Remove s.146 of the Health Services Act 2016 to stop the inappropriate referral of WA Health employees to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
s.146 of the Health Services Act significantly reduces the applicable standard of AHPRA’s mandatory notification scheme for medical professionals working for WA Health. This additional and lower reporting threshold is not required to protect patient safety and results in unnecessary AHPRA notifications, creating a dual reporting standard in WA.
Unnecessary AHPRA notifications can place a significant mental health toll on healthcare workers and cause unfounded reputational damage.
Patient safety is not improved by a lower reporting standard that requires notification to
AHPRA based on a suspicion that conduct may constitute professional misconduct or unsatisfactory professional performance.
Patients will continue to be protected by robust national reporting requirements applicable elsewhere in WA and Australia, and WA Health employees will enjoy improved wellbeing. Without an unnecessarily low reporting threshold, AHPRA will benefit from a reduced administrative burden.
8-10 Stirling Highway, Nedlands WA 6009, Australia
Postal: PO Box 133, Nedlands WA 6909, Australia
T: (08) 9273 3000
Email: mail@amawa.com.au
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T: (08) 9273 3000
Email: industrial@amawa.com.au