2nd November, 1998
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is my pleasure to present to you the annual report of the Medical Benevolent
Association of NSW for the year ending 30th June, 1998.
This year saw no abatement in the ever-increasing demands on the Association's
resources. The first six months of 1998 saw 20 new cases added to those already receiving
assistance. At the end of 1997 we had a caseload of 156, covering 289 individuals. By 30th
June last this had increased to 176 cases and 326 individuals. One hundred and eighty
eight of these individuals are adults, 36 are tertiary students, 47 are secondary
students, 43 are primary students and 12 are pre-schoolers. There are a wide variety of
causes for these people having need of our financial and social work services - much the
same pattern of physical, mental and social ailments we are accustomed to see in our
everyday medical practices. There is, however, a disturbing trend. Of the 20 new cases
this year, 14 present doctors as the central person requiring assistance. Of these 14
doctors, exactly half presented with a psychiatric problem. Nine of the doctors are male
and five are female.
There is another disturbing trend. The Association's income from donations in the
financial year just closed was lower then the annual income in each of the last three
years. The needs are greater but the means of satisfying them are decreasing. Fortunately,
our investment portfolio, ably managed by Westpac Investment Management, profited from
favourable market conditions and allowed us to meet every demand. The current year will
not see this happy circumstance repeated. Approximately 10% of the registered doctors in
NSW responded to our annual appeal. Other doctors have generously taken the opportunity to
donate by adding a gift to the MBA when they paid their annual subscription to the NSW
Branch of the AMA. The Association is extremely grateful to the Branch for making its
meeting rooms and other facilities available to us. The Association would find its work
much more difficult without this material and moral support. To those many individuals and
groups and associations who do continue to donate year after year, we express deep
gratitude. Please speak to your colleagues about our work for distressed doctors and their
families. We ask this not only in the hope of attracting more support but, more
importantly, to ensure that those who may be in need are aware that an organisation formed
and funded by doctors exists to help them.
The donations we request are not only used to give financial relief to needy doctors.
The Association also employs a full time social worker in the person of Mrs Mary
Doughty AM. The MBA of NSW is the only medical benevolent organisation in Australia to
have a full time social worker. Each year, our social worker finds more of her time is
dedicated to counselling. This work is very demanding of time and skill but the
Association is happy to provide such a service because in many cases it prevents
professional or personal catastrophe. Mrs Doughty gives much of her own time to attend
seminars/conferences in order to refresh her skills and remain at the forefront of her
profession. One of her most important activities this year has been membership of the
Doctors' Mental Health Implementation Committee and its Working Party. The Association is
happy to give financial help to doctors with psychiatric disorders but we believe that
this growing problem will outstrip our ability to fund its sufferers and the only real
solution is to reduce its incidence. Mrs Doughty takes every opportunity to speak at
meetings and to maintain contact with organisations throughout Australia which have
similar aims to the MBA of NSW.
I take this opportunity to thank those individuals and organisations who make our
essential work possible. Firstly, the individual and organisational donors of funds and
facilities described above. The Honorary Treasurer's report mentions by name those
professional firms which guide us safely in commercial and legal matters. Mrs Doughty's
matchless contribution is detailed above. Council members know how hard and effectively
she works for our profession. The Medical Board of NSW has always supported the
Association with referrals and advice. The current financial year has seen the Board add a
generous donation to that support. We continue to look to the Doctors' Health Advisory
Service of NSW for referrals of impaired doctors. last in order of mention, but not in
merit, are the members of the Council of the Association. The wisdom they bring to our
deliberations is essential to the Association's proper function. All give precious time
which is taken from competing demands and interests. Many suffer financial sacrifice in
time away from their medical practices. The responsibilities of a Director and Officer of
a public charity are great; not only are they liable for the stewardship of large amounts
of donated money but they are also exposed to a potential personal liability arising from
the various duties which the law imposes on them in connection with their office. They
seek no reward other than the privilege of serving their profession.
The Council of the MBA was recently saddened to learn of the death of Dr Michael
Bender. Michael had served as a counsellor from 15/1/91 to 26/9/94. We will always
remember his humane attitude towards his colleagues and his unfailing courtesy towards his
fellow Council members. Your Association's mission is to alleviate distress in colleagues
and their families. This year, good support was given to those needy persons of whom we
are aware. The number requiring help is growing, in line with population trends and
increasing personal and professional pressures. We are, however, satisfied that your
desire to help your colleagues has been fully realised for another year. For the future,
please maintain your support and remember that the MBA’s success depends as much on
your recognition and referral of the needy as on your donations.
Dr Richard Herlihy
President
2nd November, 1998
Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen
I have pleasure in presenting the audited financial statements of the Medical
Benevolent Association of NSW for the year ending 30 June, 1998.
I am pleased to be able to report a surplus for the year, the first we have enjoyed for
several years. It is to be regretted, however, that this excess of income over expenditure
was not a result of greater support from the profession by way of donations, nor was it
due to diminished demand for our services. The surplus was in fact the result of buoyant
conditions for our investments. Such conditions will definitely not be repeated in the
current year. We are very grateful for this opportunity to replenish our previously
shrinking reserves but disappointed that support from doctors has actually diminished at a
time when the needs of our distressed colleagues are increasing.
Gaining an adequate income to provide support for those needing our care, while at the
same time accruing reserves sufficient to service the anticipated growth in demand,
continues to be a problem. This year the number of individual doctors donating was down,
as was the amount they donated. Donations from groups and organisations increased a little
this year but a good deal of this was from "one off" gifts from organisations
which were ceasing operation. We are, sadly, increasingly reliant on return from
investments to maintain our activities but this reduces the growth in our reserves which
is necessary to fund future needs. The Council gives a great deal of thought to finding
ways to reverse this trend.
Our investment portfolio with Westpac Investment Management realised 7.1 % income
return and 1.7% growth. This total return of 8.8% was very satisfying to us and exceeded
our prudently conservative target.
Beneficiaries received gifts totalling $250,095 this year. Much of our social worker's
time was spent in counselling individuals and families. This paid time should be
considered a "gift in kind" to beneficiaries. Our operating expenses of $117,567
were similar to previous years.
The Association's thanks are due to Gary Scarr of Westpac Investment Management, Dennis
Mattiske of Mann Judd, our accountants, and Mark Kelly of Deloitte Touche
Tohmatsu, our
auditors, for their professional assistance and availability throughout the year.
Mary Doughty's untiring work for the MBA continues. I thank her once again for the
assistance she has given me during the year.
Mr President, I put this report to you and move that it be adopted.
Robert D Wines
Honorary Treasurer
2nd November, 1998
The past year has been a busy and rewarding one. In December 1997 I attended the
inaugural meeting of the Doctors' Mental Health Implementation Committee (MHIC) - called
to implement the Report on the Mental Health and Well-being of Doctors which was launched
in October 1997 by the NSW Minister for Health. This meeting was attended by
representatives from all the various facets of the profession and Tony Williams will talk
about this. A Working Party was set up and I have been a member of this. Although time
consuming in meetings and reading hours, it has been really worthwhile and I hope the MB9s
long experience has been helpful to the Committee.
In January I attended the 2nd International Social Work Conference on Health and Mental
Health in Melbourne - a chance to meet colleagues from interstate and overseas - and to
hear some of the great experiences of yesteryear eg setting up the first social work
department in Persia in a basement laundry area and then having to flee the country
overnight in the 1970s. I also talked yet again with Mrs Josephine Grant about the
Victorian MBA and its guidelines for both counselling and financial assistance.
Thanks to the NSW Branch of the Christian Medical/Dental Fellowship, I have been able
to speak with students/junior medical officers/registrars at Bankstown/Westmead/The New
Children's/John Hunter and Concord Hospitals and a cross section of medical practitioners
in Newcastle about the need to care for their own health as well as they care for their
patients. This is a continuing programme. As reported in the Medical Observer, my theme is
'time for family and personal relationships is essential' and 'someone else will do your
job if you are dead'. At these meetings I always speak of the DHAS and now the
DMHIC.
There is no doubt that face to face discussion achieves better results than any other form
of communication.
I attended the DHAS Discussion night in February, its Annual General Meeting in August
and the National Meeting in Tasmania just recently. These gave me the opportunity to speak
about the differences in the way the various MBAs are working and the unfair burden this
places on the MBA of NSW. The CEO of the Sunshine Coast Division of General Practice (who
previously asked for information about the Association) spoke glowingly of the way the MBA
helps doctors and their families, especially when compared with her own state.
I also attended the Second National Conference on Child/Adolescent Mental Health in
Sydney and a Seminar on lobbying which the NSW Branch of the AASW ran at Parliament House
under the sponsorship of Independent Member, Dr Peter McDonald - who hoped he would never
need the services of the MBA! Each function provided an excellent opportunity to talk with
doctors, social workers and other health professionals about the work of the MBA.
In between time, I have done some work for the MBA and its beneficiaries. There has
been an increasing number of doctors with bankruptcy problems. As agreed by Council, such
people are advised that the MBA cannot help with loans, debts, etc but will make sure they
have a roof over their heads, food on the table and someone to talk with.
