Page 859 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
we were not prepared to risk the effectiveness and the success of the national scheme. It is disappointing that the government is prepared to do so.
I believe that the health services commission is given adequate opportunity to jointly consider a notification with a national board and to determine a course of action. However, once that course of action is determined, it is only appropriate that each entity carry out their task independently of each other under the very different statutory frameworks relevant to each.
Moreover, reading the legislation in detail it is clear that the role of the health complaints entity in all jurisdictions is perfectly robust and their role is clearly enshrined in national legislation. Specifically, section 150(4) of the national law states:
If the National Board and the health complaints entity are not able to reach agreement on how a notification or complaint, or part of the notification or complaint, is to be dealt with, the most serious action proposed by either must be taken.
I firmly believe that the boards and the health services commission are both committed to the highest standards of clinical care and professional conduct with the health professions. I regret that, to an extent, despite the fact that they work closely together, there is a degree of mistrust or misunderstanding between the two bodies. My amendments today do not reflect any, I suppose, picking of sides or disagreement with the—
Ms Bresnan: Exactly what was in that medical board letter?
Ms Gallagher: You never want to make an enemy of anyone, do you?
MR SPEAKER: Order, members!
MR HANSON: I was prepared to make an enemy of you, Ms Gallagher.
Ms Gallagher: You have already done that, Jeremy.
MR HANSON: Well, there you go.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Hanson, have you got far to go? I am conscious of the time.
MR HANSON: A couple of minutes, three minutes.
Ms Gallagher: I think we should adjourn. We are coming back to this later on.
MR HANSON: I am happy to adjourn.
Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.
Sitting suspended from 12.31 to 2 pm.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video