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 1994.

• 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: Best practice principles about medical practitioners treating themselves or members of their family.  

• 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.

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

• Guidelines for medico-legal consultations and examinations: Guidelines endorsed by the NSW Medical Board 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.