Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Amendment proposal 2017
The AMA submission is generally supportive of the proposed set of amendments. However we are concerned about the proposal to enable a community member to be appointed as Chairpersons of the National Boards (including the Medical Board of Australia). The Chair of the Medical Board is a very influential position, requiring a strong understanding of medical practice and a move to appoint a community member would be unsettling for the profession and may lead to a loss in confidence in the scheme.
The submission also notes that there is a need for AHPRA to be able to ask a practitioner for all places of work, particularly if they need to notify that organisation of a serious performance action being taken against that practitioner. However, this provision needs to be implemented sensibly, without creating an unnecessary regulatory burden for practitioners.
