RickInOz

As you will remember, last year Regan decided she had had enough of organising my life and being my secretary. Recognising my limitations, there was no way I would have been able to sort myself out so electronics came to the rescue. While this device is great and has prevented me forgetting numerous meetings and commitments, it still has one shortcoming. It can’t form fill. The cycle of bureaucracy has come round again and it’s time to complete more paperwork.

Firstly my passport needs to be renewed. I got the last one when needing to go to Canada for my medical student elective. While still having vivid memories of that trip, it doesn’t really feel that long ago. Fortunately there are enough Brits in Australia that they have streamlined the process of passport renewal. The only aspect that disconcerts me is that I will have to surrender my passport and thus be without formal identification for a few weeks. One amusing aspect of the renewal process is that I will have to get one of the “colonials” to countersign for me!

Next I have to put some forms into the Australian Medical Council to get more formal recognition of my UK qualifications. It seems the current ad-hoc arrangement of state-based registration is to come to an end. Anyone without an AMC certificate risks being losing their job, so I am trying to sort this out as a matter or urgency. Given the continuing parlous employment status in the UK, I can’t afford to lose out on my previously arranged jobs here. Also I don’t want to miss out on all those fun helicopter trips in the next six months.

One of the requirements of temporary residence is having medical insurance to cover illness and operations. This covers private services mainly on an elective basis, but will also sort out emergency treatment. Fortunately I don’t necessarily need to call on this (and risk increasing my premiums) as the NHS has a reciprocal agreement with Medicare. All I have to do is show my visa form and UK passport to the Medicare office in town, fill in the obligatory forms and I get a Medicare card to brandish at paramedics and emergency department staff. It is one of those things you hope never to need, but better to be like a scout and go prepared.

Finally I am sorting out some medical liability insurance. In the UK it was relatively straightforward and I had already arranged it as a medical student. A simple matter then to upgrade it as my career progressed. When I came out here I simply asked the UK insurance company to extend my cover internationally and they contracted a local insurer to provide a reciprocal cover.  However while back on holiday last September I wondered why I was continuing to pay for insurance in the UK, while living in Australia, frittering away the money left in my bank account. Instead I have just sent in the forms to get covered here instead. If you can believe it I was paying over £300 a year for the UK liability whereas I get exactly the same cover here for just $30! I can’t believe I didn’t sort this out earlier.

So, yes, the joys of red tape. And to come to the point of today’s post (no, I didn’t forget), I could really do with a secretary to do all of this for me. Any volunteers?