National Registration And Accreditation - Queensland Must Set Example For Other States, Australia

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 07 Oct 2009 - 23:00 PDT

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Federal AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today it is important that the Queensland Parliament amends the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Bill 2009 to ensure it best serves the community and the medical profession, and to set an example to the other States and Territories when it is their turn to pass the legislation.

Dr Pesce said the Federal AMA supports the State concerns expressed about the Bill by AMA Queensland.

"As the Queensland Bill will form the basis of legislation underpinning the new national registration and accreditation arrangements for medical practitioners right across Australia, it is important that the Queensland Parliament gets it right - right for patients, right for the community, and right for the medical profession," Dr Pesce said.

"We call on the Queensland Parliament to amend the Bill to include a requirement that Health Ministers apply a public interest test before they issue policy directions on accreditation standards.

"This is an additional level of accountability and safety to ensure that Ministers would carefully consider all of the ramifications of a decision to intervene in the normal review processes that currently ensure the highest possible standards in our health system.

"We also support AMA Queensland's call for additional exemptions from the mandatory reporting requirements for doctors in specific circumstances, particularly doctors when they are providing treatment and medical care for other doctors as patients."

Dr Pesce said it is important that each State and Territory Parliament take heed of local as well as national concerns when examining their respective legislation.

"The Federal AMA calls on each State and Territory Parliament to respond positively to any concerns or suggested changes raised by their State and Territory AMA when the legislation is introduced," Dr Pesce said.

"It is essential that every State and Territory Parliament amends their Bill to require a public interest test of their Ministers when they exercise their reserve power over accreditation standards."

Source
Australian Medical Association