Answer: The Medical Board of Australia publishes a list of currently suspended doctors and students on its website, confirming the name of the doctor/student and date of suspension. A doctor/student may be suspended from practice because of issues related to their professional conduct or health. The Register of Medical Practitioners (www.ahpra.gov.au)also confirms a doctor's/student's current registration status, including any suspension. (Doctors may also be suspended by their employer, independent of the Council.)
The Medical Council has certain powers under section 150 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) to rapidly suspend a doctor, if it receives information that would require such action to be taken to protect the life or health of any person, or if is otherwise in the public interest to do so.
When the Council takes any action under section 150 of the Law (NSW) - an emergency interim action - it then refers the matter to the Health Care Complaints Commission for investigation. A doctor may not undertake any form of medical practice while suspended.
The confidentiality provisions of the Law (NSW) (section 216) prevent the Council from discussing the details of individual matters or investigations.
