NZMA Doctors-in-Training Council
NZMA’s Doctors-in-Training Council (DiTC) represents the interests of NZMA RMO, trainee intern, and medical student members. DiTC provides support, advocacy and representation to NZMA members who are the future of the medical profession.
DiTC advises the NZMA Board about issues of relevance to doctors-in-training (DiT), contributes to NZMA responses to government policy proposals, and develops its own policies and resources. DiTC also provides a forum for constructive collaboration with non-RMO doctor groups.
DiTC meets four times a year, and is represented twice yearly at the NZMA Council. The DiTC Chair sits on the NZMA Board. The DiTC chair is ex-officio on the NZMSA executive. DiTC is also an invited observer to the Australian Medical Association Council of Doctors-in-Training.
DITC Members:
Dr Ivan Robertson (Chair), Dr Rachel Robertson, Dr Hannah Scowcroft, Dr Natalie Joe, Dr Georgia Bromiley, Dr Anastasia Shoebridge (PGY1 Rep), Dr Veronica Corrigan, Dr Sarah Clifford.
NZMA Chair Dr Alistair Humphrey and NZMA CEO Ms Lesley Clarke are both ex officio.
Each member brings their own background and set of skills to the table - visit the DiTC Facebook page for current happenings, or consider getting involved.
Health And Wellbeing
The figures around doctors’ mental health and resilience continue to be alarming. New Zealand has a tragic record of suicide, depression and anxiety, and research suggests these rates are higher in RMOs than in their age-matched peers.
The DiTC has made available information and resources for those who are concerned about their own health and wellbeing, and that of their friends and colleagues.
Check out our Are you OK? section for more about looking after yourself and looking out for your friends.
As medical specialists you are represented by the NZMA Specialist Council (SPC).
SPC members
Dr Ozman Mansoor (Chair), Dr Alistair Humphrey, Dr Dawn Elder, Dr Ian Page, Dr Scott Metcalfe, Dr Cathy Ferguson (RACS representative), Dr Suman Sinha, Dr Kate Patrick, Ms Lesley Clarke (NZMA CEO, ex officio).
SPC has taken on a greater role within the NZMA, especially in light of the membership of the Council being significantly broadened to include representatives of various external organisations such as RANZCOG, RANZCP, NZSA and RACS. This has enabled the NZMA to provide a stronger political voice, and more effective representation, for specialists.
NZMA plays a vital role in advocating on many of the big issues and challenges we encounter as doctors. NZMA is the only national voice that represents the collective interests of all doctors irrespective of career stage or specialty.
NZMA advocates for you, your colleagues and your patients and is ideally placed to be the voice that is heard on health and policy issues – but the more members we have the stronger our voice. Your continued membership allows us to do more and to advocate more effectively. This is critical in the coming year (2020) with both the completion of the Health and Disability System review and a general election.
Together we make a difference
If you have a concern or an issue you want us to raise as part of our advocacy programme, please let us know.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the SPC and want to know what’s involved email us.
Advocacy issues
The Specialist Council provides input on a wide range of issues. Recent examples include:
Managing fairer access to hospital medicines
Therapeutic Products Bill Exposure Draft and Proposed Regulatory Scheme submission.
NZMA’s General Practitioner Council (GPC) represents the interests of GPs across a broad range of issues. GPC members openly debate issues of concern to general practice, and develop consensus policy that benefits our patients and professional environment. NZMA is also a member of the General Practice Leaders’ Forum.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the GPC and want to know what’s involved, click here.
Current GPC Members
Dr Vanessa Weenink (Chair), Dr Buzz Burrell, Dr Luke Bradford, Dr Marcia Walker, Dr Stephanie Taylor, Dr Jan White, Dr Alistair Humphrey (NZMA Chair, ex officio), Lesley Clarke (NZMA CEO, ex officio).
GPC Advocacy
NZMA’s GPC strongly supports better integration of primary and secondary care, with more care being provided in a non-hospital setting. However it has expressed the need for improved clinical engagement and the need for appropriate funding. The input and engagement of clinicians is essential in determining our future health care delivery. GPC advocates on a diverse range of issues such as better GP education and training, after hours services and ensuring changes to our health system, such as proposed changes to prescribing, do not lead to fragmentation of care. GPC has input into NZMA submissions. Read copies here.
NZMA GPCME Conferences
Find out about New Zealand’s largest, most successful GP conferences (in both the North and South Islands), held annually www.gpcme.co.nz/.
Columns by GPC Chair
The following articles are published in New Zealand Doctor:
2020
15 July - Controlling Covid: Not exactly military precision - trust helped us get there
3 June - General practice slips under Govt radar but Budget has $72.5 million for racing
22 April - We are all in this together - marching towards a post Covid world
11 March - The folly of underinvesting in GPs has never been more obvious as with the arrival of COVID-19
29 January - Make 2020 Our Year for 20/20 Vision
Seeking member feedback
GPC is keen to hear from members about issues of concern which it would like the committee to advocate on -email NZMA.