The Public Service Association (PSA) meets regularly with the Department of Health (DH) senior officers. Below are reports of two meetings with Dr Tony Sherbon, Chief Executive (CE) and senior officials held on Wednesday 12 December 2007.

1. Quarterly Meeting with Department of Health Chief Executive

PSA Vice-President Lesley Hughes, PSA Councillor Wendy Williams, and two senior PSA Industrial Officers met with Dr Tony Sherbon (CE), Mr Etienne Scheepers (Executive Director, Workforce Development) and Mr Aaron Witthoeft (Manager, Industrial Relations). Topics discussed included:

a. Shared Services

The PSA put forward its concerns, for members in both metropolitan and country health units, “in scope” to be transferred to Shared Services. Issues included relocation expenses, housing, schooling, and salary sacrifice. These issues have already been raised by the PSA in central forums regarding Shared Services, and satisfactory responses are yet to be received.

DH responded by saying that they were aware there would be many individual issues. If a position was “in scope” to be transferred to Shared Services, and the incumbent did not wish to transfer, then efforts would be made to find another employee willing to transfer to that position, so there could be a swap. Alternatively, DH would endeavor to place the employee in another position in the geographical area. This may be in a different department.

The PSA stated it would be important for DH to provide training and development opportunities, so that employees could take up other positions, perhaps in different occupations. The PSA also put forward the view that if employees agreed to move, this should be deferred until the end of a school year so as not to disrupt children's schooling.

The PSA also stated that it would be important for the Shared Service Office to provide a binding commitment to all country employees willing to relocate, that they would not be subject to redeployment for a minimum period of five years.

b. Private Practice for Allied Health Professionals

Private Practice procedures for Allied Health Professionals need to be approved by the Public Sector Workforce Division (PSWD) of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Currently there are some difficulties. PSWD have concerns over service-wide implications. The PSA agrees that all professional members eligible for a Medicare provider number should be entitled to participate in Private Practice opportunities.

c. Mental Health Models of Care

Mental Health models of care are currently in the formal consultation period. The PSA is concerned about the short time frames provided in which to respond.

d. Review of Work Level Definitions (Medical Scientists & Professional Officers)

There were discussions regarding the impending review of the PO/MeS Work Level Definitions.  The Department of Health indicated that they had not identified any specific concerns with the new definitions.

PSA stated that within the pre-1/10/06 criteria, there were Career Group Work Level Definitions (for POs) and Position Information Documents (PIDs). Health Professionals were in Career Groups 3 or 5, which refined the 1991 Work Level Definitions and included the nuances of health professionals. These need to be incorporated in the new Work Level Definitions. Professionals should be able to progress by the attainment of greater skills, and through specialising and gaining advanced practitioner status.

e. Review of On-Call and Re-Call

The PSA has written to DH asking for a review of conditions including the rates for both on-call and when recalled. The PSA stated there should first be a survey to ascertain what disciplines and hospitals were most involved, the pattern of call out, OHW&S issues and requirements to commence normal shifts after the call out. The issue of the 8-hour break required between shifts, differences in Award requirements for Medical Scientists, and the PSA's view that the HR Manual is incorrect will be considered. The PSA also stated that the correct rate of overtime for PO-2s has not been paid. DH is investigating this.

f. Reclassification Issues for Professionals

The PSA stated that in the first instance it is up to management to assess and ensure that employees are classified at the appropriate level, including the “new” (since 1 October 2006) management allowance for PO-3, PO-4 and PO-5 (MeS3, MeS4 and MeS5). Personal applications for reclassification should only occur if the employee disagrees with management's assessment. In a personal application an employee should not be required to write up their own Job & Person Specification. DH responded that health units have been advised that if an employee was eligible for management allowance at 1 October 2006, then their entitlement should be back dated to then. DH also agreed that an applicant for a personal reclassification was not required to write up and present their own Job & Person Specification.

g. Restructure of Communications Division

The PSA raised concerns about the consultation process (that HR Principles for the restructure had not been agreed upon), and the PSA view that employees declared surplus to requirements should have been able to be accommodated in the new structure and not designated as redeployees. DH will provide written feedback to the PSA on this matter.

2. SA Health Unions Forum

Industrial Officers and Union Organisers from the PSA, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF), and the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU), met with Department of Health representatives on Wednesday 12 December 2007. The South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association (SASMOA) was an apology.

This was the inaugural meeting. The Health Unions Forum is to be held bi-monthly and will be a forum where strategic issues can be raised and discussed. The monthly Industrial Liaison Committee (ILC) meetings will continue but with a focus on operational issues.

           Issues discussed at Wednesday's meeting were:

New Federal Government policies. There is to be a National Hospital Health Care Commission. There will therefore be a rethink of the health-care system Australia wide.

Australian Health Care Agreement. This is a 5-year funding agreement. This will be renewed and maybe renamed.

South Australian Health Care Plan. This was released in May 2007. Planning for “the Marj” has already started. This will involve at least 32 consultative committees. $21m has been earmarked for “out of hospital services” for preventative and primary care across South Australia.

Health Care Bill. The successor of the SA Health Commission Act 1976 will include that all boards will be dissolved and that the CE of DH is the employer. This will not change the employment conditions of employees.

Draft PSM Act. Conditions of employment in the new PSM Act will flow on to health employees. This is currently in the consultative stage and the PSA is rigorously reviewing it.

Shared Services. This mainly affects PSA employees as the deliverer of services. But other Union members will be affected in the reduction of employees providing services from health units, and being readily available to answer queries.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Changes. Except for IMVS, these employees will be consolidated into one unit. This will still be in DH. There is expected to be minimum change for employees as they are not required to relocate. There will be no impact on PBI status and therefore no change to salary sacrifice arrangements.

PSA made the point that originally DH Shared Services were to stay within DH. The PSA is concerned about both the inefficiencies in moving away from customers, and the disadvantages to members.

PSA WORKING FOR MEMBERS IN HEALTH

17 December 2007