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AWMA Committee Meeting June 2010 - News Release

AWMA Structure Review

As members may be aware, AWMA and the state and territory wound management Associations have been exploring their structure and relationships with each other. At present each state and territory Association is completely autonomous (with the exception of the Northern Territory – which is a branch of AWMA). Whilst this arrangement has served the Associations well in the past, it is now time to review and restructure to strengthen and build our position as the peak professional wound management body in Australia. AWMA employed PKF Organisation Development as an independent, expert group to assist in a survey of members, collect information and develop a range possible options examining whether restructure was needed and, if so, what the options for restructure might be. A group of representatives from each State and Territory Association have been involved in this process.

In May 2010 it was agreed to proceed with a restructure of AWMA and the State and Territory wound management Associations. This should provide the following outcomes:

1. A unified name/brand and logo
2. Standardised member benefits
3. A common website

At this stage it is not planned to become a truly national body and each independent State and Territory will remain financially independent. However, formation of a national body with State and Territory branches in the future will cement a unified wound management Association with significant professional and political force and influence.

A Structure Review committee has been formed which comprises: AWMA President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer (as the executive) and two representatives from each State and Territory – nominated by their own Association. The South Australian representatives are Mr Paul Philcox and Mr Frank Guerriero.

This is a very exciting and significant time. This review will develop a structure and relationships that unite and strengthen the professional bodies supporting wound management in Australia. I’m sure, like me, your goal is to ensure that persons with wounds receive the best possible, evidence based care, delivered by skilled and knowledgeable practitioners. This Structure Review will build upon the foundations the Associations already have to facilitate these goals.

Members will be kept informed regarding decisions and there will be opportunities for consultation. Information will be available through SAWMA and the AWMA web site. We look forward to working with our members across Australia to bring benefits to our members and our clients.

Sue Templeton
AWMA Vice President
On behalf of the Structure Review Committee

Ms Sue Templeton
SAWMA President

AWMA
The Australian Wound Management Association (AWMA) is the national body for wound management in Australia. The members of state and territory associations are automatically members of AWMA and are therefore entitled to AWMA benefits. AWMA has an independent constitution.

The wound management associations in Australia are set up as a Federation with independent states and territories and a national body.
Each state and territory:

• is autonomous and has an independent financial structure
• has a representative on the AWMA national committee
• pays AWMA a capitation fee from the membership fees collected
• takes a turn in hosting the biennial national conference with assistance from AWMA. A percentage of profits from each national conference goes to AWMA

The AWMA Committee
The AWMA committee is multidisciplinary. Following the 2010 Annual General Meeting the committee comprises:

The current SAWMA representative to AWMA is Paul Philcox

The committee meets four times per year to discuss issues of relevance to wound management, develop national initiatives and projects and foster networking and collegiality. The state and territory representatives provide a vital link between their association and AWMA. The AWMA committee members undertake significant work in their own time to develop wound management in Australia.

There are several standing sub-committees within the AWMA committee.
These include:

• Website
• Education and Professional Development
• Fundraising
• Australian Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (APUAP)

AWMA responsibilities
AWMA is responsible for promoting and coordinating wound management at a national level. AWMA publishes the journal ‘Wound Practice and Research’ quarterly.

Recent major achievements include:

• Publication of a position document: ‘Bacterial impairment of wound healing: From contamination to infection’
• Publication of a recommendation paper: ‘Inventory of wound/skin care products and devices’ for Commonwealth funded Aged Care Facilities
• Launch of the second edition of the ‘Standards for Wound Management’

AWMA has several major projects underway at present.
These include:

• Development of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Venous Leg Ulcers
• Review of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prediction and Prevention of Pressure Ulcers
• Development of an accreditation system for wound courses in Australia
• Active participation in other national initiatives and support of major, national wound management projects
• Establishment of the Australian Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (APUAP)
• Review of the structure of AWMA

Several of these projects involve collaboration with practitioners outside the AWMA committee.

Wound Awareness Campaign
In 2007 AWMA facilitated the inaugural Wound Awareness Week. This has now evolved into a continuous campaign aimed at increasing awareness of:

• AWMA (Australian Wound Management Association) and the state and territory associations
• contemporary issues and approaches to wound management
• best practice in wound management
• what dressing technologies can do or help with
• where the public can go to get help

AWMA has employed the services of a media company to assist with the Wound Awareness Campaign and Week. The media company has facilitated many opportunities for the AWMA Executive to meet with key politicians and policy makers.

In particular, a major focus of the Wound Awareness Campaign has been lobbying state, but specifically the federal government to implement a national dressing product subsidy scheme that is accessible and equitable across all care settings. (Similar to the ostomy appliance scheme or the continence scheme.) Currently in many parts of Australia patients are required to pay for all their dressing products in community settings (including general practice, residential aged care, community clinics and domiciliary setting).
This is the Elephant in the Room campaign - so named because it is a big issue that key policy makers seem to be ignoring. Bryce Courtenay is the patron of the Elephant in the Room campaign.

Everyone is strongly encouraged to visit the Elephant in the Room website and sign the on-line petition to the federal government requesting a dressing product subsidy scheme. www.elephantintheroom.com. It is only through strong community action that the government will seriously consider this issue.

Conclusion
AWMA provides a formal link between the states and territories. AWMA has a vital role in coordinating and developing national initiatives to progress wound management as a specialty with a defined body of knowledge and skills. There is still much work to be done. However, the new President, Dr Bill McGuiness and the committee are working tirelessly to build the reputation and influence of AWMA as the peak body for wound management in Australia.

May 2010