New laws to protect patients from dodgy doctors
Australia’s governments have signed off on changes to protect patients from rogue practitioners and force the AHPRA to prioritise protection of the public when handling complaints or allegations of misconduct.
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Laws to protect patients from rogue practitioners are being beefed up amid concerns the nation’s medical watchdog has been putting the needs of doctors ahead of public safety.
Australia’s governments have signed off on changes forcing the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to prioritise protection of the public when handling complaints or allegations of misconduct.
The national agreement follows a push led by Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos and frustrations the privacy of doctors was being placed ahead of the welfare of their patients.
Although it could take more than a year to amend national laws mandating patients as a priority, a recent meeting of COAG Health Ministers this month issued a directive to medical boards to implement the changes immediately.
“We’ve taken action and led the way so that the public is properly protected from the harm that can be caused by dangerous, rogue practitioners,” Ms Mikakos said.
“I will continue to work with my state and federal counterparts to make sure that patient safety comes first at all times — above all other interests — because nothing is more important that the wellbeing of patients.”
Under the changes AHPRA will be legally bound to public when handling complaints or allegations of misconduct against practitioners, while patient safety must also be the guiding principle in all medical professional standards and policies.
For the first time AHPRA will also be compelled to inform hospitals and other employers if they are investigating a practitioner for conduct that poses a serious safety risk.
The action comes after several cases which highlighted concerns, including;
BOX Hill doctor Christopher Kwan Chen Lee being suspended for six weeks in April after posting misogynist and racist comments online — including suggestions certain women should be raped. After public outcry in June Dr Lee was suspended indefinitely to “maintain confidence in the medical profession”
FOUR years after being controversially left a $1 million windfall from a dying 93-year-old bachelor, aged care nurse Abha Kumar was this year banned from practising for five years, though she does not have to hand the money back.
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AHPRA chief executive Martin Fletcher said he welcomed health ministers’ emphasising patients as the major focus,
“We think it is really helpful because we would say regulation is here for the community and is here for public and patient safety.
“The Victorian minister has championed this and the idea is this will flow into legislative amendments.”
The foreshadowed historic changes will also see the title “surgeon” restricted to provide better clarity of those with appropriate qualifications in an effort to stamp out lower-level practitioners calling themselves “cosmetic surgeons”.