Australia
Latest Reforms Focus on Public Protection
Public protection is at the forefront in latest round of reforms to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law announced by The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra). Fifteen new reforms to health practitioner regulation became effective May 15, 2023.
Focused on strengthening public protection while maintaining fairness for practitioners, the reforms include the power for Ahpra and the National Boards to issue public statements to warn the public about a serious risk from an individual, and the ability to notify third parties of potential harm.
The reforms are the latest in a wide range of changes outlined in the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2022, which became law in October 2022.
Source: Ahpra Press Release, May 15, 2023
Ghana
Public Health Workforce Strategic Plan Launched
Ghana's Deputy Minister for Health, Tina Gifty Mensah, has launched the Public Health Workforce Strategic Plan with the theme “Building a Resilient One Health Public Health Workforce in Ghana” to better respond to emerging public health threats.
The Public Health Workforce Strategic Plan will provide prompt access to and the highest quality health services through equitable deployment and retention of qualified workforce in Ghana's human, animal, and environmental health.
In her address, Ms. Mensah said the Ministry of Health collaborated with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and innovation, and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to develop this document to guide the country on its health work-force needs. She said the Public Health Workforce Strategic Plan is a 5-year document which presents a road map that would guide the restructuring of the human resource of the public health workforce and ensure that the Universal Health Coverage target is fully achieved, using the One Health Concept by 2030.
Source: Republic of Ghana Ministry of Health News & Events, March 3, 2023
United Kingdom
Updates Prompt Fall in Fitness to Practice Declarations
Updated General Medical Council (GMC) guidance for students applying to join the medical register has led to a sustained fall in the number of low-level fitness to practice declarations needing no further action by the regulator, according to new data.
To join the UK register, final year medical students studying in the UK must apply for provisional registration and answer a set of questions to declare any issues that may impact their fitness to practice as a doctor. Most declarations made by students relate to their health. Other categories include professional conduct, criminal convictions, and dishonesty.
Updates were made following year-on-year increases in students telling the GMC about issues that do not impact ability to practice safely as a doctor, for example well-managed physical and mental health conditions, and disabilities such as dyslexia where students have reasonable adjustments in place to support them.
The GMC updated guidance introduced new questions and a declaration tool to help students determine what they do and don't need to declare. UK students graduating in 2021 were the first to complete declarations using the new questions and guidance.
Since the new measures were introduced, the total number of declarations has dropped by over one half. However, the number of declarations that did need to be considered further by the GMC stayed in line with previous years.
More serious or complex concerns raised are looked at in more detail to make sure students meet the requirements to practice safely in the UK. In the most serious cases, registration could be refused, however this represents a very low number.
In 2022, of 7,943 applications, only 3 were refused (0.04%). Students who are refused often join the register later, once they can demonstrate the concern has been remediated. In 2022, health declarations were down by 63% when compared with the 4-year average, pre-update.
Source: General Medical Council Press Release, March 29, 2023
