RMSANZ is the professional body for rehabilitation physicians and trainees in Australia & New Zealand and offers a stimulating, supportive and collegial environment of professional development, continuing education, policy review and encouragement of teaching and research.
Latest News
15/4/2024
The Rehabilitation Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand (RMSANZ) offers condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, during the tragic events in Sydney’s east over the weekend. We also wish to show support for the injured or traumatised in the April 13th attacks in Bondi Junction Sydney.
As rehabilitation physicians who care for individuals affected by trauma and their loved ones we empathise with survivors and the families who lost loved ones to this horrific event. Many members of the community including those living with disabilities may have been traumatised by witnessing events or being potential targets of violence and the RMSANZ acknowledges their varied responses to this tragedy. As rehabilitation physicians treating trauma, we know that survivors of this tragedy will have a difficult few weeks or months ahead.
We encourage those survivors in need to seek assistance through medical options as well as
- NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511
- Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online here.
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN on 13 92 76
- Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 or chat online here.
- Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or chat online here.
- Headspace on 1800 650 890
- MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 or chat online here.
- Talking to children about trauma https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/connecting-communicating/coping-with-trauma/trauma-support-for-children
Many members of our society and the teams they lead, live and work in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and will be involved in rehabilitating those injured. We support your efforts and encourage you to reach out for any assistance if necessary.
We congratulate members of the medical community and first responders as well as members of the community for their collective response in protecting the lives of those at risk.
For RMSANZ members that are yet to book for ISPRM Congress - you will need to be an ISPRM member, which is an added benefit of being part of RMSANZ!
HAVE YOUR SAY
REQUEST: Members are asked to provide input into Comcare’s draft Guide for Rehabilitation Assessments and Requiring Examination
DEADLINE: Please provide your comments via this Microsoft Forms Survey by 10am AEST Monday 15 April
Member action:
- Members are asked to complete the Microsoft Forms survey consisting of two (2) demographic questions and fifteen (15) questions directly related to the draft Guide.
- All feedback received will be de-identified.
It would be best for you to open the draft guide (16 pages) while answering the corresponding survey questions.
Consultation:
- Comcare has opened a consultation on the proposed new draft Guide and seeks RACP's views as an important stakeholder.
- The Guide aims to support ethical, transparent, and accountable decision-making regarding rehabilitation assessments and when employees must undergo examinations, including appropriate consideration of individual circumstances.
Draft Guide and related documents:
Background:
- In December 2023, Australia Parliament amended the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act) through the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act 2023.
- These amendments require Comcare to prepare a Guide for Rehabilitation Assessments and Requiring Examinations in consultation with the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission.
- Comcare is the national work health, safety, and workers’ compensation authority.
- The Guide will be a legislative instrument and Comcare intends that the instrument be registered on the Federal Register of Legislation by 14 June 2024.
- Rehabilitation authorities and relevant authorities will need to comply with the Guide when deciding whether to:
- arrange a rehabilitation assessment under subsection 36(1) of the SRC Act, or
- require an employee to undergo an examination under subsection 36(3) or 57(1) of the SRC Act.
- There will not be any further consultation with stakeholders following this opportunity. However, Comcare will be commencing implementation activities, including support for relevant stakeholders, prior to the planned registration of the Guide by 14 June 2024.
Should you have any queries, please contact RACPConsult@racp.edu.au
NEW AWARD!
Alex Ganora Emerging Leadership Award
Dr Alex Ganora is an Australian rehabilitation physician who has contributed enormously to the development of rehabilitation medicine in Australia and New Zealand. He was one of the first memebers of the Australasian College of Rehabilitation Medicine which late became the AFRM and was one of those rehabilitation physicians who established the Rehabilitation medicine Society of Australian and New Zealand. In order to honour his significant contribution and achievements the RMSANZ has decided to establish an award for final year trainees of early rehabilitation physicians with leadership skills and interests in furthering their leadership skills.
If you are in your final year of training or an early career fellow (up to 5 years post fellowship)?
RMSANZ are seeking applications from individuals or nominations of individuals for an award to be presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting in June 2024 for an individual Rehabilitation Specialist looking to further their career and invest in leadership training. The recipient would receive a medal and $1000 contribution to a leadership course of their choosing.
To apply for this award, please send a 1 or 2 page (500- 750 word) application for yourself or if nominating someone for another person to admin@rmsanz.net, answers to the following questions:
* Why you are nominating yourself or another person
* How this award and prize would contributing to your career progression
* 2 x referee letters of support
Criteria for the award of the prize are as follows
- Evidence of taking leadership roles in the RMSANZ, AFRM, other rehabilitation organisations or other organisations where they represent rehabilitation views
- Evidence of being held in esteem by colleagues and senior colleagues (referred to in referee letters)
- Evidence of ability to organise events, document, policies etc
- Evidence of excellence in communications oral, written and electronic
Applications close 7th May 2024
General Meeting of RMSANZ members
A general meeting of RMSANZ members will be held on Thursday, 4 April 2024 at 6 pm AEDT/8 pm NZDT. Please find attached:
- Chair covering letter;
- Notice of meeting;
- Constitution (with tracked changes); &
- Constitution (clean copy).
Medicare Compliance Activities
Correspondence was received from the Medicare Compliance team regarding claiming MBS services while overseas, please fee links to view letter of explanation from Dr Stephanie Lam, Private Practice SIG chair and also initial correspondence received.
AMA Colleges, Associations and Societies Meeting 2024
The RMSANZ attended a significant meeting in Canberra on 18 March. Medical colleges, societies and associations were invited to discuss health system reform, scope of practice and workforce issues. The presence of federal health minister, Mark Butler, underscored the importance of this meeting, alongside the Australian Medical Association outlined their pre-budget submission.
Key points relevant to rehabilitation included:
- Different funding models to complement current fee-for-service arrangements.
- The development of frameworks for interprofessional competencies.
- Increasing incentives and reducing barriers for team-based care in the community
We voiced the need for a mindset shift, urging a move from viewing health system constraints as stemming from poor hospital access towards recognising barriers at the point of discharge. Acute care clinicians, including the FACEM president, supported this idea and stated that current acute care services are sufficient but cannot be used effectively due to system blockage. The solution we proposed was a subacute rehabilitation directorate at the federal level. This initiative acknowledges rehabilitation’s crucial role in hospital-community transition, where effectively unlock the “back door” of hospitals. We also emphasised the importance of partnerships with non-health systems, recognising multifaceted needs of our patients.
Despite the challenges of a crowded room, our opinions were heard more frequently than many of the large colleges. We are also proud to have offered solutions that went beyond simply asking for funding.
Implementation plans were notably absent from most of the presentations, leaving a gap between proposals and execution. As we await the health budget announcement, we hope to secure subsequent meetings to discuss the role of rehabilitation in continuous enhancement of the health system.
ISPRM Anthem – 25th Anniversary celebrations 2024
The ISPRM will be 25 years old at the Sydney 2024 Congress from 1 – 6 June 2024. The following link shows you 4 musical anthems/ tributes to the society written by colleagues in Italy, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.
Please listen to them and vote for your favourite, which will be played during the opening night party in Sydney on 3 June 2024.
It’s quite an eye opener and show the dedications of our colleagues to the profession.
ISPRM Congress 2024 - Program out now!
Further Information and Registration available on Congress Website
Congratulations to Prof Steven Faux, awarded AM for service to Rehabilitation Medicine and to medical research
International Day of People with Disability
International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a United Nations observed day held on 3 December each year.
Message from Prof Steven Faux, President, RMSANZ
A disability action plan for an hospital. How does it work?
For more information on the Day and it's origins please click here
Report published: Inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID infections
In April 2023 RMSANZ together with individual rehabilitation physicians were recognised for their submission on the role of rehabilitation in the treatment of long COVID to Dr Mike Freedlander MP who was the chair of the parliamentary committee on Long Covid. Our submission was noted many times in the report and assisted in the recommendation of early multidisciplinary rehabilitation as a treatment to be commenced as soon as the diagnosis of long COVID is considered. Linked below is a section of the report, the full report can be found here.
The board would like to thanks those rehabilitation physicians that made submission both as part of the RMSANZ submission or on their own or representing their department in their institution’s report.
Particular thanks goes to Prof Maria Crotty, AROC, Dr Gardiner, and Dr Tuan-Anh Nguyen for their substantial contribution in advancing the importance of rehabilitation for long COVID.
Their work has driven another success in advocacy for Rehabilitation Medicine in Australia and New Zealand.
Position Statement on the Role of Rehabilitation Medicine Physicians in the management of COVID-19 patients
New Position Statement produced by a working group put together by the board of Directors.
Please click here to view the Position Statement
RMSANZ submission to Parliamentary enquiry into Long COVID
WHO publication of the integrations of rehab and acute care for COVID
RMSANZ wins concessions to protect the clinical independence of all doctors
Following the negotiations with buying group Honeysuckle Health ((HH) – a joint venture between Cigna, a USA health insurer, and nib, an Australian private health insurer) and nib health funds to secure stronger protection for clinical autonomy and patient care.
Please see below to read a letter from RMSANZ President Dr Zoe Adey-Wakeling explaining the process.
Link to full determination on Australian Competition Tribunal website