Welcome

Welcome to the September edition of the CICM e-news.

(Please dis-regard the May newsletter sent earlier today - this is the real newsletter for September) 

With the ASM, New Fellows Conference and Board meeting behind us, the CICM Office is now looking forward to the next lot of exams and working hard on the AMC accreditation. 

If you would like to include something in the next e-news please forward it to Lisa Davidson at lisad@cicm.org.au

AMC Accreditation

The Board has begun the process of a strategic review, in anticipation of a major review by the AMC in the next year.  A steering committee has prepared a draft Strategy and Tasklist which was approved at the June Board meeting.   The Board identified key priorities as follows:
   
1. Conduct a Workforce Survey which will consider issues such as an assessment   of the future workforce, the impact of outreach work and responsibilities outside the ICU, public and private practice, the hospital environment and resources/service expectations, rural practice, the number of non-Fellows practicing intensive care and the role of the ‘hospitalist‘.

2.  Establish a working group to develop a new CPD program. 
 
3.  Undertake a review of Policy Documents IC-1 and IC-3, and the wider context of a review of training issues (such as competency based training, casemix, paediatrics and rural training, modular training, a ‘Provisional Fellowship‘ Year, the changing responsibilities of intensivists).

4.  Through the Education Committee, consider increasing and improving structured training of Supervisors, including the number and format of SOT workshops.

5. Through the Trainee Committee, seek systematic feedback from trainees on the quality of training and assessments.
 
Fellows will be kept informed of progress with these tasks and are invited to provide input into the ongoing development of the Strategy.  

Workforce Survey

Shortly all Fellows will receive a email inviting them to participate in an online Workforce Survey, drafted by the College DPA Dr Felicity Hawker. This survey is intended to give insight into the work patterns and changing demands on intensive care specialists today.
The results will help inform decisions on training of future specialists and will follow on from previous similar studies undertaken by Professor Don Harrison.

The results of the survey will also be helpful as we compile the AMC accreditation submission.

Please take the time to complete this survey when you receive the email.

CPD

An email was sent to all Fellows at the beginning of July, informing them of the new Medical Board of Australia‘s CPD requirements. The Medical Board has stipulated that all Fellows must be enrolled in a college CPD Program that is relevant to their scope of practice as of 1st July 2010. 

If you have questions regarding the enrollment in multiple colleges‘ CPD programs or any other issue relating to your medical board registration, please contact the Medical Board for clarification.

To be considered enrolled in the CICM MOPS/CPD program, you simply need to log on to the online diary and record an activity. The diary can be found at:
http://www.cicm.org.au/mops.php

If you have any questions about the College MOPS/CPD Program or your log in details, please contact Lisa Davidson.

Training News

Changes to the Intensive Care training program  
The Board of the College at its meeting held in November 2009 proposed and ratified some changes to the CICM training program. It was decided that the duration for the core intensive care component of training should be increased from 24 months to 36 months.  
 
The following changes will be effective from 1st January 2011.

- Trainees registering with the College from 1st January 2011 must spend 36 months of training in Intensive Care units approved by the Board. 12 months of this period may be undertaken in Basic training in units approved by the College for training.

- 24 months must be undertaken in Advanced training, in units approved by the College.

- At the discretion of the Censor, trainees who are undertaking concurrent training with another College (ANZCA, ACEM and RACP) may have this period reduced to 30 months by fulfilling the following:
 
1. Completing all components of basic training of the second specialty as well as the first year of advanced training, and;  
 
2.  Satisfactory completion of an introductory intensive care course, such as the BASIC course. The dates, registration and other details regarding the BASIC course can be obtained from their website at http://www.aic.cuhk.edu.hk/web8/BASIC.htm  

Please note these changes to the training program will only affect trainees who register with the College from 1st January 2011. The changes will be incorporated in to the CICM regulations and will be available for viewing shortly.  
 
If you need any further clarification regarding these changes please contact the CICM office on 03 9514 2888.

Rural News

The Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges has recently announced the establishment of the government funded RHCE Program which is aimed at providing continuing professional development (CPD) and multidisciplinary team based educational opportunities for medical specialists who practice in rural and remote areas of Australia.  

The RHCE Stream One funding is divided into two distinct components:
  1. Support for individual CPD participation.
  2. Support for CPD initiatives that promote Multi-disciplinary Teams (MDT)
Priority will be given to remote and very remote applications, as well as MDT projects, which will aim to provide additional skills and systems to health professionals that may result in improved team based care arrangements.   
 
The RHCE Program Management Unit is holding a forum on 24th September 2010 inviting participation from Specialist Medical Colleges. The objective of the forum is to discuss RHCE strategic planning and facilitate collaborative learning opportunities for inter-College multi-disciplinary CPD initiatives.  

The CICM Board‘s Rural and Remote Liaison Officer, Dr Mike Anderson and the Chair of the ANZICS/CICM Conjoint Rural Committee, Dr Penny Stewart will attend the above forum on behalf of CICM, with the intention of seeking funding for the establishment of a program aimed at addressing CPD needs of our rural members.  
 
Fellows, particularly rural specialist members, are invited and encouraged to discuss the program and put forward relevant ideas prior to the seminar to either Dr Anderson or Dr Stewart, who can be contacted through the CICM Office on 03 9514 2888.  
 
Further information about the program is available at www.ruralspecialist.org.au   

2010 ASM

2010 Annual Scientific Meeting   The first ASM to be held under the CICM banner was a great success. Around 320 registrants and good support from the Health Care Industry ensured that the event had a sound financial outcome.

The Board expressed their thanks to the convener, Deepak Bhonagiri and the organising committee (Liz Fuggacia, Ian Seppelt, Stuart Lane and Priya Nair) and also to the outgoing ASM Officer, Allan Beswick.   The graduation ceremony, held at the magnificent MacLaurin Hall at Sydney University saw 32 new Fellows present.

An honorary Fellowship was bestowed upon Dr Sheila Willatts from the UK and the College Medal was awarded to Professor Teik Oh, who also delivered an outstanding Oration. The full text of Professor Oh‘s Oration is available on the CICM website at http://cicm.org.au/asm2010.php.

The Don Harrison Medals for best performance in the Fellowship Examination were presented to Michael Putt (May exam) and Oliver Flower (October exam).

The Felicity Hawker prize for best presentation at the formal project session was awarded to Ravi Tiruvoipati, for his presentation ‘High flow nasal oxygen vs high flow face mask: a randomised crossover trial in extubated patients‘.

2011 ASM

2011 Annual Scientific Meeting

NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE CANBERRA
                                 3 -5 June

International Speakers
Professor Julian Bion
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Birmingham University, United Kingdom

Professor Kathy Rowan
National Intensive Care Research and Audit Centre
London, United Kingdom

Dr Robert Fowler
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, Canada

Key Dates
Submissions for:
The Felicity Hawker Medal & The Free Paper Session
Opens October 2010

Early Bird Registrations
Opens January 2011

ASM Website Coming Soon with all the latest information on Speakers, Program and On line Registrations. www.cicm-asm.org.au

Events & Courses

The 27th Australian Short Course on Intensive Care Medicine - "Tubs Course"

A course on Intensive Care Medicine will be held on 23-25 February 2011. The course will be held at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia. 
The course is specifically aimed at trainees sitting for the CICM Fellowship Examination. It is strictly limited to those planning to sit the exam in 2011. The Course runs for 3 days and will include tutorials on the written examination, vivas and hot cases, as well as running mock examinations. 
The cost is AUD$1,000. Positions on the course are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first served basis from Monday 1 November 2010. (N.B. applications for the course will not be accepted before 1 November).
For further information and an application form, go to: www.cicm.org.au/courseaus.php


The Canberra ICU Course
This course is suitable for those candidates beginning their preparation to sit the CICM Fellowship Examination.
For further information and registration form, please visit:
www.cicm.org.au/courseaus.php


"Bedside Critical Care 2010" ...........In the Sun!
27th - 30th September 2010
Are you tired of working so many weekends and can‘t face the thought of spending more of you precious time attending a work conference? Well the answer is here! "Bedside Critical Care 2010" provides Clinical updates Practical skills sessions Mid-week In September School Holidays (All Australian States and NZ) Numbers strictly limited The ‘Salt Village Resort‘ at Kingscliff (Next to Byron Bay) is just 20 minutes from Coolangatta airport and provides an exceptional combination of world class conference facilities with 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments for the whole family. Don‘t miss out! The numbers for the practical skills workshops are strictly limited and this is an enormously popular destination. Being school holidays accommodation is likely to be very heavily booked. For more information go to the website: www.criticalcare2010.com.au


Advanced Life Support (ALS) Course
This two day internationally accredited course has been developed to standardise the teaching of cardiac arrest and resuscitation management.
For further information please visit the website:
www.anaesthesia.mh.org.au

Fibre-Optic Airway Workshops
For further information please visit the website:
www.anaesthesia.mh.org.au

5th International Hokkaido Trauma Conference
The conference is focused on updating clinicians on the changing practice of trauma medicine. 
For further information please visit the website:
www.anaesthesia.mh.org.au


Advanced Paediatric Intensive Care Simulation Course (APICS)  February 28th - March 2nd 2011 Skills Development Centre, Herston, Brisbane This 3 day course for Paediatric Intensive Care, Anaesthesia and Emergency Trainees has a strong emphasis on essential theory required to manage seriously ill children supported by a challenging simulation component. The technology used in this course includes high fidelity baby and paediatric mannekins. The course also incorporates communication skills and team management as an integral component. Register on-line at http://www.sdc.qld.edu.au/APICS-010.htm  

A CHANCE TO PRESENT YOUR RESEARCH FOR A PRIZE!  OR COME ALONG TO SEE YOUR COLLEAGUES RESEARCH!

DEAR CICM TRAINEE
The Alfred ICU would like to invite you an industry funded dinner, with an award for the best presentation.

Come along to see other people present, or present your own research project. If you would like to present then you will need to submit your abstract to Alistair Nichol (alistair.nichol@med.monash.edu.au) at the Alfred prior to November 3rd 2010.

There will be up to 6 short presentations on the night over the evening.  The presentations will be judged by an esteemed panel of Alfred and Non-Alfred Researcher-Intensivists. 

We would like to invite registrars from across Victoria who might have an interest in research, or even a need to present their formal project. Alternatively this will give those yet to complete their research an opportunity to see what other trainees are doing.

We are very hopeful that you might be both interested, and available to either present, or just come along for a free meal and a social event amongst other CICM trainees and consultants. We are looking for sponsorship and venues at the moment and need an indication of numbers.

Please reply to o.roodenburg@alfred.org.au in the next 2 weeks  (before September 16th) to reserve a place for the evening. PLACES WILL BE LIMITED.
More details will follow, but the December 3rd date is locked in.
Hope you can come- let me know.   Owen Roodenburg

Letter from HWNZ

Dear colleague

I‘m writing to you as a fellow New Zealand doctor to update you on some of the medical workforce initiatives underway in your home country and to request your input into future programmes to both support and develop our profession.

Health Workforce New Zealand (HWNZ) was established late last year by the Minister of Health to lead the planning, training and deployment of the health workforce, and my personal goal as executive chair is to help ensure that our health workforce is sustainable and fit for purpose.

Our health system is undergoing wider changes. In common with many other countries, New Zealand has recognised the need to reform the way we configure our health services and our models of care. A series of clinically-led health sector reviews in specialties including anaesthesia, elective surgery, diabetes, gastroenterology, mental health and vision health is currently underway, and due for completion later this year. 

We are monitoring health insurance changes in the US, and the consequent Canadian response, the way Australia manages a relative excess of medical graduates with regard to internships and subsequent training posts, and the impact of austerity changes in Europe on the global medical workforce. The new UK Government is implementing a programme of major efficiency savings in the NHS, with emphasis on productivity, innovation and quality which we are also following closely.  

The long term impact of changes in the global economy on health systems is uncertain, but, we know that Ireland and Spain have cut public service salaries by up to 15% and 5% respectively and that there are three-year wage freezes for public sector workers in Canada and Italy and a two-year freeze in the UK. 

There will be much for us to learn from these international reforms, and there are both threats and opportunities. It is noteworthy that at a time of drastic cuts in health funding internationally, we intend to invest heavily in health workforce development in New Zealand. 

In the context of wider health system changes, we recognise that change in the way we train and develop our medical practitioners is paramount.

Two commissions which reported last year acknowledged the deficiencies in the training experience of many of our junior doctors and made a number of recommendations designed to restore and enhance a genuine apprenticeship.

Issues that can only be resolved with the input of the medical profession include how a medical apprenticeship should be delivered in both hospital and community settings; what needs to be done to enable such arrangements; and how we can better support SMOs and GPs to ensure appropriate mentoring and training opportunities for RMOs and registrars. 

While we engage our doctors in dialogue and work with the Medical Council of New Zealand on prospective changes, we have taken some immediate practical steps to support current trainees, including development of a new online careers service offering information and advice to medical students and RMOs, as well as direct access to an experienced professional who can provide guidance on training options.

A voluntary bonding scheme that provides incentive payments to help pay back student loans for younger doctors who take up posts in shortage specialties or regions is proving highly successful. This will now be complemented by an advanced trainee bonding scheme, offering registrars in areas of need - such as anaesthesia, obstetrics and gynaecology, rehabilitation medicine, renal medicine, general surgery, pathology, psychiatry and rural general practice - funding to cover costs of salary and a period of extended study either here or overseas, in return for commitment to a post in their speciality here in New Zealand.

HWNZ has commenced joint working with the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and the Medical Council on a national review of GP training to be completed by January 2012. This new initiative is likely to see more cross-over of training and working between hospitals and the community and will offer doctors choosing general practice new opportunities to develop their skills and work in a range of settings.

We have also prioritised clinical leadership development and hosted a national forum in June with senior representation from across the health sector to agree a way forward. The outcome is a proposal to establish a national collaborative venture to marshal resources and existing initiatives and we hope this will be in place before the end of the year.

Concerted efforts are being made to recruit and retain our medical talent, in parallel with wider workforce development initiatives, including piloting of new roles and improved workforce planning.

I have written directly to doctors working in New Zealand to invite their input to the work programmes already underway as well as ideas for further initiatives, and their feedback has been invaluable.

I want to extend that invitation to colleagues who have decided to pursue their medical careers overseas. You can help shape improved medical careers in New Zealand, and I hope you might also consider a return to practicing here in the future.

You can find out more on our website at www.healthworkforce.govt.nz and you can get in touch with me by e-mail at info@healthworkforce.govt.nz.



Yours sincerely Professor Des Gorman BSc MBChB MD (Auckland) PhD (Sydney) Executive Chair Health Workforce New Zealand