AMA pressure to change draft mandatory reporting law
The Queensland Parliament must take advantage of its opportunity to improve national mandatory reporting laws for doctors treating other doctors, AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone, said. The latest AMA submission to COAG highlights the AMA’s specific concerns and recommended necessary amendments.
Dr Bartone and AMA Queensland President, Dr Dilip Dhupelia, will appear before the Queensland Parliament this week to push the AMAs preferred model. Dr Bartone said the AMA wants the national law to more closely reflect the protections provided to doctors by the WA legislation.
“We have a law in Western Australia that works well to protect patients and save doctors,” Dr Bartone said.
“The Queensland Parliament must listen and act to deliver the best possible Bill. It will save lives.”
“We need the law to provide confidence and peace of mind to doctors and medical students that they can seek mental health care without fear of reprisal or threat to their medical careers,” Dr Bartone said.
“We do not want to see any more doctors or students taking their own lives because they were afraid to seek care.”
Under Council of Australian Government (COAG) processes, the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2018, currently before the Queensland Parliament, will dictate the mandatory reporting laws for all States and Territories except Western Australia.
The AMA submission can be read here.
