Medical Board Continues to Fund Victorian Doctors' Health Program

AMA Victoria welcomes the Medical Board’s announcement that it will continue to fund the Victorian Doctors’ Health Program  for a further three years, as it considers its adoption at a national level.
The Victorian Doctors' Health Program (VDHP) is a vital support service for Victoria’s medical workforce. Each year, around 200 Victorian doctors approach the VDHP for the first time, and others rely on it for ongoing support. A 2013 beyondblue survey  (National Mental Health Survey of Doctors and Medical Students) found that doctors and medical students reported substantially higher rates of psychological distress and attempted suicide compared to both the Australian population and other Australian professionals.
The Victorian Doctors' Health Program  was previously funded completely by the now defunct Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria. Of the medical registration fees, $25 per medical practitioner was allocated towards the VDHP. This funding extension will enable the Medical Board to decide which state-based frameworks are to be implemented in a nationally consistent doctors’ health program.
 “The Victorian Doctors' Health Program works extremely well in Victoria and the extended funding of this program is a welcome development. We are confident that as more scrutiny is applied to this program, consideration should be given to implement similar services across the nation as this would be beneficial to all doctors throughout Australia,” AMA Victoria President, Dr Stephen Parnis, said.