Medical Council of New South Wales

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.

• Gifts and benefits policy: Provides guidance for Council members on how to manage the offer of gifts, benefits and bribes. 

• 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.  

Position statement

• NSW S8 and/or S4D drug authority - notifications from pharmaceutical services: Outlines the management of practitioners whose authority to prescribe is withdrawn or restricted in NSW, and the circumstances that enable these measures to be enforced nationally.

Policy

Blood-borne viruses policy: Outlines medical practitioners' responsibilities in preventing transmission of blood-borne viruses to patients and colleagues.

Policies

• 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. 
• Compliance policy - chaperone: (for chaperone conditions imposed prior to 1 March 2016). Prior to March 2016, the Council, its committees and delegates, had to apply this policy when requiring or approving a person to act as a Council-approved chaperone.
• Compliance policy - chaperone: (for chaperone conditions imposed after 1 March 2016 - see also Chaperone Approval Position Statement below). Explains the requirements of a practitioner subject to a chaperone condition.
• 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 Supervisor approval position statement below.
• Drug screenng 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. 
• Supervision (performance, conduct, health): (for supervision conditions imposed prior to 1 February 2015). Refers to levels one, two and three of supervision.

Procedures

• Participant procedure: breath-testing for alcohol
• Participant procedure: Drug screening 
• Participant procedure: EtG screening
• Participant procedure: CDT screening 
• Supervisor procedure: breath-testing for alcohol 

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 - chaperone approval: (in effect 1 March 2016). Sets out the criteria the Council applies when approving a chaperone and the Council’s expectations of an approved chaperone.
• Supervisor approval position statement: Sets out the criteria the Council applies when approving a supervisor and the Council’s expectations of an approved supervisor.

Policies

• Complementary health care: Outlines the requirements for practitioners providing complementary health care.
• Cosmetic surgery: Guidelines for practitioners relating to a “cooling off period” for people under 18 years of age seeking cosmetic surgery. 

Position statements

• Cost responsibility for performance re-assessments: Describes circumstances when the Council considers a practitioner is liable for the cost of having their professional performance assessed.
• Providing Performance Review Panel decisions to third parties: Outlines what panellists should consider about health information in Performance Review Panel decisions.

Guidelines

• 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 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.

Procedure

• Data access and use for research: Outlines the processes for handling requests to access Council information, such as statistical or other data and documents produced by the Council. It includes the application requirements for researchers.

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.