CANBERRA LIBERALS TO PUSH FOR NATIONALLY CONSISTENT HEALTH REGULATION
The Canberra Liberals will be making amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT) Bill 2009 to align the ACT with nationally consistent regulations for health practitioner registration, Shadow Minister for Health Jeremy Hanson said today.
“This legislation, which is being adopted in every other State and Territory, will abolish 89 local health professional boards that currently exist across Australia and replace them with 10 national boards, resulting in less red-tape, less duplication, improved patient safety, and enhanced medical workforce mobility,” Mr Hanson said.
“The ACT Medical Board, the ACT Nursing and Midwifery Board as well as the other ACT Allied Health Boards are supportive of introducing a national model.
“However, ACT Labor is seeking to establish a completely different complaints handling process to the rest of the nation, significantly diminishing the benefits nationally consistent reforms would provide.
“I am concerned if the ACT adopts a complaint handling process which differs from the rest of the nation, we could potentially have health professionals who are deterred from seeking work in the ACT.
“It just doesn’t make any sense to have one rule for the ACT and another for other jurisdictions, which could cause further delays in the processing and resolution of complaints.
“There would also be an additional cost involved for the ACT in duplicating the complaint handling process, which could place further pressure on other services provided.
“Given there is broad support from ACT health professional registration boards for a nationally consistent approach, I believe that we have a responsibility to ensure that the ACT does not lose out in this major reform, and I look forward to receiving Government support for my amendments,” Mr Hanson said today.
12 March 2010
