I, Jane Tudor of Creek Street Medical Practice, 173 Creek Street, BENDIGO, State As Follows

I, Jane Tudor of Creek Street Medical Practice, 173 Creek Street, BENDIGO, state as follows:

1. I am the practice manager at the Creek Street Medical Practice in Bendigo. I, together with 2 of our GPs, have been here since the practice was set up 13 years ago. Our other two permanent GPs have been with us for 4 and 9 years respectively.

2. The Creek Street Medical Practice was opened in 1999 by two of our current GP Directors. We employed our practice nurse the following year- she, together with all staff has been here ever since. We have 3.5 EFT GPs, we teach 2nd and 4th year medical students and GP Registrars. We were the first practice in Bendigo to be accredited. Our practice provides out of hours care for all our patients-including a Saturday morning surgeries.

3. At Creek Street we employ a full time Div 1 nurse. We negotiate her remuneration annually taking into account the needs that the year brings, for both parties. Currently we pay at R Nurse Level 1 Yr 8+ award rate +10%. Conference fees/study time/meeting time/apna fees and offer to pay registration (always declined) are part of the deal and one long weekend away with the staff per year.

4. Our nurse enjoys any flexibility re personal needs that she requests, eg collecting kids, attending parent teacher interviews, school recitals etc. Our nurse is never asked to do Friday afternoons or Saturday mornings as this suits her best.

5. Hours are strictly within the 38 hours per week averaged over a 2 week period.

6. Wages and contract are discussed annually and if personal needs arise within the year they are addressed immediately. We are entirely flexible with her contract, within the law.

7. Our nurse could earn more locally than we can offer financially (and has done so in the past), however, it is the non award conditions that are the drawcard here. She is exceptionally well qualified.

8. We are a small General Practice. Each doctor sees only 2-3 patients per hour 85% of whom are bulk billed, thus we are a low earning practice. It would make better financial sense for us to employ a part time nurse and a part time receptionist BUT we all multi task – nurse, bookkeeper, typist and Practice Manager all service the front desk.

9. The imposition of an Enterprise Bargaining regime might mean we can no longer sustain a full time nurse position.

Signed:______Date:______