SASMOA's TMO CHARTER
MINIMUM STANDARDS
FOR A WELL WORKPLACE
QUICK LINK:
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You can download the SASMOA TMO Charter here:
TMO Charter - Minimum Standards for a Well Workplace (PDF)
In August 2022 SASMOA released a new Charter which defines 15 minimum standards which should be met by employers to provide a ‘well workplace’ for Trainee Medical Officers (TMOs).
Developed by the SASMOA TMO Committee and endorsed by the SASMOA Council, the Charter fills a void by defining the practical measures that actually contribute to creating a safe and supportive workplace for TMOs.
Trainee Medical Officers include doctors from Interns to Senior Registrars.
Measures in the Charter include meeting the most basic of employment and industrial conditions, such as being paid on time and accurately, getting rosters on time, being able to take planned leave, having safe working hours, and only being asked to undertake safe work.
The Chair of the SASMOA TMO Committee, Dr Sam LaBroome, says the idea was to focus on practical items that are easily measured and that hospital administrators could then be held accountable for delivering.
“Essentially, this Charter provides a roadmap to well workplaces,” Dr LaBroome says.
“Meeting the basic minimum standards in each area identified in the Charter would relieve a lot of unnecessary daily stress on doctors, making our working lives just that little bit easier, so we can just get on with the important work of caring for our patients.”
The President of the SASMOA Council, Dr Laura Willington, says the Department for Health and Wellbeing and Local Health Networks unfortunately fail to understand the consequences of the current working environment.
“Everyone knows we have a health system under strain, but the situation is compounded when doctors have to battle for access to basic entitlements like breaks and leave or being paid on time and correctly,” says Dr Willington.
SASMOA is seeking endorsement of the Charter from SA Health.
