Patient Safety Must Be Protected
AMA Vice President Dr Gary Speck today cautioned health ministers and health sector leaders that COAG's proposed new scheme for national registration and accreditation of health professionals could erode the safety and quality of patient care.
At a national forum on national registration and accreditation convened in Canberra today, Dr Speck said the proposed scheme would allow ministers to interfere in accreditation and clinical standard setting, and in the policies of the new national registration boards.
It was clearly apparent that the broadly-held concerns across the professions echoed the issues raised continually by AMA President Dr Rosanna Capolingua from the start of this process in 2007.
"There's a danger that ministers could try to use the new arrangements to meet perceived workforce imperatives," Dr Speck said.
"This may lower professional standards, which would threaten Australia's excellent record of safety and quality in health care.
"At the meeting today there was a strong groundswell of concern across the health and medical professional groups - clearly the groups were anxious about what seems to be a very costly and expensive structure.
"This is not a minor issue - these are fundamental concerns about interference by government in the setting of professional standards."
The AMA will continue to consult with governments to achieve some fundamental changes in the governance of the new scheme and to ensure that a range of checks and balances are included in the legislation to improve the transparency of decision-making and accountability of ministers.
"The AMA is keen to protect patient safety now and into the future by ensuring that present high professional standards are maintained," Dr Speck said.