About the opportunity 

The Medical Council of NSW (council) is seeking up to 30 individuals to join a pre-qualified list of hearing members. The council will work closely with these members on an on-going 5-year basis to deliver high quality medical practitioner regulation in New South Wales.

We are looking to engage a mix of registered medical practitioners and community members. Members will be engaged as either ‘principal’ or ‘regular’ members for fortnightly or monthly appointment, respectively, and may be offered additional appointments. Induction and training is offered as part of hearing member onboarding, as well as ongoing development opportunities. 

About you  

You are a skilled professional, or medical health practitioner who is excited by the opportunity to contribute to upholding good medical practice in New South Wales; help maintain high public, patient, and practitioner trust in the profession; and ensure that medicine is practiced in accordance with safe, ethical, and effective standards of care. Desired skill sets include: 

• currently registered and practising medical health practitioners, and  
• community members with significant professional expertise in one or more of the following areas: law, management, governance, ethics, research, stakeholder engagement, consumer rights in health, finance, audit and risk, as well as community and social services. 

Details regarding essential and desired professional qualifications, experience and capabilities is outlined in the Hearing member person specification in the Candidate Information Pack. 

The Medical Council of New South Wales and the role of hearing members 

The council is the authoritative clinical body that manages complaints about medical practitioners and students in NSW. It is supported by the NSW Health Professional Councils Authority (HPCA) which provides corporate services. Hearing members support the council in its role to protect the public and uphold standards of practice. Members are appointed to matters to provide community perspective, clinical and regulatory expertise regarding complaints about the health, conduct and performance of medical practitioners and students. In hearing matters, members work to determine whether a practitioner has: 

• acted in accordance with the clinical standards of practise and professional conduct that is expected of a practitioner of their experience 
• ensured they are suitably trained and qualified in their practise 
• ensured the health services they provide are provided safely and are of an appropriate quality. 

Diversity 

New South Wales has a highly diverse population. Our practitioners are from a broad variety of backgrounds and located around our cities, regions, and rural areas. Good governance and regulation require the perspective of individuals with relevant firsthand knowledge and understanding deriving from personal culture and lived experience. As such we particularly encourage enquiries and applications from: 

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples 
• People of all genders 
• People who speak languages other than English 
• People of different ability and disability 
• LGBTIQ+ 
• Practitioners whose initial country of qualification in medicine was overseas, and  
• Those living and practising in regional, rural, and remote locations. 

Demonstrated cultural competency and language skills, coupled with the ability to communicate, and build trust and rapport will be highly regarded. 

Remuneration 

Hearing member appointments are remunerated on a sessional basis in accordance with the pay rates set by the Minister. The payment rates allow: 

• Half day rate of $800; Full day rate of $1500 
• Decision / Report Writing loading: 20% to 60% additional payment subject to sitting days and complexity of the hearing 
• Practice-based performance assessment loading: 20% per day additional payment 
• A determination made on the papers only will be paid at a rate of $800.  

Where hearings are cancelled within less than ten working day of a scheduled and there is an irretrievable loss of income, the sessional rate may be payable up to a maximum of three days as compensation. 

Travel time may be reimbursed subject to meeting thresholds for extended journeying. 

Key information for applicants 

Information about how we will engage with and appoint principal and regular hearing members is available in the Hearing Member Appointment and Quality Management Framework, including the terms and conditions for engagement to the list of hearing members and appointment to hearings.  

You can also read our FAQs which provide more background information about this opportunity.

Hearing members will be asked to comply with relevant policies and procedures, including the Conflict of Interest policy. 

More information about the work of the Medical Council and the HPCA may be found at https://www.mcnsw.org.au/ and https://www.hpca.nsw.gov.au/.

Submitting an application 

Please submit your CV / resume, and cover letter to: 
HPCA-HearingMember-Applications@health.nsw.gov.au  

We request that cover letters are no more than 1 page and include: 

a. A high level summary of your interest in the opportunity and relevant experience, skills, and personal qualities. 

b. A statement of your preference in being engaged as a principal and/or regular hearing member, for fortnightly or monthly appointment, respectively. 

Please note that principal members are expected to provide fortnightly availability at a minimum, while regular members are expected to be available for appointment at least once per month. Additional hearings may be offered to principal and regular members, subject to the number of hearings and specialist expertise required of panel members. 

c. Your response to the following target question: 

Describe your experience responding to and assessing concerns regarding the professional performance, personal health and well-being, and/or behaviours of skilled individuals.  

We anticipate reviewing applications over April/May 2022 and extending offers to interview for May/June 2022 to allow time for scheduling. We appreciate your interest and patience. 

Applications close at 11.59pm  on Wednesday 20 April 2022. 

Protecting personal information and privacy 

The Health Professional Councils Authority (HPCA) complies with NSW Government privacy legislation and policies. 

For further information 

We welcome enquiries and encourage any questions be directed to Sarah Walker, Program Director at sarah.walker5@health.nsw.gov.au for a conversation regarding your candidacy.

We protect the public by managing complaints about medical practitioners in New South Wales. Established under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW), we are one of 15 NSW councils that focus on individual health professions. The Medical Council works with the Health Care Complaints Commission in a partnership called co-regulation. Together, we receive and manage complaints about medical practitioners. The Council also delivers other programs to ensure doctors provide safe care to their patients.