Yes it was. If music therapy had not been specifically identified in any of the questions it would not have been seen as a 'significant determinant of care needs'. The consequence of this would be a reduction in funding for music therapy services in aged care facilities. It was important for all RMTs who work in the area to make themselves heard. When I spoke with Anne McNeill the Director of the Accountability Section for the RCS she was under the impression that very little music therapy happened in aged care. Compared with physiotherapy and other allied health professions music therapy does not rate significantly in terms of volume hence the need to lobby for inclusion.
At the time of the review of the RCS a review of the Pricing Arrangements also took place, this was undertaken by Professor Warren Hogan. A review of the report can be found at www.health.gov.au/investigatinagedcare/report/index.htm (bedtime reading!)
As part of the 2004 Review, the government has accepted a recommendation from the Pricing Review that a new funding model for the residential aged care system must be developed. A new model is currently in the pipeline, which comprises three funding categories and two new supplements. The supplements are intended to support the special needs of residents with dementia who exhibit challenging behaviour and residents with palliative care needs. This new model will be implemented in 2006. This means that until the model is finalised, the RCS remains an issue.
Further action will be required by RMTs in the future to ensure funding is secured.
Stephanie Thompson
Chair, Government Relations Committee
How do you cope with multiples roles and professional overload such as:
• feeling burdened with the responsibility for 'flying the flag for MT'
and consequent burnout
• acknowledging that establishing a music therapy role in one’s own
workplace is demanding enough, without also taking on the role of team planning
to develop MT in each state, yet at the same time wanting to see MT develop
• multiple roles with consequent ethical dilemmas (eg supervisor, peer,
friend, coworker)
• How can AMTA better support and communicate with isolated members?
• What other changes could improve the situation in states without branches?
Is it feasible to develop more training courses?
• How can a few members best work together, given different clinical interests,
philosophies, and training?
• teleconferencing and other information sharing between states, especially
those without state branches.
• establishing email networks nation-wide in particular client group/interest
areas—Jeanette Milford has made a start on this project in the area of
mental health.
Is there an interest in other clinical areas?
My feeling about the isolation issue is that I no longer feel isolated. Over
the years I have become used to being one of few ... in WA, then in the NT.
I have learned to
create professional support networks that traverse disciplines, generations
and clincial contexts; seeking meeting places amidst our disparate and diverse
bodies of
knowledge, skills and understandings. Anja Tait - Northern Territory
National President Sue Coull reported on the outcome of this issue in the December
03 edition of Network:
We recently hosted a vote on the issue of students attending the PDS. This issue
has been around for some time, and was raised formally at the PDS in Brisbane.
The vote was then put up in the September Network (with comments from a number
of people on both sides of the fence), and a discussion page was listed on our
RMTs-only web-site.
I am sorry to say that despite the vigorous discussion and strong opinions given at the PDS, only 9 members of our professional association actually made the time to vote on this important issue. At the final count, 8 people voted "I think that final year students should NOT attend the PDS" that students, and one person voted "I think that final year students should attend the PDS".
On this basis, the PDS will remain an RMT-only event for 2004.