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Government must end shameful era of medical apartheid

ADTOA Press Release  Jan 2, 2010

Retention not conscription!  The ten year moratorium must end.

 

ADTOA calls for the government to abolish the ten year moratorium and adopt alternative strategies to support IMGs working  in rural and remote settings to address the rural medical workforce shortage. 

 

Australia has the dubious distinction of being the only OCED country where a doctor’s rights are largely determined by their country of origin in the form of the ten -year moratorium.  The moratorium is a blatant form of discrimination  which contravenes the international charter of Human Rights of which Australia is a signatory.  Nonetheless it would seem that Australia would rather continue to exploit its international medical manpower than impose similar expectations on its Australian born doctors and improve working conditions in the bush.

 

An important question that needs to be raised is why are Australian born doctors exempt from these geographical restrictions?  The government is honest in that they acknowledge that imposing restrictions on Australian medical (born) graduates might be interpreted as contravening their constitutional rights.   This raises a troublesome question however.  How can the government justify discriminating against one class of Australian citizens based solely on their country of origin?    Shouldn’t all Australian citizens have the same constitutional rights? 

 

The argument has been made that the ten-year moratorium is a necessary evil to ensure that adequate health care is provided to Australians who live in rural and remote areas.  There is no question that the sudden abolition of the ten-year moratorium could have a negative impact on the rural medical workforce particularly in the short term.  Nonetheless, historically similar arguments could be made for the continued exploitation of all politically vulnerable groups.

 

Australia exploits its IMG workforce.  They expect them to work long hours under difficult conditions with little or no support.  They are not even eligible for medicare or educational support for their families.  Many are subject to serious workforce and institutional bullying which further threatens their mental health.  To add insult to injury there is no one that they can turn to for help. 

 

While the government provides significant financial support to the many medical  accreditation, registration and education authorities that make up the Australian medical system, IMGs are largely ignored by the government in terms of financial and administrative support.  This is the thanks that IMGs get for their invaluable contribution to this country

 

Nicola Roxon has called for alternative suggestions to address the rural medical workforce shortage.  The Department of Health has already identified the major barriers to the retention of IMGs in its Primary Health Care report.  These include the need for better supervision and support, professional educational opportunities and recognition of IMG qualifications and training by Australian accreditation organizations.  We would suggest that if the government adopted the following strategies it would significantly improve the working conditions for IMGs and address the issues that they have identified.  These include:

 

  1. IMGs and their families should have access to medicare and educational benefits for the duration of their services. 
  2. IMGs should receive support towards obtaining Australian medical qualifications commiserate to that received by post graduate trainees
  3. More valid and fair assessment of IMG qualifications including education and prior work experience with a focus on the assessment of competency not equivalency.
  4. The development of a national scheme to provide better supervision, mentoring, personal support and continuing professional development for IMGs working in rural areas.
  5. Provide better support for a national advocacy scheme for IMGs
  6.  The abolition of all unfair and discriminatory policies towards IMGs including 19aa and 19ab of the health insurance act

 

The ten year moratorium is an affront to human rights and is an international embarrassment for Australia.

 

The government must take action now to end this shameful era of medical apartheid

 

Contact Dr Sue Douglas 0435 255 475 or 02 6161-0748

Authorized by ADTOA Management Jan 2, 2010