Insights Sectors: Medical Practitioners

On 19 October 2017 the COAG Health Council announced the first appointments to the Paramedicine Board of Australia. The Paramedicine Board was established following amendments to the Health Practitioner National Law (the National Law) in September 2017. Together with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulations Agency (AHPRA), the Paramedicine Board will now begin work in preparation […]

Many professional practice owners including medical practitioners and pharmacists enter into an agreement with an associated entity to provide services to the practice, such as the provision of staff, administrative or clerical services, premises, plant or equipment in consideration for the payment of a services fee. Depending on its structure, these service arrangements may have […]

Medical practitioners have a duty to ensure that their patients understand the general nature and material risks of the treatment they will undergo. The recent NSW Court of Appeal decision in Biggs v George[1] considered the duty of medical practitioners to warn patients of material risks and what is required to discharge that duty. The […]

Every health practitioner knows the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of a patient’s personal information. However, every year a health practitioner is asked by its professional indemnity insurer to provide details of any circumstances that may give rise to a claim against them. Undoubtedly the health practitioner is also told by its Association, or its […]

On 4 February 2015 the ACT Civil & Administrative Tribunal found a medical practitioner had breached section 141 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT) by failing to notify the Medical Board of Australia of Notifiable Conduct of another practitioner. The following facts were agreed: Dr A, a medical practitioner, owned a clinic and […]

Legal practitioners and their insurers can breathe a sigh of relief as on 21 May 2015 the NSW Court of Appeal  upheld the decision of the District Court in Kendirjian v Lepore [2014] NSWDC 66, summarily dismissing a claim based upon the advocate’s immunity principle. Mr Lepore, solicitor, acted for Mr Kendirijian in a personal injury claim […]

Health practitioners across a variety of registered health professions, such as dental practitioners, have been approached to participate in online marketing campaigns by group buying websites. Group buying is an ‘impulse buying’ phenomenon where products or services are offered for a strictly limited time at reduced prices. The deal is activated when a minimum number […]

As a registered health professional applying for or renewing your registration, in accordance with your Board’s registration standards, you are required to declare that you have (or have not): met the recency of practice requirements; completed the required amount of continuing professional development (CPD); held appropriate professional indemnity insurance; and disclosed to AHPRA any criminal […]

From 1 July 2012, all Australians can register for their own personally controlled electronic health (eHealth) record. Initially, an eHealth record contains basic information but as the system develops, healthcare providers (including allied health providers) will be able to add more information such as treatments, medications and allergies. Although this is an ‘opt-in’ system, health […]