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The Australasian Faculty of Occupational & Environmental Medicine aims for excellence in the standard of training and practice of Occupational Medicine in Australasia. Occupational Physicians are consultants in the effects of work on health and health on work, and strive continually for acceptable working conditions in all facets of industry. |
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Australasian Faculty of Occupational & Environmental Medicine
145 Macquarie Street Sydney, NSW 2000
ph: (02) 9256 9603
afoem@racp.edu.au
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AFOEM Newsletter: Friday 15, January 2010 |
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Welcome to this week's edition of the AFOEM eNews.
These ebulletins are best viewed in html. Simply click on the item of interest (left) and you will be taken straight to that item.
An archive of all previous Newsletters (since 2002) are available on the Faculty website.
As always, if you would like to contribute an item to the next eNewsletter please email a paragraph to afoem@racp.edu.au by Tuesday of the publishing week.
Disclaimer
Although AFOEM takes all reasonable steps to ensure this email does not contain malicious software, AFOEM does not accept responsibility for the consequences if any person's computer inadvertently suffers any disruption to services, loss of information, harm or is infected with a virus, other malicious computer program or code that may occur as a consequence of receiving this email.
Unless stated otherwise, this email represents only the views of the sender and not the views of AFOEM.
Contact us
Senior Executive Officer AFOEM
Andy Messner
(02) 9256 9602
Andrew.Messner@racp.edu.au
Fascimile: (02) 9247 8082
Administrative Officer AFOEM
Daniel Cheung
(02) 9256 9603
Daniel.Cheung@racp.edu.au
CPD Administrator | AFOEM, AFPHM & AFRM
Natali Vlatko
(02) 8247 6239
Natali.Vlatko@racp.edu.au
Project Officer | RACP Faculties & Chapters (Part Time: Weds - Fri)
Neridah Callaghan
(02) 9256 9636
Neridah.Callaghan@racp.edu.au
A Letter From The Editor-In-Chief
Christmas, check. New years, check. Post Christmas weight increase, check. Stuck on a cramped tourbus for six days touring New Zealand, check.
Ah, it's good to be back at work. In my own little way, I have come to realise the health benefits of work.
A new year with many exciting developments to come within the Faculty. I look forward to working with you in the coming 348 days till Christmas.
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2010 AFOEM ATM / Faculty Training Day / Dinner |
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What's In Store For 2010?
The AFOEM Annual Faculty Dinner will take place on the Sunday prior to WCIM 2010. The 2010 ASM Organising Committee have arranged the venue to be within a short taxi-fare from the RACP Graduation Ceremony. Faculty members are encouraged to attend the RACP Graduation Ceremony and congratulate and welcome new Fellows to the Faculty, followed then by a relaxing dinner at The Terrace.
The AFOEM will be holding two separate training events across the weekend of Saturday 20 - Sunday 21, March 2010.
- Annual Training Meeting (ATM)
Saturday 20, March 2010
AMREP, Commercial Rd, Melbourne VIC
Note: For AFOEM trainees.
Cost: $143.00 (inclusive GST)
Click here to register for the 2010 ATM
- Faculty Training Day (FTD)
Sunday 21, March 2010
AMREP, Commercial Rd, Melbourne VIC
Note: All Faculty members are encouraged to attend as the 2010 FTD will feature presentations for the 2010 Ramazzini Award, Annual Members Meeting and a Supervisor Workshop. Supervisors and DoTs attending the Supervisor Workshop on Sunday 21, March 2010 will receive complimentary registration for the FTD. Please contact GTH Events on +61 2 8247 6240 instead of registering online.
Cost: $93.50 (inclusive GST)
Click here to register for the 2010 FTD
Further to these events, don't forget about the RACP Graduation Ceremony to be held on Sunday 21, March 2010. Come along and show your support as we welcome thirteen (13) new Fellows to the Faculty.
- College Graudation Ceremony
Sunday 21, March 2010
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, VIC
Entry is free of charge to all 2010 WCIM attendees (and of course to family and friends of new Fellows and recipients of Awards)
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Trainees, Supervisors & DoTs |
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Two More Weeks To Go
Trainees are reminded to fill out their six-monthly Training Status Report for the current training cycle (July 09 - December 09). Both Active and Inactive Trainees must complete the six-monthly TSR.
- Trainees: Please forward your completed sections to your Supervisor with a cc: to the Faculty Office.
- Supervisors: After completion, please forward the TSR to the relevant DoT.
- DoTs: Upon your sign-off, please forward the TSR to the Faculty Office.
The current TSR is available for download on the Faculty Website under Documents & Forms.
TSRs for the current period of training must be completed and submitted by the end of January 2010. If you Supervisor and/or DoT is currently away, please ensure that you have submitted your partially completed TSR to the Faculty Office by the cut-off date.
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Dates For Your Diary |
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A New Revised Calendar Has Been Updated Onto The Faculty Website
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External Events |
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Medico-legal Report Writing Course
National Workers Compensation Summit
12th Annual Health Congress - Reforming Health in the Best Interests of the Patient
ACSP Clinical Sports Medicine 2010: Tendons
- Sunday 7, March 2010
- NSW Institute of Sport, Olympic Park, NSW
- Enquiries to Christine de Villeneuve +61 2 9223 4055
- Click for further details
3rd Annual Australian Higher Education Congress 2010 - Foundations for the Future
The Impact of Pain
- Sunday 28 - Wednesday 31, March 2010
- The Australian Pain Society and the New Zealand Pain Society Combined Annual Scientif Meeting
- Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, QLD
- Click for Flyer (PDF | 265KB)
28th Annual AIOH Conference & Exhibition: "Green but Clean"?
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AFOEM Draft Position Statement |
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Realising The Health Benefits Of Work
The Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, The Royal Australasian College of Physicians has recently developed a Position Statement on Realising the Health Benefits of Work, please see the attached document.
Draft Position Statement | (PDF | 980KB)
The Faculty now invites you to give feedback on this important draft position statement.
Specifically, comments are welcome on:
1. What you consider are the most positive aspects of the document;
2. What you consider are the least positive aspects of the document; and
3. What aspects of the document you recommend changing.
Please take this opportunity to send in your own comments by email, letter or fax.
This draft position statement is also available on the Royal Australasian College of Physicians website in the in the Occupational and Environmental section of the Policy and Advocacy section.
Please note that a reminder will be sent out later in January as a follow up.
All submissions are due by Friday, 12 February 2010.
Please email your comments to: andrew.messner@racp.edu.au.
Alternatively, you can fax: +612 9247 8082, or post to The Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 145 Macquarie Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000
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Dean's Welcoming Meetings |
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PREP Yourself & PREP Your Boss!
The Dean, representatives of College Education Committees and College Senior Members would be delighted if you can join us for an evening of discussion and workshops covering:
- PREP Program for Basic Training
- PREP Program for Advanced Training and
- Educational Tools.
This is your chance to learn more about your roles, the PREP Program and tools, network with your colleagues and ask questions about your training experience!
The meetings will be conducted as of 12 February until 15 March 2010 from 6.00pm until 9.00pm (Darwin 6.30pm – 9.40pm). See Trainees Cafe for the date in your city. Please note that any changes to the schedule will be updated in the Trainees’ Cafe.
An Invitation and the Program of each event will be sent to trainees, supervisors, DPEs/DPTs/DPPTs in each state by the relevant College State office in due course.
Additional information will be available at the Trainees' Cafe and on the College Announcements page.
We look forward to meeting you and hope you will enjoy the evening!
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Australian Medical Review Officer Training Course |
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Thrusday 25 - Friday 26, March 2010
If you, as medical practitioner, are involved in any way in the review of workplace alcohol and other drug testing eg for the aviation, transport, petrochemical industries, this course will equip you to perform your role more competently and by examination immediately following the course, you will be eligible to become an inaugural Australian certified MRO.
Places will be limited. Further details, registration forms accommodation etc will be available in the New Year.
For further information now or to register your interest, contact Kevin Sleigh on 0412 55 33 90 or by email sleigh@ssc.net.au.
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Supervisor, Trainees & Potential Supervisors Workshop |
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On Your Marks. Get Set. GOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Supervisors, potential Supervisors, and Trainees of the Faculty are invited to attend our upcoming Supervisor Workshop in conjunction with the 2010 Faculty Training Day.
- Sunday 21, March 2010 | AMREP, Commercial Rd, Melbourne VIC
The purpose of the workshops is:
- to clarify expectations within the two-way interaction between supervisors and trainees,
- to build the abilities of supervisors and potential supervisors to foster educational endeavour and handle common related problems, and
- to foreshadow likely and planned developments in trainee education.
Supervisors attending this workshop are entitled to complimentary registration for the 2010 Faculty Training Day.
For further information, contact David Goddard, Physician Educator.
Please RSVP to GTH Events.
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Position Vacant |
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Industrial Hygienist, Sydney NSW
- Six month contract with potential for a further 6 months
- Full-time role
- Based in Clyde Refinery, Rosehill, Sydney NSW
The role:
In this independent role, the hygienist will be responsible for implementing company standards and strategy on Industrial Hygiene at the Shell Clyde Refinery and Gore Bay Terminal. This covers activities including gathering industrial hygiene information, implementing risk assessments and management plans based on internal and external standards. In addition, the hygienist will be involved with providing technical support to line management and personnel on industrial hygiene concerns and supporting the implementation of industrial hygiene policy within the HSSE (health, safety, security and environment) management system. This will include supporting initiatives on health and hygiene such as OEL(occupational exposure limits) assessments and medical surveillance. All activities will be conducted in line with Shell HSSE policies, procedures and business principles.
Requirements: Dedicated and motivated industrial hygienist, ideally with a background in a manufacturing, oil and gas, or similar environment and comfortable working in an autonomous role. Demonstrated experience in the hygiene field. Tertiary qualifications are required, and ideally full membership of the AIOH or equivalent certification in Industrial Hygiene.
Aviation Medical Officer, Wellington, New Zealand
The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand are looking for either a Medical Registrar/Trainee or Aviation Medical Officer.
This position offers a high degree of flexibility and may be attractive to an established Aviation Medical Practitioner or junior doctor interested in training in this field.
This position which is based in Wellington may be suitable to anyone seeking to work full-time or part-time in this industry focussed on a regulatory function. You will be providing specialist advice and training to medical staff, developing procedures and documentation and actively enhancing the activities of our Central Medical Unit.
To succeed in this position you will need excellent interpersonal, communication and time management skills and the ability to quickly establish your professional and technical credibility within CAA and the industry.
If you are thinking about and interested in Occupational Medicine this could be the opportunity you have been looking for. This could lead to a new level of career fulfilment and reward.
You must be able to obtain Medical Registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand.
Applications close on Friday 5, February 2010 and should quote vacancy number CAA 10/02. For more details about the position please go to the Civil Aviation Authority website and look under vacancies.
To apply please send a covering letter, curriculum vitae and CAA application form (found on our website) to:
HR Unit, Recruitment 09/04
Civil Aviation Authority
PO Box 31-441
Lower Hutt, 5040
New Zealand
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WCIM 2010 Melbourne |
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20 - 25 March, 2010 - Registrations Now Open
Registrations for WCIM 2010 Melbourne are now open. Make sure you register early in order to secure your place and receive the discounted early registration. Register online at WCIM2010.
This exciting Congress is being hosted by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the Internal Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand and the International Society of Internal Medicine and is the premiere Congress on internal medicine in the world. WCIM 2010 Melbourne is being held in Australia for the first time in its history, so this is your chance to attend this meeting in a local setting.
The Congress will be held at the new Melbourne Convention Centre which is now the largest combined Convention and Exhibition Centre in Australia. This new centre has been awarded a 6 star Green Star environmental rating by the Green Building Council of Australia, the first in the world for a convention centre.
Early bird registration for WCIM 2010 has been extended so there is no excuse for not coming!
The program is in the final stages of development and can be found on the Congress website and in fact, the AFOEM stream has already been finalised! Please note that the 2010 AFOEM Annual Scientific Meeting is part of the WCIM 2010 program.
2010 Ferguson-Glass Oration
Due to unforeseen circumstances Dr John Osman is no longer able to give the 2010 Ferguson-Glass Oration at WCIM on Monday 22, March 2010. However, the Faculty is delighted to announce that Prof Dame Carol Black has agreed to give the Ferguson-Glass Oration.
Prof Dame Carol Black is the National Director for Health and Work, Chairman of the Nuffield Trust, President of the British Lung Foundation, and Pro-Chancellor at the University of Bristol. She is the immediate past-President of the Royal College of Physicians, and has just stepped down as Chairman of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. The Centre she established at the Royal Free Hospital, London is the major centre in Europe for clinical care and research on fibrosing connective tissue diseases in particular Systemic Sclerosis and is internationally renowned.
Prof Dame Carol Black was responsible for the review, ‘Working for a Healthier Tomorrow', which looked into the health of working age people in the UK. This is an exciting opportunity for the Faculty and College to hear about the progress on the implementation of the Black review and the lessons for Australasia. It also aligns extremely well with the development of AFOEM's position statement on ‘Realising the Health Benefits of Work', which builds on a growing body of international research, including the Black report that:
- Work, in general, is good for health and wellbeing; and
- Long term work absence, work disability and unemployment have, in general, a negative impact on health and wellbeing.
- Return to work and maximum functional level should be seen as a desired outcome from any healthcare intervention
Trainees' Day at WICM
The College Trainees' Committee reports that the Committee has marked 2010 as the "Year of the Trainee". To celebrate this, there will be a College Trainees' Day as part of the WCIM followed by a Trainees' Ball.
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Paging Doctor To The Newsletter |
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Ergonomics Of Breast Screening Mammography Units
Dr Chris Walls, FAFOEM is putting together some advice for the mammography breast screening unit at his local hospital. He is seeking input from fellow Occupational Physicians working in hospital environments.
The radiologists have 3 computer screens (2 very large, high detail) and have to flick through a specific sequence of views using a single keypad type devices (plus mouse for the third screen).
About 35 mouse/keypad actions per exam, 80 exams per session (4 hours), quite intense concentration and the throughput is likely to increase over time. Some radiologists are developing forearm, shoulder and wrist pain.
A Code of Practice for the procedure has been established but as far as I can determine there is no mention of ergonomics nor discussion about alternative entry/pointing devices etc.
Do you have a unit at your hospital and any comments on the best setup?
Responses may be forwarded to: chris.walls@middlemore.co.nz.
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We Need Your Input |
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Medical Board of Australia
Consultation on proposals for registration standards for limited registration, a code of practice for the medical profession and a revised list of specialties and specialist titles.
This is the second in a series of consultation papers released by the Medical Board of Australia since its establishment. This consultation paper has been prepared in order to seek the views of the sector on a number of additional registration standards that the Board considers should be in place prior to commencement of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme on 1 July 2010. Specifically, this consultation paper invites comment on three proposals:
Proposal 1
Proposed registration standards setting out requirements for:
- limited registration for area of need registration; and
- limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice.
Proposal 2
A proposal that the Board adopt the Australian Medical Council’s code of practice Good Medical Practice as a code of the Medical Board of Australia, commencing 1 July 2010, in order to provide guidance to medical practitioners registered by the Board on matters of professional practice.
Proposal 3
The Board’s revised list of specialties and specialist titles, for the purposes of specialist registration as a medical specialist under the National Law.
For a copy of the consultation paper, click here. For more information or to provide comment for the College submission, please contact karen.steadman@racp.edu.au by COB Wednesday 20, January 2010
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RACP Elections |
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With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
The College elections will be held during the first half of 2010. In an effort to simplify and streamline the process, these elections will be conducted electronically.
A call for nominations for a number of positions will be circulated in February 2010. This will include RACP President-elect; AFOEM President-elect, as well as other elected positions on the AFOEM Council.
This is an opportunity for Fellows and Trainees to become more involved in the important work of the College and we hope that a number of Fellows/Trainees will consider nominating for these positions.
Further updates will be included in future editions of the E Newsletter.
Please ensure that you keep the College informed of your current email address.
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Newsletter Input |
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As My Good Mate Ab Lincoln Said At Gettysburg: "For Occupational Physicians. By Occupational Physicians."
Contributions to the AFOEM Newsletter is always welcome. Please email a paragrah to afoem@racp.edu.au by Tuesday of the publishing week for inclusion into the Newsletter.
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Changed Your Contact Details Recently? |
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Postman Pat & His Black and White Cat
AFOEM hopes to maintain a lifelong relationship with you, but to do so it is important that we keep your up-to-date details. Please notify us if you have recently changed your contact details.
Find A Consultant
Should you wish to be featured on the AFOEM "Find A Consultant" tool (found on the Faculty website), please write a short email addressed to Daniel Cheung with the required information you wish to be published. Please note that you will not be added to the webpage unless you have provided consent to the Faculty Office.
Occupational Medicine Journal (OMJ)
If you have paid for a subscription but have not recieved a copy of the OMJ in the post, please contact the Faculty Office. Similarly, if you do not wish to continue your subscription in 2010, please inform the Faculty Office at your earlier convenience.
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