Patients and the public are now able to access information about medical practitioners involved in disciplinary action associated with sexual misconduct, following implementation of the final recommendation of the Chaperone Review report.
Reforms included:
• Introduction of a national committee backed by specialist investigators to handle all sexual misconduct allegations, • Changing the Medical Board of Australia’s policy on the use of chaperones,
• Auditing all cases where chaperone conditions have been previously applied,
Good medical practice is all about a partnership between doctors and their patients, based on trust. This change will give patients better access to public information about doctors who have been involved in disciplinary action, so they can make more informed decisions about their care
• Inclusion of links from individual medical practitioner listings on the national online register of practitioners to published disciplinary (tribunal and court) decisions.
“Good medical practice is all about a partnership between doctors and their patients, based on trust. This change will give patients better access to public information about doctors who have been involved in disciplinary action, so they can make more informed decisions about their care,” said Dr. Joanna Flynn AM, Chair of the Medical Board of Australia.
The national online Register of practitioners contains accurate, up to date information about the registration status of all 678,938 registered health practitioners in Australia. It is an important way the National Scheme helps keep the public safe.
The register will now display links to externally published court and tribunal decisions about individual registered medical practitioners who have been involved in disciplinary action with the Board or AHPRA, when decisions are public but not when suppression orders are in place.
