Consultant reports to the ACCC critical of AMWAC process

Major deficiencies and lack of rigour in the process implemented by the Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee (AMWAC)* to review medical workforce groups have been highlighted in reports to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said today.

"The ACCC is concerned that this may have affected the conclusions of various reviews such that medical workforce needs and requirements for new training positions may have been under-estimated.

The Reports to the ACCC by Professor Jeff Borland of the University of Melbourne were publicly released today. Copies of the reports have also been provided to the team currently conducting a review of AMWAC. The AMWAC review is to advise the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council on the future national medical workforce needs and the suitability of AMWAC, including its structure and methodology, for meeting those needs.

"Professor Borland's reports may be of assistance to the Review Team in conducting its task.

"The ACCC has had some concerns about the AMWAC process for some time, including its perceived lack of independence from the profession.

"After talks with AMWAC on these issues, the ACCC accepted an open invitation by AMWAC to examine its process. To that effect, the ACCC engaged Professor Borland to critically examine the AMWAC 1999 review of orthopaedic surgery workforce in Australia and report to the ACCC.

"Professor Borland has provided two reports to the ACCC:

1. an evaluation of the AMWAC 1999 review of orthopaedic surgery workforce in Australia and
2. recommendations on the AMWAC process for the provision of advice on medical workforce matters.

"Professor Borland concluded that while the overall methodology used by AMWAC to assess the adequacy of current medical workforce, evaluate future needs and make recommendations regarding training position numbers appears satisfactory, there are major deficiencies and lack of rigour in the details of its implementation. Professor Borland was also concerned that the composition of AMWAC working parties has led to the dominance of decision making by medical specialists. The second report provides a series of recommendations to address those issues.

"The ACCC is still considering Professor Borland's reports".

Background

* The Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee (AMWAC) was established in 1995 by the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council (AHMAC) to advise on national workforce matters, including workforce supply.