RMSANZ is the professional body for rehabilitation physicians and trainees in Australia & New Zealand and offers a stimulating, supportive and collegial environment of professional development, continuing education, policy review and encouragement of teaching and research.
International Day of People with Disability
International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a United Nations observed day held on 3 December each year.
Message from Prof Steven Faux, President, RMSANZ
A disability action plan for an hospital. How does it work?
For more information on the Day and it's origins please click here
RMSANZ AGM 2023
The 2023 annual general meeting of Rehabilitation Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand Ltd (RMSANZ) (the AGM) was held on 22 November 2023.
VALE: Dr John Yeo OA – First Director of the Spinal Unit Royal North Shore Hospital and Royal Rehab’s Moorong Centre
Dr Sue Rutowski has written an exceptional obituary to Dr John Yeo a compassionate surgeon and rehabilitation physician who dedicated his life to improving the lives of those with spinal cord injury in NSW and Australia.
Sue was one of his first Registrars and later took on the role of director of the spinal unit. Her heartfelt obituary is an important read and harks back to a time when only a handful of doctors cared about the lives of those living with spinal cord injury.
Thank you Sue for putting words to John’s extraordinary legacy.
Report published: Inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID infections
In April 2023Â RMSANZ together with individual rehabilitation physicians were recognised for their submission on the role of rehabilitation in the treatment of long COVID to Dr Mike Freedlander MP who was the chair of the parliamentary committee on Long Covid. Our submission was noted many times in the report and assisted in the recommendation of early multidisciplinary rehabilitation as a treatment to be commenced as soon as the diagnosis of long COVID is considered. Linked below is a section of the report, the full report can be found here.
The board would like to thanks those rehabilitation physicians that made submission both as part of the RMSANZ submission or on their own or representing their department in their institution’s report.
Particular thanks goes to Prof Maria Crotty, AROC, Dr Gardiner, and  Dr Tuan-Anh Nguyen for their substantial contribution in advancing the importance of rehabilitation for long COVID.
Their work has driven another success in advocacy for Rehabilitation Medicine in Australia and New Zealand.
Position Statement on the Role of Rehabilitation Medicine Physicians in the management of COVID-19 patients
New Position Statement produced by a working group put together by the board of Directors.
Please click here to view the Position Statement
RMSANZ submission to Parliamentary enquiry into Long COVID
WHO publication of the integrations of rehab and acute care for COVID
RMSANZ wins concessions to protect the clinical independence of all doctors
Following the negotiations with buying group Honeysuckle Health ((HH) – a joint venture between Cigna, a USA health insurer, and nib, an Australian private health insurer) and nib health funds to secure stronger protection for clinical autonomy and patient care.
Please see below to read a letter from RMSANZ President Dr Zoe Adey-Wakeling explaining the process.
Link to full determination on Australian Competition Tribunal website