The Australian health system has failed to train an adequate number of doctors to meet our workforce needs. Incompetent planning by government with no regard to working hours, feminisation of the medical workforce or expansion of services meant large numbers of overseas-trained doctors entered the Australian work place, this often at the expense to their own under-doctored countries.
The problem of poor selection and supervision was dramatically illustrated by the Bundaberg disaster, the repercussions of which have affected every jurisdiction in Australia, somewhat failing to recognise that had normal processes been in place the problem would not have occurred.
One such impact that has occurred is the requirement for a high level of English competency to be achieved before being allowed to practise in Australia.
This is not unreasonable for those wishing to go into independent practice but for overseas trainees in supervised public hospital posts it is excessive.
Indeed, Dr Death was extremely articulate and it may well have been his command of the English language that enabled him to continue for as long as he did in Bundaberg: a less articulate surgeon may well have been brought to account much earlier.
The exchange of trainees into and out of Australia is vital for our regional standing and for our surgical trainees to be denied opportunities to work in South-East Asia or Europe in appropriately supervised positions because their Bahasa is less than fluent would be ludicrous.
It may be useful for government and medical boards to start to understand the consequence of their actions.
Just as their understanding of the workforce needs was misguided, so too is their grasp of English language requirements.
Hospitals and regulators, if they are satisfied with the supervisory structure around overseas trainees, should be able to approve their employment in the system. These individuals benefit greatly from the training experience offered in Australia and usually return home to further health care in their country.
If care is not taken, the major advantages and long-term linkages from overseas doctors working with Australian doctors will be lost.
Guy Maddern is professor of surgery at the University of Adelaide. St Anywhere is fictitious, but the events and issues are real.
Prof. Guy Maddern is absolutely right. The Immigration Department and AMA, AMC and God knows who else’s requirements are beyond belief.
My family doctor, the best I have ever had, is from India. He was a physician in India. Then he did his further studies in London and he was practicing in England in his aunt’s surgery for 4 years. He has been practicing in Australia for the past five years in a country surgery. He got married to an Australian woman 3 years ago and he has two kids. Last year he decided to apply for P/R, as he finally decided to settle in the country town of South Australia.
He had to pass the English test although the language of instruction throughout his education was English. .
Next April I am going overseas to fix my teeth and have caps. With my top medicare private cover I cannot possibly have my teeth fixed in Australia. It would cost me about $16 000 and I know I will still be unhappy. I have tried that already. When you talk to the people, it is amazing how many Austalians seek dental treatment in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Russia or Poland for a fraction of fees, travel included, and the best service ever.
Now, a South Australian dental clinic was trying to get a dentist from overseas to a very desperate place of Ceduna. Three dentists were happy to come. The Immigration Department and the Australian Dental Association were NOT. There is NO way a dentist can get his skills recognised in Australia even if he is a genius and our dentists could learn a thing or two from him to the benefit of the community.
The circus with nursing skills recognition is also funny. Every State has different requirements and i.e. nurses from the Philippines cannot get their visas until they worked in i.e. Arabic country.!
Plus, the mentioned failure to take account of the feminisation of the workforce or working hours means that the medical profession is losing people faster than it can afford to.
Prof Maddern also neglected to mention the very frequent incidents of workplace bullying.
Training colleges must also bear some responsibility for their ‘boys’ club’, clique-y mentality that multiplies the problems.