Tasmanian Health Senate - remuneration and reimbursement guidelines

Please read these guidelines in conjunction with the Tasmanian Health Senate Terms of Reference and Tasmanian Health Senate Operational Framework.

Introduction

The Tasmanian Health Senate aims to have a collective voice representing the whole of the health system to actively contribute to informing and influencing the delivery of quality healthcare for Tasmanians.

The Senate will consider system-wide priorities that affect access, quality, safety, efficiency, and sustainability of health services to formulate advice that is informed, impartial and integrated to enhance patient care and health outcomes.

It will include around 50 members with appropriate expertise, experience and skills from across the health system to enable a broad and diverse perspective to enhance patient care and health outcomes and delivery.

The Tasmanian Health Senate functions under the authority of the Secretary Department of Health (DoH) and is supported by the Minister for Health.

These guidelines have been prepared to ensure all members, including those who are external to the Department, are recognised for their time and commitment and the lived and clinical experiences they bring to Senate debates. They also aim to address any potential financial barriers that might prevent participation.

The guidelines have been informed by other jurisdictions, whole of government direction and consultation with key stakeholders. They will be regularly reviewed to reflect current best practice approaches to clinical and consumer engagement.

Purpose

The purpose of these guidelines is to define remuneration and reimbursement for members of the Tasmanian Health Senate who are not participating through a paid role or paid employment, or who are forgoing their regular income to participate. The guidelines also outline the protocol for access to remuneration and reimbursement of approved out of pocket expenses.

Scope

Remuneration and reimbursement protocols are applicable to members of the Tasmanian Health Senate who are not participating through a paid role or paid employment, or who are forgoing their regular income to participate. This includes consumers and carers, or external stakeholders with clinical expertise and medical practitioners who need to take time out from private practice to participate.

Where attendance at meetings is part of their regular employment and work-related travel is normally paid for by the sponsoring employer, members are not eligible for remuneration or reimbursement of expenses.

Schedule of remuneration and reimbursement

The following rates have been developed through consultation with key stakeholders to align with other Tasmanian boards and health services in other jurisdictions.

The guidelines and rates will be reviewed every two years, or more frequently as required.

No reimbursement for any member will be provided for:

• Printing costs associated with Tasmanian Health Senate meetings
  • Meeting agendas and papers will be provided via email, or printed and posted to consumers, carers and community representatives, and external stakeholders, if there is a specific need for hard copies.
• Telephone, mobile or internet data costs.
• Parking fines or other traffic infringements.

Please refer to the Terms of Reference for complete details on member roles, expectations and commitment requirements.

Table 1. Tasmanian Health Senate payment schedule

Member Category	Fee / Requirements
Consumer, Carer, Peak Health Organisations and Community Representatives	$100 per meeting up to 3 hours $175 per meeting 3-5 hours $250 per meeting >5 hours   Disclaimer: This rate is being trialled whilst a review of remuneration of consumers participating in Community Advisory Groups is undertaken by the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Upon endorsement, these rates may be amended to align with a whole of Government policy.
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) registered health practitioners Professionals in Schedule 1, Allied Health Professionals Public Sector Unions Wages Agreement 2019 (or its successor)	$130 per hour

Other significant reimbursements:

• Public transport, taxi fare, car parking, childcare, respite care and other travel expenses (upon presentation of receipt).
• Travel reimbursement will be paid in accordance with the Australian Taxation Office standard guideline of $0.72 per kilometre (2021-22) unless otherwise advised.

Schedule notes:

• If the appointed Chair falls within a member category that requires payment, they will receive a 25 percent loading on their category fee.
• All rates of payment quoted in this schedule are GST exclusive.
• The fee structure applies to weekdays and weekends.

Payment in advance is not permitted.

Payment management

Members of the Tasmanian Health Senate who require payment under these guidelines are classified as suppliers and not as employees.

To receive payment from the Department of Health the member must complete and submit:

• a DoH Creditor Payment Request Form (the form requires details such as personal details, bank details, ABN details)
• an Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Statement by Supplier (if an ABN is not supplied in the Creditor Payment Request Form)

Other payments, such as costs relating to reimbursement for travel can also be included on the Creditor Payment Request Form, but they must include supporting tax invoice/s.

The member does not have to provide the DoH with:

• a supplier invoice or
• an ATO Tax File Number Declaration (as they are not being paid as an employee).

It is important to note if the member:

• submits an ATO Statement by Supplier, the ATO requires the reason/s for not quoting an ABN (which is typically ‘The supplier is not entitled to an ABN as they are not carrying on a business…’)

does not provide an ABN or a completed Statement by Supplier, the DoH may need to deduct ‘withholding tax’ from the payment.

Timing of payments

In most cases members will be paid following each Tasmanian Health Senate meeting and will not be paid for unattended activities/meetings.

Meals

The Department of Health will endeavour to provide catering at Tasmanian Health Senate activities to avoid separate reimbursements for meals. In the case of activities requiring an overnight stay, the DoH will cover the cost of meals such as dinner and breakfast as part of the accommodation booking.