Visiting Medical Officers play a vital role in the Queensland Health system in this era of doctor shortages. In addition to providing short-term answers to the skills shortage of improved full-time medical staff, wages and conditions, it is equally important to value the vital role of Visiting Medical Officers.
Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) augment full-time medical specialist services by providing speciality input in a number of disciplines throughout the state and advanced specialties at major metropolitan and provincial hospitals.
Not withstanding their private sector activity, VMOs are vital to the continued operation of the Queensland public health system. There are about 800 employee VMOs – working an average of 8-9 hours per week – making up about two per cent of the Queensland Health wages bill. Although this is a small component of the Queensland Health medical workforce, it is a vital one, with VMOs providing the sole speciality service in a number of disciplines in many rural and regional facilities. In metropolitan hospitals, VMOs have a significant clinical and teaching role.
In October 2005, Queensland Health and Australian Medical Association (AMA) Queensland finalised a new agreement for Visiting Medical Officers worth $100 million over four years, which applies to Visiting Medical Officers in Queensland Health, the Department of Corrective Services, the Department of Communities and the Mater Public Hospital, Brisbane. With the 2005 VMO Agreement in place, a significant step has been taken to value and attract this expert workforce.
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© The State of Queensland (Queensland Health) 2008.