said.