Australian Otolaryngology Volume 7 Number 2 Summer 2010
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IETY O OC F O Volume 7 Number 2 Summer 2010 S TO N L IA A L R A Y R N T G S O U L A O E G H Y T Australian H E Y A R D E A G N U R D N E C K S Otolaryngology A newsletter published for the benefit of all members of the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery From your President 2010 has been a busy year for the Society with a number of developments - not least of which was Stuart Miller retiring as President. Stuart stood down following the Surgical Leaders Forum March meeting of Council and handed A most valuable initiative in which I participate is the over the chain of office at the Annual Surgical Leaders Forum co-ordinated by RACS. These Scientific Meeting Gala Dinner. On forums occur during RACS Council week on a Thursday behalf of everyone associated with morning. A selection of interesting relevant and topical the Society I thank Stuart for his issues are discussed with four or five guests invited to great contribution to the Society as speak. Transcripts of three of the talks are available from President. We are fortunate that he the Members section of the ASOHNS website and are well has chosen to remain on the Council so his wise counsel worthwhile perusing. is not lost. One issue which has gained some attention during these Diamond Jubilee ASM highlight forums has been Training in Private Practice. A workshop on surgical training and private practice was held and the Undoubtedly the highlight of the year was the Diamond outcomes were further presented at the Surgical Leaders Jubilee Annual Scientific Meeting held in Sydney in late Forum by Mark Hughes the censor-in-chief. There will March. Bringing together a fine array of international undoubtedly be pressure to better utilise this area of and local speakers, the meeting attracted more than 400 practice in a variety of ways in the future with regards delegates from the specialty, including 70 from overseas, training and education. Members will be kept informed providing a real international flavour to the meeting. of developments. The high quality of the international speakers and an appealing range of workshops ensured that delegates Australia honoured guest at American Academy meeting were provided with an excellent educational program. Away from the meeting itself, the Society Medals Those members considering attending the September presentation and NSW Senior members attending the American Academy Meeting will be pleased to learn that Gala Dinner courtesy of the NSW Division provided a great the American Academy has designated Australia as an sense of camaraderie. Congratulations to all involved, honoured guest country for the 2011 Annual Meeting in particularly Convenor Brian Williams. We all look forward San Francisco next year. For Australian Society Members, to the 2011 ASM in Melbourne next April. this will mean a US$100 reduction on the registration fee, recognition at the Opening Ceremony and invitations to three separate receptions put on by the Academy and hosted by the President J. Regan Thomas. On a broader scale there are a number of issues, which continue to concern the Council and the medical profession at large. ASOHNS Journal From a local perspective members will be disappointed AHPRA national registration to learn that the ASOHNS Journal supplement, which The national registration of the profession undertaken by we have worked very hard to reinvigorate, has struck a AHPRA has not been without its problems and controversy. hurdle. Owing to a number of reasons, the American Notwithstanding the delays in processing and mandatory Academy has withdrawn its support from the two-year reporting, a recent private members debate in the House trial arrangement of producing an Australian supplement. of Representatives questioning the transparency and Editor Simon Carney and other members, are currently processes involved in assessing IMGs, particularly with investigating the situation and examining possible options. regard to rural practitioners, also called for a review of The Journal is a valued aspect of ASOHNS membership the assessment practices of the specialist colleges. This and I am keen that this worthwhile resource will continue. involved not only IMGs but training and selection as well. Members will be kept informed of developments. More to come on that I’m sure. Continued page 2 www.asohns.org.au ASOHNS 1 Australian Otolaryngology Volume 7 Number 2 Summer 2010 From your President... continued. Council Meeting Update The ASOHNS Council met in early November this year Member Services and the following key issues were addressed: On the topic of member services, I am pleased to report that Council has doubled the capitation payment back to • Dr Rob Black, as Specialty Representative to state Divisions in order to better facilitate local education RACS, was appointed as an ex officio member initiatives and programs. I understand this decision has of Council been well received at the local level. Council is cognisant • SA Section Chair, Dr Darcy Economos, of continually looking at how better to provide services to presented a progress report on the restructure members or meet community needs within its jurisdiction of the Australian Day Surgery Council* and much time is given to considering how best to do this. Naturally, suggestions from members in these areas are • The Budget for 2011, presented by Hon. most welcome. Treasurer Dr Niell Boustred, was approved • Nominations for the Society Awards for 2011 Vale were approved and recipients would be Finally it is with much sadness that I report the death of announced at next year’s ASM. our colleague and close friend Sam Robinson. Sam’s death • The Continuing Professional Development was particularly sad and distressing for us all. He had Report received from CPD Sub-Committee vast knowledge and experience in his highly specialised Chair, Dr Malcolm Baxter, noted the high level and challenging area of sleep surgery and his teaching, of member compliance. (Read this report on education and training of both colleagues and registrars page 10) will be sorely missed and very difficult to replace. I wrote to his wife and family expressing our sincerest sympathies. • From 2012 Senior Members would pay 50 per cent of the Ordinary Member registration fee Members will also be saddened to learn of the death of to attend the ASMs long-time Victorian member George Rayner in August. George was well known and delighted in wearing his • From 2011 Senior members and their partners ASOHNS tie each day to work as a sign of his pride in the from the ASM host state would be invited as Society. ASOHNS’ guests to the ASM Gala Dinner • President, Dr Michael Jay, presented an update on the direction of Training in Private I express my thanks to Mark Carmichael in particular, our Practice* attentive and diligent CEO. His pursuit and execution of all matters coming through the office is prompt, efficient and • A policy covering “Key Principles on Running highly professional. an ASM” was considered and adopted. I thank both Carole Gridley, Membership Officer and Kate • Approval was given for the Professional Elsegood, Surgical Education & Training Administrator, Conference Organiser to be engaged for the who ensure that all matters are handled in a professional 2012 and 2013 ASMs and pleasant fashion. Their efforts are greatly appreciated. • Both Queensland Section Chair, Dr Fiona Panizza, and WA Section Chair, Dr Philip Grey, were welcomed as new state representatives I take this opportunity to wish all members and their to Council families a happy Christmas and New Year period and I look forward to seeing you all in 2011. • ASOHNS’ protocol for handling complaints from external agencies was approved* Michael Jay President *For further information about these items please contact Mark Carmichael, CEO at ASOHNS 2 ASOHNS www.asohns.org.au Volume 7 Number 2 Summer 2010 Australian Otolaryngology CEO’s Message Meeting the Challenge in Education Information PD e-bulletin meets member need Providing valuable and worthwhile services to you as members is fundamental to the rationale of the Society. One of those services, which is much Members will have noticed that each meeting listed in demand, is providing information on contains a link to further information in the Events section professional education opportunities. of the ASOHNS website. This allows for easy access to the Hardly a week goes by when the necessary information for that meeting and also means Society is not asked to promote a information on other meetings is within easy view. conference, meeting or a workshop somewhere in Australia or overseas. These requests are The first PD Update e-bulletin was sent in May 2009 and entirely appropriate, as all of the activities are relevant included information on two meetings. For the remainder and providing such information is one of ASOHNS’ key of 2009 it was produced on a quarterly basis and listed 14 services. meetings in total. Previously the challenge was determining how to bring all In 2010 the PD Update e-bulletin was distributed seven of those requests together and present them to members times and listed a total of 28 meetings. in a way that the information could be quickly read Importantly, we trust that this approach is working and and understood and facilitated access to more details that information that is relevant is reaching you. if required. At the same time this service needed to be provided in a coordinated fashion. In closing I thank everyone for your generous support throughout the year and I look forward to seeing you at Within the secretariat this has been addressed using the the 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting in Melbourne in April.