Page 2102 - Week 10 - Thursday, 26 October 1989
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I am pleased that this particular consultative mechanism is working so well and I would like to place on record my appreciation to all members of the committee for the time and effort they have devoted to the tasks. I now present the explanatory memorandum to the Bill.
Debate (on motion by Dr Kinloch) adjourned.
MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1989
MR BERRY (Minister for Community Services and Health) (10.34): I present the Medical Practitioners Registration (Amendment) Bill 1989. I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Speaker, this Bill is to make minor amendments to two sections of the principal Act to reflect up-to-date practice and terminology and to streamline the process of medical practitioner registration in the Australian Capital Territory.
The most minor, but nevertheless important, change is to make all third person references to medical practitioners in the principal Act gender neutral. Where the Act refers to a medical practitioner as "he" or "him" the female gender equivalent also is to be inserted.
The second amendment relates to the qualifications of medical practitioners to be included in the ACT register. Following submissions from the medical board, the Government has agreed to the types of qualifications that need to be recorded for the purposes of registration.
The board has found that in the past too many qualifications have been entered in the register, some of which are difficult to assess with regard to their standard and quality. In future it is intended only to register those qualifications that are recognised for the purposes of the Health Insurance Act 1973. These limitations are similar to those imposed in New South Wales. It may be of interest to note also that Victoria does not allow any postgraduate qualifications to be included in the register.
The third amendment recognises the position of elderly medical practitioners in the community. Consequently it has been decided that medical practitioners over the age of 70 should not be required to pay an annual registration fee.
The Government has accepted the medical board's recommendations on the situation of practitioners who have attained this age inasmuch as registration is more a matter of honour than of active professional practice and payment of an annual fee may be onerous.
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