News Flash

PSA Chief Industrial Officer Peter Christopher and Senior Industrial Officer Ian Peak met with Department of Health Chief Executive Dr. Tony Sherbon and Acting Executive Director Workforce, Liz Hlipala last week.

TVSPs

PSA had previously requested that it be provided with details of proposed TVSPs e.g. numbers by regions and by discipline in accordance with the “Consultative Processes” and “No Unreasonable Workload” clauses in the Enterprise Agreement.

Dr. Sherbon advised that the information required would be advised to the PSA by early December. Dr. Sherbon further stated that clinical services would not be affected and in fact that there has been increases in staffing levels in the Nursing, Medical and Allied Health Professional (AHP) areas.

Statewide Services

Dr. Sherbon referred to the consultative processes that will apply to the consolidation of Pharmacy, Medical Imaging, Medical Equipment Sterilisation and Bio-Medical Engineering. These will all be Statewide Services. Therefore those services currently being provided in the country will not be under Country Health SA. The initial meeting for Medical Imaging was held on Monday 8th November.

Review of Medical Imaging

This will initially be undertaken by Ernst Young.

Review of Outpatient Services

SA Health will establish a Reference Group, chaired by Dr. Sherbon, which will include PSA representation.

Car parking fees

Consultation of implementation of the new fee structure will take place through the regional Industrial Liaison Forum (ILF). PSA pointed out the current car parking facilities and fees were a result of previous negotiations.

Mental Health Issues

As part of the Mental Health strategies, Intermediate Care Centres will soon be established. These will cater for patients from three weeks to three months. Three will be operational soon, Glenside by December, Noarlunga by February and Queenstown by July. 

Single Paediatric Speech Pathology Service

The plan of moving Speech Pathologists from DECS (Education) to SA Health will not now go ahead. There will be greater coordination of services between the agencies and the creation of a “Single Client Pathway”.

“Grandparented” Health Professionals

With the development of the Allied Health Professionals (AHP) stream in the 2010 Enterprise Agreement from the 14th January 2010 these were some employees previously in the Professional Stream whose qualifications were now less than required for new recruits in to the AHP stream. Those employees were “grandparented” i.e. their qualifications were accepted for current incumbents and they were translated into the AHP stream. Subject to remaining eligible for any registration requirements, SA Health confirmed that such employees would stay in the AHP stream and would not be required to move to another stream.

Next Meeting

The next meeting between the Chief Executive SA Health and the PSA is scheduled for Tuesday 21st December 2010.


17 November 2010