Sep 9 2008
The top organisation which represents university medical schools in Australia and New Zealand has issued a stark warning regarding healthcare in Australia.
Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand say if clinical training places do not increase to match the thousands of future doctors moving through Australia's university system, a healthcare crisis is looming.
Acting chairman Professor James Angus, says though attempts to address Australia's doctor shortage have led to increased funding for university medical places, there has been no corresponding increase in clinical placements where students can gain hands-on experience.
Professor Angus says by 2012, there will be 60% more medical school graduates than expected in 2008 but there has not been a commensurate increase in clinical training places.
Professor Angus says there is very little point in training Australian medical graduates if there is no significant increase in the number of clinical placements to cater for these students and the quality staff to train them - he says students cannot learn by looking over the shoulders of others.
Professor Angus says clinical teaching in hospitals is normally undertaken by hospital-based staff or university staff who have complementary employment arrangements with teaching hospitals, which has led to a tacit understanding that public hospitals have an obligation to educate and train doctors.
However he says though a significant proportion of funding for clinical teaching of medical students is provided through state governments in the operating budgets of teaching hospitals there is rarely an explicit budget line.
The Medical Deans have submitted a recommendation to the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission that financial support for clinical training places be made explicit in the Australian Healthcare Agreements between the Commonwealth, the states and the territories.
Professor Angus says the Australian Healthcare Agreements are the key instrument for the delivery of Commonwealth funding for health to the states and territories but have not in the past included any explicit requirement or key performance indicators to ensure that clinical training for doctors is supported; he believes such an inclusion is a fundamental requirement in order to ensure there is an adequately trained medical workforce.
Professor Angus says the training of medical students should be seen as core business for health services.
The current Australian Healthcare Agreement expired on the 30th June and negotiations for the next five-year agreement are underway.
Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand is the peak representative body for the Deans of eighteen Australian and two New Zealand medical schools and faculties.