Jumping Ship

[Chesand]

What's the procedure for getting heart and mind in sync?

That would be too much like common sense which aint very common nowadays.

[Scott]

If you're a clinician thinking about leaving the public sector take a long hard look at the pay and conditions being offered in the private sector before making the jump.

There is only two private health care companies I would work for and that's Ramsay Health and Healthscope. I'm actually moving to a Healthscope Hospital who is diligent when paying their staff and providing the right conditions. I'm actually going to get a significant amount more for what I consider the same job. They pay above award rates and the ratio's in critical care are the same as public.

For all those who consider anaesthetists charge too much, consider their job. They administer life threatening drugs to you (best analogy I can come up with) and essentially keep your body in a very delicate state of flux. They earn every penny IMHO. I work with them every day and admire them greatly. Additionally, 9.75 times out of 10, you will be anaesthetised by a Registrar (trainee anaesthetist) in the public system. There are NO registrars or residents in the private system.

I've sat back and watch the public system decline over the last few years and it saddens me that our first class public system is deteriorating. Superficially everything seems okay but scratch the surface and you'll be astonished. I'd love to say more but alas...