AMA VICDOC_Spring 2026_09.09.2026 - Flipbook - Page 49
WHAT PRACTICES CAN DO NOW TO
PREPARE FOR THE CHANGES
Move beyond one-size-fits-all hybrid
“the job needs someone at the desk”
Move beyond one-size-fits-all hybrid
sounds self-evidently true but isn’t, on its
policies to a genuine, role-by-role
assessment process.
A blanket policy is precisely what failed
in Chandler – if the Victorian Bill proceeds
even in amended form, a practice with no
assessment framework will be starting from
scratch under time pressure. We recommend
putting into place a process now, which
means it can flex to whichever version of
own, a sufficient reason in the Chandler
sense. Recording the specific operational
basis (patient flow at particular times,
phone coverage, no viable remote-access
alternative) turns an assumption into
a legitimate, “reasonable” reason, and
considering alternatives first demonstrates
the genuine engagement the Fair Work
Commission and the state position expects.
the state right ultimately lands.
Monitor the Bill's progress under
Train practice managers to document
evidence-based reasons for any
Premier Carroll and reassess policies
once its final form is known.
refusal, particularly for telehealth
or remote work.
Under both the current FW Act framework
and any Victorian right, the legal exposure
sits in the quality or “reasonableness” of
the refusal reasoning, not the outcome.
A practice can lawfully refuse a request –
but only if it can point to specific, role-based
grounds (rostering, supervision, clinical
safety) rather than a general preference
for in-person work. Contemporaneous
documentation is also what protects the
practice if the refusal is later challenged.
Ensure remote staff are covered by
WHS risk assessments, including
psychosocial and clinical safety
considerations.
WHS duties don’t pause because someone
is working from home, and for clinicians
this isn’t just a workplace-safety issue but
a clinical governance one. A telehealth
doctor working from an unassessed home
setup creates exposure on two fronts
simultaneously: a WHS breach if something
goes wrong with the physical or psychosocial
environment, and a clinical governance gap
For front-of-house requests, record
operational reasons for on-site
attendance while considering feasible
alternatives.
if there’s no plan for managing an emergency
or a privacy breach remotely.
Extending the risk assessment framework
to remote and telehealth arrangements
now closes both gaps before either the
Reception and administrative roles are the
federal or state right expands who’s working
highest-risk category precisely because
from home.
49
