Professor Bruce Pussell says volunteering during the pandemic has been a whole new experience . |
vaccine training program , basic life-support training and a resuscitation course — and he also opted to complete a course on anaphylaxis .
But he says his specialist training has also been a big advantage .
“ There ’ s a lot of general medicine involved in nephrology , and I did my PhD in immunology ; that ’ s an area of interest for me .
“ There was no immunology specialty
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45 years ago , so I did what was |
Siobhan Calafiore |
the next best thing at the time , and |
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BACK in early 2020 , Adjunct Professor Bruce Pussell — a retired doctor — felt he could not sit back and watch the unfolding of one of the biggest health |
that was transplantation , which is also all about immunology .”
Professor Pussell says he has also been fortunate with medical insurance . Working in the public hospi-
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crises of his lifetime . |
tal system , he had always relied on |
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“ Medicine is a vocation ,” he says .
“ And when there is a pandemic , it ’ s all hands on deck as far as I ’ m concerned .”
So when AHPRA announced it
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Professor Bruce Pussell with his grandson ,
Owen .
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NSW ’ s Treasury Managed Fund , which also covers volunteer work , and he also had run-off cover for any necessary legal advice .
At the end of February , AHPRA
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was introducing a ‘ sub-register ’ |
informed him that his registration , |
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that would allow retired doctors to |
director for about 20 minutes , during |
“ It meant having to get com- |
“ We ’ ve had quite a few people who |
which was due to expire the following |
help out in the COVID-19 response , |
which he talked about his career , his |
pletely revaccinated . |
had received transplants who needed |
month , had been extended until the |
he volunteered . |
most recent research publications and |
“ But I was determined to con- |
advice before getting vaccinated , so |
end of September . |
A nephrologist , he had stopped |
his reasons for volunteering . |
tribute ; that kept me going through |
all of that was very familiar territory |
Other sub-registered doctors are |
medicine just two years before , |
Like any other job interview , |
the process .” |
for me ,” he tells Australian Doctor . |
being offered the same opportunity to |
after 15 years as the director of the |
he also sent through a CV with the |
His paperwork was eventually |
He is also on the watch for any |
keep working . |
transplant unit at Sydney ’ s Prince |
names of referees that could vouch |
approved , and since August , he has |
medical emergencies . |
“ It ’ s been very rewarding for me |
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of Wales Hospital .
“ I was 68 , and I just wanted to leave on my own terms , not when somebody taps me on the shoulder and says , ‘ It ’ s time to go , mate .’
“ So I left fully competent , and I felt
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‘ Medicine is a vocation … And when there is a pandemic , it ’ s all hands on deck as far as I ’ m concerned .’ |
“ We ’ ve only had a couple of anaphylactic reactions ,” he says .
“ The most common medical issue we ’ ve had to deal with is people having vasovagal syncope ; they ’ d faint during or immediately
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personally ,” Professor Pussell says .
“ I ’ m back involved in medicine , in a field I think I ’ m very competent at , and I ’ ve met some very dedicated and remarkable GPs who genuinely care for their patients .
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that I was very much still able to work .” |
after the injection . |
“ That ’ s been a whole new experi- |
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Initially , he reached out to his for- |
for his medical skills . |
been working one day a week , var- |
“ Sometimes that was quite |
ence for me .” |
mer hospital in case they needed doc- |
But it took three months of bureau- |
ying from eight to 12 hours . He does |
dramatic . |
But has it been enough to tempt |
tors to backfill to allow their staff to |
cracy before he could officially start . |
it for free , as his current pension is |
“ We ’ ve also had a few people who |
him back into the medical workforce ? |
work on the front line in ICU . |
“ It was crazy — just one thing after |
more than adequate , he says . |
developed chest pain after vaccina- |
“ I have thought about it ,” he |
He never heard back . |
another ,” Professor Pussell says . |
The role is mostly supervisory . He |
tion , and I ’ ve had to assess them in the |
admits . |
Then , last April , he saw on the news |
“ Mostly what held up the pro- |
provides patients with basic medi- |
emergency treatment room and send |
“ But it ’ s a lot of bother . There are |
that a COVID-19 vaccine hub at Sydney |
cess was my vaccine history because , |
cal advice , usually when they are not |
them off to ED .” |
some very large hoops , and I ’ m not |
Olympic Park was being opened . |
when I was fully vaccinated against |
sure about eligibility , and checks if |
To prepare for the role , Profes- |
getting any younger . I ’ ve also got |
He applied and was interviewed |
hepatitis B years ago , there was no |
they have medical contraindications |
sor Pussell had to complete the fed- |
grandchildren and spending time |
over the phone by the hub ’ s medical |
record kept in those days . |
or are immunosuppressed . |
eral Department of Health ’ s COVID-19 |
with them is enjoyable .” |
Heather Saxena NEARLY two-thirds of GPs in the UK want the option of a standing desk in their consultation room , although many worry about the impact on the doctor – patient relationship . |
A survey of 843 GPs found that 92 % believed the desks were appropriate for telephone consults and administrative tasks .
Only 31 % believed they were suitable for face-to-face appointments , where able-bodied adult patients
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would also be standing . According to the Loughborough University researchers , 26 % of those questioned said they were concerned the change could have a negative impact on the doctor – patient relationship . |
“[ This ] was thought to be the most likely barrier to successful implementation [ of standing desks ],” they wrote in the British Journal of General Practice .
At the time of the survey , 121 GPs already had a standing desk in
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their rooms . Most used it for telephone consults and admin work , with a third using them for face-to-face patient consults .
Br J Gen Practice 2022 ; 4 Mar .
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