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Four
resolutions passed at the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical
Association’s recent annual general meeting will guide the
Association in its upcoming negotiations with government for a new
Memorandum of Agreement for the province’s physicians.
NLMA
President Dr. Tom Costello
said the approach, as agreed upon by the membership, will support
the three pillars that are the foundation for talks with government:
competitiveness; working conditions and lifestyle; and,
collaboration and dialogue in the development and implementation of
health policies and strategies.
“We
must have a compensation arrangement that allows the province to
remain competitive given the global scarcity of physician
resources,” said Dr. Costello. “We also need to ensure that
physicians have reasonable working conditions that properly balance
professional and personal obligations. Finally, we need to have an
arrangement whereby we have meaningful input in terms of the future
directions for medical care delivery in the province.”
The
first resolution directs the negotiating team to pursue a master
agreement to address the needs of the province’s physicians as a
whole including such issues as compensation, on-call, and continuing
medical education. Individual geographic or specialty-specific
problems will be addressed on their own evidence-based merits
through mechanisms such as the Physician Services Liaison Committee
(PSLC) and the Medical Services Coverage Committee (MSCC) over the
term of the agreement.
“The
process of negotiations has to change,” said NLMA CEO
Rob Ritter in
his report to the AGM. “We must move away from positional
bargaining, which forces us to try and solve every problem
associated with health care delivery in the province. Rather than
drifting from one negotiation to the other with no clear logic or
rationale on future directions and planning, we need to have a
vision. I believe this approach is forward thinking and will benefit
physicians and their patients.”
Individual geographic or specialty-specific problems will be
addressed on a priority basis at the PSLC and MSCC tables, said Mr.
Ritter.
Resolutions relating to compensation, ratification of any new
agreement, and primary care were also endorsed by the membership.
Specifically, the resolutions state that:
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The primary aim of
NLMA negotiations with the Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador is to ensure the capacity of the province to recruit
and retain the necessary number and mix of physicians by
eliminating the “compensation and working conditions” gaps with
competing provinces.
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The formal approval
process of a negotiated renewal agreement with the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador shall be by unanimous consent of the
NLMA Board of Directors, failing which, concurrence of the
membership shall be sought by referendum of all practicing
physicians, ratification requiring a simple majority of the
votes cast. The membership of the association will be informed
of the negotiated agreement prior to any vote of the NLMA Board
of Directors. The information process may include a general
meeting including teleconference.
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And, that the NLMA
support continuing consultation and cooperation with the
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador on primary care reform,
subject to formal reaffirmation that physician participation in
new service arrangements will remain entirely voluntary.
Dr.
Costello said the wishes of the membership as expressed through the
resolutions and in the extensive consultation carried out in the
past several months will be of paramount importance as preparations
for negotiations continue.
“It is
our intention to identify common interests and propose solutions in
a constructive atmosphere,” said Dr. Costello. “This approach builds
on the shared desire of physicians and government to ensure that we
remain focused on providing the best possible health care for the
patients of the province.”
“Our
objective is to strengthen our partnership with the Department of
Health and Community Services so that we are better able to meet the
many reform and implementation challenges we collectively face in
the coming years,” said Mr. Ritter.
A
complete list of all resolutions passed at the AGM and ratified by
the Board of Directors is available. |
