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February 2019 vic.home.afmw.org.au Volume 17 Issue 1

President’s Report

Dr Magdalena Simonis

Welcome to our first newsletter for 2019. In this issue we reflect on our Strategic Plan for the ensuing year/s ahead. The VMWS committee met on December 3rd at 7pm as we traditionally do, at the Lyceum Club in Melbourne. We welcome non-committee members to attend as ‘visitors’ upon request. We commenced by revisiting our vision: ‘To promote and defend equitable healthcare for all Victorians’. Our Statement of Purpose includes: 1) Advocate for the health needs of disadvantaged groups in the community including, but not limited to, the opportunity to access formal health care services and equality in health outcomes. 2) Promote the needs of women and children, including the personal and professional needs of women working in healthcare industries. 3) Professional Development /Social Networking. Upon this framework, we have agreed that given our resources and skills, we will take action on, advise and/or advocate for the following: Women’s and Children’s Health: - Reproductive and sexual health: options/support.

- Gendered medicine: the differences between male and female patients as well as the difference in levels of care provided by male and female healthcare professionals.

- Mental Health in the medical profession. I am currently conducting research on young doctor suicide and am developing a program for supporting young doctors transitioning from University to the hospital.

Women’s Advocacy:

- Support for parents who are students (Centrelink/University facilities).

- Breast feeding in public.

- Gender discrimination and harassment in the medical work place. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons has initiated the ‘Operating With Respect’ program for all of its members and trainees in an effort to address the issues of sexual harassment and sexual discrimination that is endemic in parts of the profession. This is a major step in a positive direction and we commend the strategy.

- Equitable pay and leadership representation in medical organisations. Professional Development:

- Networking: how we can better support each other and each other’s work.

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In this issue: Page 3: VMWS Committee list, Important Deadlines

Page 4: How we do what we do

Page 5-6: Article: Tackling inequity in diabetes care in

developing countries with Insulin for Life – by Dr Laura

Constable

Page 6-7: Recommended Reading.

Become a VMWS Member.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

Thursday 21st February

Women’s Health Victoria:

Workshop: Bystander Action to Prevent Violence Against Women Workshop: Safe and Supported: Building Workplace Capacity to Manage Family Violence

Thursday 28th February

DEADLINE for abstracts for posters for Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) Centennial Congress and Centennial Book submission – see page 2 for details

Wednesday 13th March 7pm – 8.30pm

Your Fertility GP Webinar, https://www.yourfertility.org.au/for-professionals

Friday 22nd March 12pm – 2pm

Women in Medicine Grand Round at the Royal Women’s Hospital

Saturday 23rd March

‘Planning for the unplanned’, RACGP Women in GP, at RACGP House

Thursday 28th March 7pm

“How we do what we do” – Venue TBC Check our website.

Monday 8th April

VMWS Committee Meeting – Lyceum Club

25th – 28th July MWIA Centennial Congress,

New York

- Skills Sharing Matrix: this is an initiative I welcome all our members to participate in and involves uploading your details, year of graduation, areas of research, areas of interest and LinkedIn details so that we can connect even if we haven’t yet met, on professional grounds. For instance, how many of our members know what research papers you have authored and in what field. How about your current passion in medicine, do you know if one of us can help you develop relationships, build connections? My aim is that we can support each other through sharing on our skills matrix. It can also assist in pairing up with a suitable mentor.

- Job sharing. We strongly want to develop this and invite members wanting to get involved to contact Dr Anne Stanaway and Dr Elysia Robb.

Other positive developments have been the work on our updated website. Thank you to Rosalie Cooper, Treasurer, her husband, John Cooper and our Secretary Madhura Naidu, who have been working on this. It is up and running now and we will have an automated membership reminder system; comments from members are welcome. We want to ensure we are growing and provide our members with enough interesting material to read, access and even contribute. You do not need to be a committee member to share an interesting article with us.

We congratulate members of VMWS and AFMW for being recipients of Australian honours awards this year. The list includes: Dr Sue Packer Senior Australian of The Year Award from ACT, Dr Janet Duke, Dr Kate Drummond, and Dr Jenny Hoy. In January, VMWS sent a letter advocating for equal pay for education in part-time GP training – to RACGP, MCCC, GPRA, AGPT, including Dr Harry Nespolin - current President of RACGP. To date we have received 3 responses and are now awaiting an RACGP response. February 28th is the final closure date for abstracts for MWIA centennial congress to be held in New York in July 2019. You also have the wonderful opportunity to have your name, degrees and date of graduation printed in the MWIA Centennial Memorial Book for a fee of $20 Australian. All you need to do is pay $20 into the VMWS account, details in this newsletter, with your name stating that it is for MWIA – then send a separate email to Dr Rosalie Cooper, our Secretariat or myself noting that the donation has been banked, so that we can send the list of names to the MWIA secretariat by February 24th. The closing date for MWIA is 28th February but if you miss our deadline, then you will not have the pleasure of being named in the Centennial book. It is a once in a century opportunity! We are gearing up for our first event of 2019, the “How We Do What We Do” evening seminar, to be held on Thursday, 28th March, starting at 7pm. We have a wonderful panel of medical presenters lined up and look forward to seeing as many of you there. It’s a full year for us and I look forward to keeping you updated through our bi-monthly newsletters. Dr Magdalena Simonis

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Upcoming Important Deadlines

DEADLINE: Thursday 28th February

As many of you know, the Medical Women’s International Association Centennial Congress is happening in July this

year in New York.

If you wish to present a poster, the deadline for abstracts is Thursday February 28th.

If you wish to be a part of the Centennial Memorial Book, all you need to do is pay $20 AUD into the VMWS account

by February 24th. Once you have paid this please email Rosalie Cooper or VMWS Secretariat with your name, year of

graduation and qualifications, and organisation/country (Victorian Medical Women’s Society, Australia).

Upcoming VMWS Event: ‘How we do what we do’

Thursday March 28th – 7pm

Venue: TBC

This annual event run by the Victorian Medical Women’s Society is a highlight event of the year. In March, members

of the VMWS, whether new, old, or prospective, come together to meet, mingle and discuss the big issues facing

women in medicine. In previous years at this event we have explored the themes of mentorship, flexible training,

and building supportive communities of practice. Each year the group discusses new insights and strategies to create

empowering workplaces in which everyone can thrive.

While I have learnt a lot from the past generous and inspiring speakers, I have taken away many new thoughts and

ideas from the stimulating panel discussions, one of the things I enjoy the most at this event is the sense of

community, and the feeling of support and inspiration that comes from a room full of medical women peers.

This year’s event is shaping up to be a great one. We are very excited to announce our first speaker, Associate

Professor Vicki Kotsirilos AM, an experienced general practitioner who has held leadership positions in the areas of

integrative medicine, medical education, and environmentalism.

VMWS Committee 2018/19

President, AFMW Rep. Dr Magdalena Simonis Vice-President Dr Adele Storch Secretary, IT Officer Dr Madhura Naidu Treasurer, National Council of Women Rep.(NCWV) Dr Rosalie Cooper Immediate Past President A/Prof. Deb Colville AFMW Rep., General Committee Dr Desiree Yap AFMW Rep. Tasmania, General Committee Dr Kate Duncan General Committee, Archivist Dr Anne Stanaway Publicity Officer Dr Latha Devaraja Newsletter Editor Dr Claire Felmingham Website, IT Officer Dr Liliana Nanji Membership Officer Dr Abigail Miller Senior Members’ Representative, AMA and NCWV. Dr Rosalind Terry Sponsorship Officer Dr Elysia Robb Social Secretary Dr Chamani Kodikara

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Dr Catherine Crock AM from Royal Children's Hospital involved in establishing the "Hush" music program and

Dr Magdalena Simonis, our President will be presenting.

Dr Neela Janakiramanan will speak, she is a champion, a Plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

http://drneelajanakiramanan.com.au.

You may know of her advocacy work from her #kidsoffnauru, see: https://doctorsmakechange.org. she is also campaigning

for the Urgent Medical Transfers Bill.

Further information about speakers and venue will be advertised on our website. You may phone our Secretariat if

you have any enquiries.

You do not have to be a VMWS member to attend this worthwhile event. Please do come along and bring your

friends for an evening of stimulating discussion, reflection, and new ideas.

Dr Claire Felmingham

Another interesting event

For Eventbrite booking details:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/grand-round-panel-discussion-health-advocacy-women-in-medicine-tickets-55183766130

Croakey, an independent social justice in health journalism organisation will also be in attendance live tweeting, doing vox pop interviews before and after with articles in the lead up and after.

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Tackling inequity in diabetes care in

developing countries with Insulin for Life

Dr Laura Constable

Diabetes is a global epidemic, disproportionately affecting people

in developing countries. Somewhere in the world someone dies

from diabetes every 6-seconds (International Diabetes

Federation). Currently approximately 50% of people who require

insulin to manage their diabetes cannot access or afford it.

Established in Melbourne, Australia in 1986, Insulin for Life (IFL) is

a now international non-for-profit organisation that aims to

address this inequity. During August 2018, Dr Lena Handrinos and

Ms. Laura Constable (VMWS Committee Member, Deakin

University medical student) discussed their involvement with

Insulin for Life with delegates at AMSA (Australian Medical

Student Association) Global Health Conference, including with Dr

Deb Colville (AFMW President).

Insulin for Life is targeting diabetes inequity internationally

through several platforms. The organisation collaborates with

health services and governments to collect, package and

transport unexpired, unopened and unused insulin and related

diabetes supplies from nine advantaged countries, to clinics

serving the poor in over 30 developing countries. People with

Type 1, Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes are assisted. IFL

also contributes significantly to locally run diabetes education

camps in developing countries, where IFL members work with

local clinicians and health clinics to provide a supportive

environment to educate youth with Type I Diabetes. Screening

and testing for diabetes complications is also carried out, with

appropriate referral and follow-up with local doctors. IFL also

helps run community diabetes education and screening days and

assists with advocacy and clinical research.

Current estimates are that Insulin for Life Global has saved

$12,000,000 worth of insulin with over 4,000,000 millitres being

used to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes in

developing countries. There are numerous ways for doctors,

health professionals and other volunteers to become involved

and contribute to the important work IFL carries out. These

include sending unused in-date insulin and related diabetes

supplies, assisting with shipment preparation, helping with camps, advocacy, and supporting fundraising events.

More information can be found at the organization’s website: www.insulinforlife.org

WWW.SBFA.COM.AU - IAN@SBFA.COM.AU - 0403 432

812

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Insulin for Life

Ms. Lena Handrinos (IFL Global Board Member), Dr Deb Colville (AFMW President), and Dr Laura Constable (VMWS

Committee & IFL Associate) at the Balcony Session at Melbourne Town Hall at AMSA Global Health on Saturday 18th

August 2018

Recommended Reading

Article: When a doctor says “I am depressed”

Author: Leanne Rowe. Journal: MJA Insight +

Available at: https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2019/3/when-a-doctor-says-i-am-depressed/

Book: Women to the Front

Authors: Heather Sheard and Ruth Lee. Paperback: 320 pages.

Publisher: Ebury Australia (2nd Jun. 2019), also distributed by Amazon.

East Melbourne Vic. 8002

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To become a member of VMWS

Visit our website and select MEMBERS from dropdown box,

choose Become a Member or use the link below.

https://vic.home.afmw.org.au/vmws-membership

Victorian Medical Women’s Society Inc.

When you join VMWS you get three memberships for the price of one!

VMWS, AFMW and MWIA. If you agree, you will automatically be subscribed to all three

lists and your email address may be shared with AFMW members.

You will then receive email communications from all three bodies. In the membership subscription program you can select your options for this.

(Refer to the Website, for our privacy policy).

Secretariat address: PO Box 252, East Melbourne, Vic. Australia 8002