EmailHospital Circular 26/2006
NOTE: This Circular has been wholly replaced by Hospital Circular 2/2007
Date Issued: 8 December 2006
Publication: 26/2006
Distribution: Chief Executive Officers; Chief Medical Officers; HR Directors
Subject: 2006 Public Health Medical Workforce EBA – Continuing Medical Education Expenses – Non-Specialists
Purpose: To clarify the type of reimbursable items that are claimable by non-specialist doctors with respect to the up to $1,000 per annum entitlement provided under clause 2.2 of the 2006 Heads of Agreement.
Clause 2.2 of the 2006 Heads of Agreement reached between the Department, the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association (VHIA) and the Australian Medical Association Victoria (AMA) provides non-specialist doctors employed in Victorian health services with an entitlement to claim reimbursement of up to $1,000 each [financial] year – pro-rata for part-time doctors. Clause 2.2 provides that:
The parties agree that Doctors In Training receive some financial assistance in undertaking medical education.
Health services agree to reimburse Doctors In Training up to $1,000 pa (inclusive of any applicable FBT) towards costs for equipment, books and like expenses incurred in respect of medical education.
The Hospitals’ policy and procedure for claiming this entitlement must be made available to all doctors via the required Unit Handbook.
The Department is aware that various interpretations are being put forward as to what costs items are deemed to be valid items for reimbursement under that clause.
Pursuant to the clause, the expense claimed must be related to the doctor’s medical education and must be in the nature of the items mentioned in the clause itself – ie equipment, books or the like. It is difficult to be exhaustively prescriptive about what items may be claimed under this provision; however, the Department can advise that the following types of expenses are not validly claimable under this clause:
- Professional membership or registration fees;
- Examination fees;
- Conference fees;
- Travel and accommodation expenses.
The Department also rejects a general characterisation of the entitlement being for reimbursement of “any other expense incurred relevant to professional development or clinical qualifications”. Such a characterisation clearly goes well beyond the intent of the Heads of Agreement clause.
If you have any queries with respect to this information, please contact the VHIA, or the Department’s Industrial Relations Branch.
Lance Wallace
Executive Director
Metropolitan Health & Aged Care Services
