the journal of the association of massage therapists ltd september 2008 President’s Report By Alan Ford Association of By the time you read this report, the And yet, the vast ranks of the unnamed Massage Therapists Ltd Beijing Olympic Games have been run play as much a part in the success of the Olympics as the ‘stars’ of the event. Office hours: and won. But as I write, 08/08/08 is just a Monday-Friday 10.00am - 4.00pm few days away ... Like the Olympics, any well run Level 1 Suite B, With the assistance of some friends and organisation needs the full support of 304 King Street sports administrators, the founder of the its administrators, staff, volunteers and Newtown NSW 2042 modern Olympics, Baron De Coubertin, members to function at the highest level. refashioned the traditional Olympic Leadership is given by the Executive Postal address: Games to what we know today. For Board - the Directors lay out the current PO Box 792, Newtown NSW 2042 an event of that scale to work, certain and future direction of the organisation T: 02 9517 9925 groups of people are needed to give to best position it in the marketplace. F: 02 9517 9952 their time, expertise and dedication. Staff is employed to implement this [email protected] Without sheer hard work, it would vision at an operational level. Sub- www.amt-ltd.org.au be impossible to stage the Olympics committees are formed to tackle particular areas of policy within the Workshops advertised in this Journal are not every 4 years. Without direction, necessarily endorsed by the AMT. The views, the venues would not be built to scope of the organisation. In the case of ideas, products or services in this Journal are not AMT, we have sub-committees in the key necessarily endorsed by the AMT. host the events. Without rules and regulations, the sporting events would areas of Education & Research, Discipline, not be considered fair and would be Finance, Ethics, Strategic Planning & unmanageable. Without referees and Marketing, and IT. umpires, the contests would not be able Members of the Board have taken on the to be managed. And, of course, without responsibility of developing ‘Terms of the athletes themselves, there simply Reference’ for each subcommittee. These would not be an event in the first place. specific terms of reference outline how the committees operate (how they are Since the beginning of the Modern constituted, what they do and how often Olympics the focus has almost always they meet etc). These will be available on been on the athletes. Names like Jessie the AMT website soon. Owens, Mark Spitz, Daley Thompson, Dawn Fraser, Flo Jo, Nadia Comaneci and Just like the Olympics, these Ian Thorpe are but a few of the legends subcommittees require people power in the annals of Olympic history. to make them effective. If you feel you have expertise in a particular area and, However, if you ask me to rattle off the like those fantastic volunteers at the names of administrators, referees, judges Games, would like to get involved please and volunteers, I can only manage a few: let us know. You can do this by making John Coates (of Sydney Olympics fame), contact with Head Office or our ever- Juan Antonio - the winner is Sydenee efficient company secretary. - Samaranch and Mr Julius Patching, ABN 32 001 859 285 a former Navy PTI who held several I look forward to catching up with you at administration positions with Australian the AMT Conference in Melbourne. Olympic teams for more than 50 years. amt association of massage therapists ltd Secretary’s Report By Rebecca Barnett Two significant pieces of legislation “the health care provider providing The good news for AMT members is that – one already in force and one due to be the treatment must be a member of a your Association meets the specified enacted on July 1 next year – will have a professional organisation which covers criteria and is well-placed to continue significant influence on the way Massage health care providers who provide that promoting the membership to the private Therapy is being practised in Australia. type of treatment (the profession) and health insurance industry. You will no Members of AMT should benefit from a which: doubt have noted the requirement for shift in thinking at a government level, (a) is a national entity which has professional associations to administer which effectively acknowledges Massage membership requirements for the a continuing professional development Therapists as healthcare professionals profession; and scheme - something that AMT has been and recognises the need to set minimum (b) provides assessment of the health doing for 14 years now. We were well standards of education and professional care provider in terms of the ahead of the pack in this regard. conduct. The effect of this shift in thinking appropriate level of training and The Private Health Insurance Accreditation and legislative change will be a tightening education required to practise in that rules for Massage Therapists are due to of the net around poorly-qualified profession; and come into effect on July 1, 009. The practitioners who are working “outside the (c) administers a continuing professional DHA have been generous in allowing system”. development scheme in which the professional Associations plenty of time Let’s look at the two relevant pieces of health care provider is required, as a to fall into line with the requirements, legislation, starting with the one with a condition of membership, to although several health funds have already national focus. participate; and made contact with AMT seeking definitive (d) maintains a code of conduct which confirmation of whether we meet the PRIVATE HEALTH INSUraNCE the health care provider must uphold criteria. (ACCREDITATION) RULES 2008 in order to continue to be a member; What does this legislation These rules have been drafted under and mean to me? the Private Health Insurance Act 007 (e) maintains a formal disciplinary In essence, these rules should have a and are part of a broader quality procedure, which includes a process positive impact on legitimate service assurance initiative being pursued by to suspend or expel members, and providers. As a private health fund the Department of Health and Aging an appropriate complaints resolution provider, the primary onus on you is to (DHA). The rules set eligibility criteria procedure.” maintain your Association membership. for practitioners who wish to offer In other words - and this is a bit AMT will continue to monitor your CEU private health insurance rebates for their surprising - practitioners who do not and insurance currency, our disciplinary treatments. Before I go into more detail, hold membership to such a professional policy and review or update our admission let me assure you that AMT members body will not be eligible as health fund criteria as required to reflect national who continue to hold current insurance providers. This is an unusual thing for the training standards. and maintain their CEU status will meet government to codify in legislation since the criteria and do not need to take any However, as a professional community, we there does appear to be Trade Practices specific action (other than maintain their should focus fresh energy and attention issues with setting such a requirement association membership!). to establishing a national standard of which effectively freezes out individuals professional conduct and practice that is The rules are interesting in that they who choose not to take out professional specific to our discipline. specify that therapists must hold association membership. I can’t help but The establishment of the Australian membership to a professional Association wonder whether this will be challenged Commission on Quality and Safety to be eligible as a provider of rebatable at some point due to the apparent anti- in Health Care in 006 should send a services. The onus is then on their competitive ramifications of the Rule. Association to monitor and fulfil specific clear signal to our industry. The current criteria. Rule 10, which applies directly to government mantra is accreditation and our industry, states that: we can anticipate further quality assurance initiatives as part of the Commission’s program of work. september 008 journal association of massage therapists ltd Already, the registered professions (such The emphasis in this code is on the kinds as GPs, nurses, physiotherapists and of professional conduct that AMT has optometrists) have been rolled into a actively promoted since inception – for Attention all National Accreditation scheme. example, ongoing education, insurance, Engagement in these issues has never appropriate referral and integrity in AMT members been more crucial to our community. promotion of the service being provided. I encourage all AMT members to What does this legislation Professional Indemnity involve themselves in the task of policy mean to me? development so that we set the standards Obviously, this Code only applies to Insurance that are adopted by government rather AMT members working in NSW. It does HAVE YOU RENEWED YOUR than relying on bureaucrats to do this on have several important ramifications for PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY our behalf, with little or no understanding NSW practitioners though. Firstly, if you INSURANCE? of our education standard or the realities allow your insurance to expire, you are in HAVE YOU POSTED OR FAXED of professional clinical practice. breach of the code. This applies equally A COPY OF YOUR CURRENT If you haven’t been to the AMT wiki to to all practitioners, whether you are full CERTIFICATE OF CURRENCY check out our own program of work in this or part time, working in a commercial TO AMT HEAD OFFICE? area, do it now! clinic or from a home clinic, only doing Please forward a copy to us now relaxation treatments or specific remedial so that your name remains current www.amt-ltd.org.au/wiki work.