|
|
President's Report3 November 2003 Ladies and Gentlemen I have much pleasure in presenting
this report. It addresses your Association's activities during the year to
30th June last, the Council's evaluation of the challenges that lie ahead and
how we propose to deal with them. Two hundred and forty seven doctors
and family members are currently being assisted. One hundred and forty six
of these are adults, eighty-three are student dependents of doctors and eighteen
are preschoolers. The causes of their distress include all the health and
personal misfortunes that could befall any individual or family. What are the challenges that face us?
We must make sure that doctors realise that the Association belongs to them,
that they are not alone in their troubles and that confidential, non-judgmental
help is always available. We have to ensure that we can provide
professional social work counselling whenever it is needed. We must be
confident that we have the funds to continue this successful model of helping
doctors with counselling and donations. We have to remain aware that our
work is performed in an increasingly regulated environment. I believe
that, for the most part, these regulations are desirable but they do impose
penalties for organisations that do not comply and personal risks for directors
who fail in their duty. We continue to try to bring our
services to the notice of the profession. Mrs Doughty, our social worker,
actively seeks invitations to speak to groups and organisations. Our
Honorary Secretary, Dr David Chen, writes to the same bodies every year and
encloses a copy of our annual report. Dr Gary Galambos was invited to be
the Association’s representative on the committee for the 3rd National
Doctors’ Health Conference. He assisted the organisation of this very
successful conference and made a presentation. Gary also generously devotes time and
energy to maintaining the Association’s website. This is continually
being updated. The AMA (NSW) kindly publicises our name and contact
details in each edition of NSW Doctor. Despite these efforts we fear that
we are not doing enough to ensure that doctors and others know about the
Association’s services and availability. The publicity activities of the
Royal Medical Benevolent Fund in the United Kingdom have been brought to our
attention and we have resolved to emulate their example as far as possible. Our task might appear simple. We
collect money from donors and investments. We spend it on beneficiaries by
provision of social work counselling and gifts. If only it really were
that simple. When we approach potential donors we are competing with
experienced organisations that employ professional fundraising and have
fundraising budgets greater than this Association’s net worth. When we
raise and spend money on behalf of beneficiaries it is done in a complex legal
environment. Inadequate performance in this area could jeopardise the
Association’s corporate existence and tax-deductible status, as well as risk
the financial and professional standing of individual directors. Giving is not an easy task, either.
Our valuable tax-deductible status could be lost if we act imprudently
here. This happened to an organisation similar to us in another state.
Yet another interstate medical benevolent organisation is having problems
gaining tax-deductible status. You can be assured that every cent expended
on donations and administration is subject to rigorous examination. Every
director can and does contribute to these discussions, which occasionally even
become debates. You are probably aware that the
Australian Government has drafted a definition of charities for tax purposes.
I believe that our activities fall within that definition. This
should mean that our Association will continue to receive the benefit of
important concessions. The concessions relevant to us include exemption
from paying income tax on our investments, deductible gift recipient status and
refund of imputation credits. What can I report about our management
of these challenges? I am happy to announce another year of successful
collecting and giving. We have met all the legislated requirements of
which we are aware. Our donations from individual doctors are markedly
down but our financial health has been maintained by gifts from medical
organisations, by a substantial bequest and by the performance of our investment
portfolio that was better than average for conservative investments in the
difficult conditions of the year. We are able to continue to operate at
our present level indefinitely. Our greatest source of unease is the well
founded suspicion that there remains considerable suffering in the medical
community that could be alleviated if only our role and availability were better
known. The Association’s Council accepts that its most pressing
challenge is the need to let doctors and their families know that we are here
and we can help. The Association’s work is made
immensely more easy by the moral and material support of many. I refer to
the medical organisations that contribute financially, many of them year after
year. Their donations are accompanied by encouraging letters that affirm
the value of our work. The AMA (NSW) Branch contributes to our
productivity and our finances by provision of a meeting room and office
facilities as well as reminding their members of our need for donations.
The NSW Medical Board donates generously. Our relationship with these bodies
does not impair the strictly confidential relationship we have with our
beneficiaries. We maintain great interest in and admiration for the work
of the Doctors Health Advisory Service of NSW and encourage them to refer
doctors to us. It is almost forty years since the
Medical Benevolent Association chose Mary Doughty to be its interface with
beneficiaries. Her role became much more comprehensive than that simple
description. Our success is due in great part to her selfless dedication
and professional skills. Many of the beneficiaries who write to thank us
for our help actually express their gratitude to Mrs Doughty because the support
they received came from her counsel rather than our money. I must also
thank the Directors of the Association. This Association cannot function
without your time and wisdom. You carry great responsibility for the
governance of a public charity and the stewardship of a venerable institution.
Your work here costs you time from your practices and families. For
me, one of the rewards of my position is working with you. Particular mention must be made of
Dr Joy Vautin who retires as a director after twenty-two years. She has
been particularly valuable as a Councillor because her expertise as a
psychiatrist has had increasing relevance due our changing caseload. She
has selflessly made herself available more than any other director during my
time on this Council. On behalf of all present I thank Joy for her
wonderful contribution to doctors and their families.
Richard
F Herlihy President
|
| Dr Richard Herlihy (President) Dr Furio Virant (Vice President) Dr Andrew Wines (Vice President) Dr David Chen (Secretary) Dr Christopher Dalton (Treasurer) Dr Peter Duke Dr Joy Vautin Dr Antonio Di Dio Dr L Pfitzner |
Dr Stella Dalton Dr Gavin Frost Dr Gary Galambos Dr Stephen Green Dr John Harrington Dr Clement Loy Dr John Newlinds OAM Dr Norma Stephens Dr Vincent Wong |
Composition of Council:
General Practice: 3
Psychiatry: 3
Ophthalmology: 1
ENT: 1
Salaried: 2
Hospital: 2
Urology: 1
O&G: 1
Surgery: 1
Retired: 2
Social Worker
Mary Doughty AM
Chartered Accountants
HLB Mann Judd
Independent auditor
HLB Mann Judd
Investment advisors
BT Financial Group
Copyright
© 1998-2004.
Medical Benevolent Association of New South Wales. All rights reserved.
Citation suggestion:
Medical Benevolent Association of NSW, Annual Report 2002-3 (http://www.dmh.org.au/mba/report_2003.htm)
[date accessed]
Last revised: 25 February 2007 21:10
