Doctors' dirty secrets

THOUSANDS of Victorians have been unwittingly treated by 98 doctors with mental health, drug or alcohol problems. Victoria's Medical Practitioners Board has been monitoring the practising doctors closely. Some have had to submit urine samples for drug testing three times a week. Others underwent random drug testing.

The Medical Error Action Group, which campaigns for patients' rights, says the doctors should stop practising rather than be "monitored". "If these doctors have drug problems they should not be practising," group spokeswoman Lorraine Long said. "What about the patients? This information is not readily out in the public domain. It must be. "The medical board has its health committee to assist doctors, but what are their plans to protect patients?"

In the past two years, 31 of the sick medicos were monitored for drug abuse, 11 for alcohol abuse, 45 for psychiatric conditions and 11 for cognitive impairment. This week, 59 of the doctors were still practising. There were 16 referrals to the Victorian Medical Practitioners Board's health committee in 2004-05 -- 11 of them for psychiatric conditions. But the latest figures from the board's health committee -- to be released next month -- will show only 39 of the 98 monitored doctors ceased practising medicine this year. Curbs were lifted on six practitioners who had been monitored for long periods. They were deemed to be practising safely.

A spokeswoman for the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria said the health committee was established to help rehabilitate doctors suffering medical or psychological conditions. "The reality is any doctor who is at risk is not practising," she said. "The health committee is designed to keep doctors in safe practice and also as a way of protecting the community. "There is already an acute shortage of doctors; we want to support these doctors. "It is also important to remember there are 20,000 practising doctors in Victoria."

A recent report by the AMA showed that some doctors worked up to 113 hours a week. Medical practitioners with significant health problems are monitored for three years. Notifications about doctors' health comes mostly from colleagues or treating medical practitioners. Some are from Department of Human Services drug and poisons unit. As part of monitoring, conditions are imposed on the doctors' registration, including the doctors' hours of work; supervision and regular screening for substance abuse. The board noted in its annual report that the continuing increase in the number of medicos suffering from cognitive impairment "continues to trouble the committee".

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Violent mother 'a risk'

More insane "child welfare"

A violent, drug-addicted woman who bashed her mother then beat her ex-partner as he held their daughter has gained unsupervised care of the child. "Donna" -- whose real name cannot be published for legal reasons -- was handed care of the 32-month-old girl in the Children's Court of Victoria. The magistrate went against recommendations from the Department of Human Services and police.

Donna's mother and her ex-partner's mother yesterday labelled the system a "failure" after the ruling, warning it could wreck the little girl's life. Donna, 23, left her mother battered and her daughter, "Lily", distraught in a violent rampage last January. She bashed her former partner's car windscreen, smashed through the front window of her mother's home with a block of wood, then attacked the 49-year-old woman.

Donna's mother had been looking after Lily and said she did not want to return the "malnourished" baby because Donna was abusing drugs. "She came through my front window, then headed towards me swinging the block of wood, screaming 'give me my daughter'," she said. "I managed to grab the wood from her, but then she starting punching, kicking and kneeing me. She punched me into the wall, giving me a black eye."

Donna then kicked her way through a locked bedroom door, behind which her ex-partner was hiding with Lily, before beating him, she said. Donna was found guilty in Ringwood Magistrates' Court of assault, recklessly causing injury and two charges of criminal damage and received a 12-month community order without conviction. After the attack, Lily was removed from Donna's care.

Donna was diagnosed with chronic mood disorder, substance dependence, histrionic personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. But the Children's Court ruled that Donna should have the girl, with an order that she be monitored by department workers for three months. But with the supervision order now expired, Lily's grandparents fear for her life. "Lily deserves so much more but, if she stays where she is, she won't have a chance of a decent life," Donna's ex-partner's mother said.

Donna admitted the attack, saying her mother tried to take her baby away. She also said her mother's funeral "could not come soon enough". The magistrate said this week he could not recall the exact details of the case.

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Young Libs push flat tax, school vouchers

The next generation of Australia's conservative political leaders wants a flat tax, a voucher scheme for Australia's schools and a ban on intelligent design in science classes. The Young Liberal Movement's annual convention in Melbourne next week will warn the party that taxes remain too high and debate is needed on a flat tax. A superannuation-style health savings scheme has also been devised to offer an alternative to private health insurance and could be traded between family members offering no-gap cover.

And the younger generation is also unimpressed with Australia's academics, suggesting a trimester system at higher education institutions, on the grounds that "students and many academics do nothing for six months of the year". "The reality is many researchers do no research whatsoever and are paid large salaries to teach 14 hours per week for 26 weeks of the year," the proposed policy argues. [Spot on!]

Clearly underwhelmed with Treasurer Peter Costello's tax cuts that delivered $21.5 billion over four years in the last budget, the conference will also vote to support indexation of personal income tax brackets to inflation. Delegates to the conference will debate whether "Australia has some of the highest tax rates in the world", warning that "it is imperative that tax rates are cut and that individuals are allowed to enjoy the fruits of their labour". "Flat taxation is the fairest form of taxation, whereby each individual pays the same percentage of his or her income tax," the policy states.

The conference will debate education policy, with intelligent design in science curriculums rejected on the grounds it is designed to inject theology into science. There are also proposals to offer a voucher scheme that would pay education grants straight to parents to be used in public or private schools. Parents could top up the grant to send their children to an expensive private school or gain a place at a low-fee private school or a public school.

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Fry me kangaroo brown, sport

KANGAROO is hopping from supermarket shelves to dinner tables faster than you can say Skippy. Shoppers are finding that our national emblem is one of the leanest -- and cheapest -- meats, with sales skyrocketing in the past year. Roo meat is selling for at least 30 per cent less than beef and lamb. Last week kangaroo fillet was selling at Coles for $17.95 a kilogram compared with $26.99 a kilogram for Scotch fillet.

Coles spokesman Jim Cooper said customers were growing to love kangaroo with sales growing by 25-30 per cent each year for the past two years. Australia's only kangaroo supplier, Macro Meats in Adelaide, supplies mince, sausages, fillets, kangaroo tail, kebabs and mini roasts. "Supermarkets have embraced it, whereas before they were cautious," Macro Meats managing director Ray Borda said. "Price definitely has something to do with it."

Unlike cattle and sheep, kangaroos were thriving in the drought, producing top quality meat, he said. "They have been in the best condition we've seen. They are the ultimate survivor."

Mildura chef Stefano De Pieri serves kangaroo at his Spanish Grill restaurant at the Grand Hotel. "It's a very gamey, sweet and tender meat," he said. "It's best served simply. Everyone can cook with it. "

Meanwhile beef and lamb prices are set to rise significantly if the drought breaks. Meat and Livestock Australia said more farmers will try to rebuild herds and will hang on to animals, creating a shortage. Until then, prices should remain stable.

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