Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) Act 2010 (TAS)

Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) Act 2010

An Act to regulate health practitioners

[Royal Assent 25 June 2010]

Be it enacted by His Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly, in Parliament assembled, as follows:

PART 1Preliminary1Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) Act 2010. 2Commencement (1)  Except as provided in this section, this Act commences on a day or days to be proclaimed. (2)  Sections 9 and 11 commence on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent. 3Interpretation (1)  In this Act – Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) means the provisions applying in this jurisdiction because of section 4. (2)  Terms used in this Act and also in the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law set out in the Schedule to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 of Queensland have the same meanings in this Act as they have in that Law. PART 2Adoption of Health Practitioner Regulation National Law4Adoption of Health Practitioner Regulation National LawThe Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, as in force from time to time, set out in the Schedule to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 of Queensland – (a) applies as a law of this jurisdiction; and (b) as so applying may be referred to as the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania); and (c) so applies as if it were part of this Act. 5Meaning of generic terms in Health Practitioner Regulation National Law for purposes of this jurisdictionIn the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) – court of summary jurisdiction means the Magistrates Court or another court exercising summary jurisdiction; magistrate has the same meaning as in the Magistrates Court Act 1987; magistrates court has the same meaning as in the Magistrates Court Act 1987; this jurisdiction means Tasmania. 6Responsible tribunal for Health Practitioner Regulation National Law [Section 6 Amended by No. 18 of 2021, s. 178, Applied:05 Nov 2021] [Section 6 Substituted by No. 12 of 2010, Sched. 3, Applied:15 Aug 2010] The Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal is a responsible tribunal for the purposes of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. 7Exclusion of legislation of this jurisdiction [Section 7 Amended by No. 4 of 2017, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jul 2019] The following Acts, or provisions of Acts, of this jurisdiction do not apply to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) or to instruments made under that Law: (a) Acts Interpretation Act 1931; (b) Audit Act 2008; (c) [Section 7 Amended by No. 4 of 2017, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jul 2019] sections 13, 14, 15, 16, 50, 51, 56, 57, 58 and 59 and Parts 4 and 5 of the Financial Management Act 2016; (d) Freedom of Information Act 1991; (e) Ombudsman Act 1978; (f) Penalty Units and Other Penalties Act 1987; (g) Personal Information Protection Act 2004; (h) Right to Information Act 2009; (i) State Service Act 2000; (j) Subordinate Legislation Act 1992. 8Regulations (1)  The Governor may make regulations for the purposes of this Act. (2)  The regulations may contain provisions of a savings or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of a provision of this Act. PART 3Provisions Specific to This Jurisdiction9InterpretationIn this Part – former health practitioner registration Act means any of the following Acts: (a) Chiropractors and Osteopaths Registration Act 1997; (b) Dental Practitioners Registration Act 2001; (c) Dental Prosthetists Registration Act 1996; (d) Medical Practitioners Registration Act 1996; (da) [Section 9 Amended by No. 33 of 2011, s. 4, Applied:25 Oct 2011] Medical Radiation Science Professionals Registration Act 2000; (e) Nursing Act 1995; (f) Optometrists Registration Act 1994; (g) Pharmacists Registration Act 2001; (h) Physiotherapists Registration Act 1999; (i) Podiatrists Registration Act 1995; (j) Psychologists Registration Act 2000; participation day, for this jurisdiction, has the same meaning as in Part 12 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania). 10Transfer of certain property exempt from dutyThe transfer of any "dutiable property", within the meaning of the Duties Act 2001, from a local registration authority to the National Agency in accordance with the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) is exempt from duty under the Duties Act 2001. 11Minister's directions (1)  The Minister may, by written notice given to a local registration authority established under a former health practitioner registration Act, direct that authority – (a) to transfer any of the local registration authority’s funds to the National Agency before the participation day for this jurisdiction; and (b) to give information to the National Agency before the participation day for this jurisdiction; and (c) to sign any documents that are required to enable transition to the proposed national registration and accreditation scheme; and (d) to take any action or do any other thing required to enable transition to the national registration and accreditation scheme. (2)  A local registration authority is to comply with any direction given by the Minister under subsection (1). 12Police commissioner may give criminal history information (1)  The police commissioner may give criminal history information to – (a) a National Board; or (b) [Section 12 Subsection (1) amended by No. 28 of 2018, s. 11, Applied:10 Dec 2018] the Australian Crime Commission, or a police force or police service of the Commonwealth or another State, for the purpose of the Australian Crime Commission or the police force or police service giving the criminal history information to a National Board. (2)  In this section – [Section 12 Subsection (2) amended by No. 28 of 2018, s. 11, Applied:10 Dec 2018] Australian Crime Commission means the Australian Crime Commission established by section 7 of the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 of the Commonwealth; criminal history information means information about a person’s criminal history that may be included in a written report under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania). 13Health and performance assessmentsNothing in Division 9 of Part 8 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) is intended to restrict a registered health practitioner who is required under that Division to undergo a health or performance assessment from being accompanied during that assessment by another person. 14Amendments to National Law (1) The Minister is to cause any amendment to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) to be tabled in each House of Parliament within 10 sitting-days from the date on which the amendment receives the Royal Assent in Queensland. (2)  Nothing in this section affects the operation of that amendment. 15Procedure with respect to national law regulations (1) For the purposes of section 246 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) – (a) any regulations made under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) are to be notified in the Gazette within 21 days after the day on which the regulations are published by the Victorian Government Printer pursuant to that law; and (b) the regulations are to be laid before each House of Parliament within the first 10 sitting-days of the House after the regulations are so published; and (c) the regulations are to take effect on or from a day that is specified for the purpose in the regulations. (2)  If either House of Parliament passes a resolution, of which notice has been given within the first 15 sitting-days of the House after any regulation under subsection (1) is laid before it, that the regulation be disallowed – (a) the provisions of section 246(2) of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) apply; and (b) the Minister is to notify the Ministerial Council of the resolution. PART 4Savings and Transitional Provisions16InterpretationIn this Part – former health practitioner registration Act has the same meaning as in Part 3; local registration authority has the same meaning as in Part 12 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania); participation day, for this jurisdiction, has the same meaning as in Part 3. 17Declarations of areas of needA declaration of an area of need made under section 21 of the Medical Practitioners Registration Act 1996, and in force immediately before the participation day for this jurisdiction, continues in force on and after that day as if it were made under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania). 18Complaints being dealt with on participation day (1)  In this section – former health practitioner Tribunal means any of the following: (a) a disciplinary tribunal within the meaning of the Pharmacists Registration Act 2001 or the Dental Practitioners Registration Act 2001; (b) the Professional Review Tribunal established under the Nursing Act 1995; (c) the Medical Complaints Tribunal established under the Medical Practitioners Registration Act 1996; investigating committee means a committee established under a former health practitioner registration Act for the purposes of investigating a complaint. (2) Notwithstanding section 289 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania), if before the participation day for this jurisdiction a local registration authority had started, but not immediately before that day completed, dealing with a complaint about a person registered in a health profession by the local registration authority – (a) the complaint is to be dealt with by the National Board for the health profession; and (b) the complaint is to continue to be dealt with under the former health practitioner registration Act under which it was made; and (c) if, in so dealing with the matter – (i) under the Nursing Act 1995 or the Medical Practitioners Registration Act 1996, the National Board for the health profession; or (ii) under the Pharmacists Registration Act 2001 or the Dental Practitioners Registration Act 2001, an investigating committee established for the complaint – considers that the matter should be referred to a former health practitioner Tribunal, the responsible tribunal may deal with the matter as if it were the former health practitioner Tribunal; and (d) the responsible tribunal is to deal with the matter under the relevant former health practitioner registration Act under which the complaint was made and may make any decision that the former health practitioner Tribunal could have made. (3)  Notwithstanding subsection (2), if before the participation day for this jurisdiction a former health practitioner Tribunal had started, but not immediately before that day completed, hearing a complaint referred to it by a local registration authority, that Tribunal may continue to deal with the matter under the relevant former health practitioner registration Act under which the complaint was made. 19Proceedings in respect of offences (1)  Proceedings in respect of an offence committed under a former health practitioner registration Act that have been instituted by a local registration authority but have not been finally dealt with before the participation day for this jurisdiction may be continued by the Secretary of the Department. (2)  Proceedings in respect of an offence committed under a former health practitioner registration Act that could have been instituted by a local registration authority before the participation day for this jurisdiction may be instituted by the Secretary of the Department. 20Annual reports (1)  Notwithstanding the repeal of a former health practitioner registration Act, a local registration authority must, not later than 60 days after the participation day for this jurisdiction, give the Minister a report of its operations for any period that has not yet been reported by the local registration authority, ending on the day immediately preceding participation day for this jurisdiction. (2)  The report is to incorporate the audited statement of accounts prepared for the period referred to in subsection (1). (3)  The Minister may, in writing, direct the local registration authority to prepare the report in a particular way or to include particular information in the report. (4)  The report may be appended to the annual report of the Department. (5)  [Section 20 Subsection (5) amended by No. 4 of 2017, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jul 2019] Subsection (4) has effect notwithstanding section 36(3) of the State Service Act 2000. (6)  If the local registration authority’s report is not appended to the annual report of the Department, the Minister must cause the local registration authority’s report to be laid before each House of Parliament by not later than 30 November after the end of the financial year to which it relates. 21References in other Acts (1) A reference in any Act to a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) in a health profession, however described, that enables or requires a health practitioner to act in the course of his or her profession does not include a student or a person holding non-practising registration under that Law. (2) A reference in any Act to a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) in the pharmacy profession does not include a person holding provisional registration under that Law unless that Act otherwise provides. 22Continuation of excluded legislation, &c. (1)  In this section – excluded legislation means – (a) the Freedom of Information Act 1991; and (b) the Right to Information Act 2009; and (c) the Personal Information Protection Act 2004; notification means – (a) in the case of the Freedom of Information Act 1991, a request for information made pursuant to section 13 of that Act; or (b) in the case of the Right to Information Act 2009, an application for assessed disclosure made pursuant to section 13 of that Act; or (c) in the case of the Personal Information Protection Act 2004, a matter raised with a local registration authority in its capacity as a personal information custodian under that Act. (2)  Notwithstanding section 7, if, before the participation day for this jurisdiction, a local registration authority had received a notification but had not completed dealing with the notification immediately before that day – (a) the notification is to be dealt with by the relevant National Board; and (b) the notification is to continue to be dealt with under the excluded legislation under which it was made; and (c) any review rights contained in the excluded legislation continue to apply to the notification. (3)  Notwithstanding section 7, if, before the participation day for this jurisdiction, the Ombudsman had received a complaint about a local registration authority under the Ombudsman Act 1978 or the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 but had not completed dealing with the complaint immediately before that day – (a) the complaint is to be dealt with under the Ombudsman Act 1978 or the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 (whichever applies); and (b) the relevant National Board for the health profession is taken to be the local registration authority about which the complaint relates. PART 5Miscellaneous23Administration of ActUntil provision is made in relation to this Act by order under section 4 of the Administrative Arrangements Act 1990  – (a) the administration of this Act is assigned to the Minister for Health; and (b) the department responsible to that Minister in relation to the administration of this Act is the Department of Health and Human Services. 242526Schedule 1Legislation repealed

Section 24

Optometrists Registration Act 1994 (No. 87 of 1994)

Podiatrists Registration Act 1995 (No. 81 of 1995)

Nursing Act 1995 (No. 100 of 1995)

Medical Practitioners Registration Act 1996 (No. 2 of 1996)

Dental Prosthetists Registration Act 1996 (No. 56 of 1996)

Chiropractors and Osteopaths Registration Act 1997 (No. 48 of 1997)

Physiotherapists Registration Act 1999 (No. 106 of 1999)

Psychologists Registration Act 2000 (No. 9 of 2000)

Dental Practitioners Registration Act 2001 (No. 20 of 2001)

Medical Practitioners Registration Amendment Act 2004 (No. 18 of 2004)

Medical Practitioners Registration Amendment Act 2007 (No. 50 of 2007)

Schedule 2Legislation rescinded

Section 25

Dental Prosthetists Registration (Fees) Regulations 2000 (No. 196 of 2000)

Physiotherapists Registration (Fees) Regulations 2000 (No. 199 of 2000)

Physiotherapists Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2001 (No. 148 of 2001)

Dental Prosthetists Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2002 (No. 50 of 2002)

Dental Practitioners Registration (Fees) Regulations 2002 (No. 126 of 2002)

Chiropractors and Osteopaths Registration Regulations 2003 (No. 36 of 2003)

Dental Practitioners Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2003 (No. 134 of 2003)

Chiropractors and Osteopaths Registration Amendment Regulations 2003 (No. 158 of 2003)

Physiotherapists Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2003 (No. 170 of 2003)

Physiotherapists Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2004 (No. 102 of 2004)

Dental Prosthetists Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2005 (No. 27 of 2005)

Optometrists Registration (Fees) Regulations 2005 (No. 92 of 2005)

Dental Practitioners Registration Regulations 2005 (No. 110 of 2005)

Nursing Regulations 2005 (No. 132 of 2005)

Chiropractors and Osteopaths Registration Amendment Regulations 2006 (No. 18 of 2006)

Chiropractors and Osteopaths Registration (Fees) Regulations 2006 (No. 27 of 2006)

Dental Practitioners Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2006 (No. 104 of 2006)

Psychologists Registration (Fees) Regulations 2006 (No. 136 of 2006)

Optometrists Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2006 (No. 140 of 2006)

Physiotherapists Registration Regulations 2007 (No. 51 of 2007)

Dental Prosthetists Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2007 (No. 90 of 2007)

Nursing (Fees) Regulations 2007 (No. 127 of 2007)

Chiropractors and Osteopaths Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2008 (No. 35 of 2008)

Medical Practitioners Registration (Fees) Regulations 2008 (No. 132 of 2008)

Podiatrists Registration (Fees) Regulations 2009 (No. 17 of 2009)

Dental Practitioners Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2009 (No. 93 of 2009)

Schedule 3Legislation revoked

Section 26

Proclamation under the Optometrists Registration Act 1995 (No. 33 of 1995)

Proclamation under the Nursing Act 1996 (No. 45 of 1996)

Proclamation under the Medical Practitioners Registration Act 1996 (No. 113 of 1996)

Proclamation under the Dental Prosthetists Registration Act 1996 (No. 221 of 1996)

Proclamation under the Chiropractors and Osteopaths Registration Act 1997 (No. 65 of 1998)

Proclamation under the Physiotherapists Registration Act 1999 (No. 4 of 2000)

Proclamation under the Psychologists Registration Act 2000 (No. 174 of 2000)

Proclamation under the Dental Practitioners Registration Act 2001 (No. 108 of 2001)

Proclamation under the Medical Practitioners Registration Amendment Act 2004 (No. 71 of 2004)