WA patients will be put at risk under national registration

March 26, 2008

The health care of WA patients could suffer if a new move to force doctors to register through a remote centralised system is implemented, the AMA (WA) said today.

AMA (WA) President Professor Geoff Dobb said the new national registration system would remove a crucial check and balance currently performed by State-based Medical Boards, particularly for
registering overseas-trained doctors to practice in rural and remote areas.
"National registration means putting control of health care into the hands of bureaucrats in Canberra who do not have an understanding of local needs on the ground in WA," he said.
 
He said an Australia-wide 'drivers licence' model of recognition had merit, but screening and disciplinary procedures should stay within State and Territory jurisdictions to take advantage of local knowledge and conditions.
"If the Carpenter Government signs this new agreement to bring in a centralised national registration, then this Government must be willing to take responsibility for the consequences which will be a lowering of clinical standards in WA." 

Professor Dobb said the proposed new national system would not have protected the community from "rogue" doctors such as Jayant Patel, whose malpractice resulted in deaths in a Queensland hospital. 

"The WA community is currently protected from so-called 'dodgy docs' by the States strict registration conditions. WA will lose that control under this new scheme." 

Under the current system, overseas-trained doctors can be issued with a restricted registration which means they can only practice in specific specialties in designated locations, often "areas of need."

"It is difficult to comprehend how bureaucrats in Canberra will be able to best determine what sort skills are needed to work in places like Laverton, Derby or Newman." 

"It is disappointing that the Rudd Government is undertaking consultation processes such as the 20-20 conference and yet with something as significant as the health of the community, the peak body
representing doctors is not being consulted on this issue," he said. 

The AMA does not oppose reform that improves on the current system and has already put forward a simple model that takes into consideration the aims of Government without losing the benefits of the current State-based system.

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