Policies

• Conflict of interest policy: States the Council’s position in relation to conflict of interest to protect the integrity of decisions and activities, and outlines the appropriate action to take when such situations occur.

• Corporate policy: Outlines the Council's approach to the development and management of the organisations policy documents.

• Public interest disclosures policy: Provides guidance for staff and Council members on public interest disclosures (formerly known as protected disclosure or whistleblowing) under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022 (PID Act).

• Reporting corrupt conduct policy: Assists Principal Officers and others to understand their obligations under the ICAC Act to report suspected corrupt conduct and how to make reports.

• Sponsorship policy: Establishes the framework for any Council sponsorship activities and applies to both providing and receiving sponsorships.

Procedures

• Policy procedure: Provides step by step guidance on the processes and actions required for the development and management of the organisation's policy documents

Guideline

• Guidelines for self-treatment and treating family members: These guidelines are under review by the Council and are not available at this time.   

• Guide to serving legal documents: This guide provides information for parties seeking to serve a subpoena, summons, notice to produce or like documents on a NSW health professional council.

Additional legal information and resources can be found on the Health Professional Council Authority Legal Information page.

Policies

• Compliance policy – practice monitor: This policy sets out the requirements of a practitioner subject to practice monitor conditions. See also position statement practice monitor approval.
• Compliance policy - mentoring: (for mentoring conditions imposed after 1 May 2015. See also Mentor approval position statement below). Sets out the requirements of a practitioner subject to mentor conditions.
• Compliance policy - supervision: (for supervision conditions imposed after 1 February 2015). Refers to categories A, B and C of supervision. See also the Supervisor approval position statement below.
• Imposing practice monitor and exclusion conditions: This policy sets out permissible exclusionary conditions that delegates may impose in relation to the practice monitor and exclusion conditions listed in the Council’s Conditions Handbook.
• Supervision (performance, conduct, health): (for supervision conditions imposed prior to 1 February 2015). Refers to levels one, two and three of supervision.

Guidelines

• Guidelines for mentors: Outlines the role of a mentor and the process for approving a mentor.
• Breach management guidelines: Guidelines for health service providers and other stakeholders in New South Wales explaining how to deal with breaches of registration conditions.

Position statements

• Mentor approval position statement: Sets out the criteria the Council applies when approving a mentor and the Council’s expectations of an approved mentor.
• Position statement - practice monitor approval: Sets out the Council’s expectations of an approved practice monitor and the criteria the Council applies when approving a practice monitor.
• Supervisor approval position statement: Sets out the criteria the Council applies when approving a supervisor and the Council’s expectations of an approved supervisor.

Further policies, forms and fact sheets regarding drug and alcohol screening can be found further down on this page.

Policies

• Complementary health care: Outlines the requirements for practitioners providing complementary health care.

Position statements

• Providing Performance Review Panel decisions to third parties: Outlines what panellists should consider about health information in Performance Review Panel decisions.
• Doctors in training and performance: Sets out the Council’s view that, in most cases, performance assessment of doctors in training is not appropriate.

Guidelines

• Guideline for medico-legal consultations and examinations:  This guideline is endorsed by the NSW Medical Council to avoid misunderstandings between practitioners and examinees during medico-legal consultations and examinations.
• Medical certificates: Provides guidance to medical practitioners on the quality, accuracy and truthfulness of the information to be recorded on medical certificates.

Please note, these policies apply from 4 June 2018. 

Drug screening:

• Drug screening policy: This policy outlines how to comply with conditions requiring a medical practitioner or student to undergo urine and hair drug screening and the consequences of non-compliance. 
• Participant procedure: Drug screening

Alcohol screening:

• Alcohol screening policy: This policy outlines how to comply with conditions requiring a medical practitioner or student to undergo alcohol screening and the consequences of non-compliance. 
• Participant procedure: breath-testing for alcohol
• Supervisor procedure: breath-testing for alcohol 
• Participant procedure: EtG screening
• Participant procedure: CDT screening

Forms for screening: 

• Collection centre nomination form
• Illness certificate form
• Leave from screening form
• Start breath-testing for alcohol form 
• Breath-testing supervisor nomination form
• Breath-testing log 

Fact sheets for participants:

• Drug screening - what you need to know
• Breath testing for alcohol - what you need to know
• EtG screening - what you need to know
• CDT screening - what you need to know

Collection centres>

The policies of the following organisations also impact the work of NSW doctors and the Medical Council:

• Heath Professional Councils Authority
• NSW Health (policy documents applicable to the NSW Health System)
• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
• Medical Board of Australia.

If you couldn’t find the policy document or resource you were looking for, please contact us.

The breach management guidelines for health service providers and other stakeholders in NSW explains how to deal with breaches of registration conditions.