Declaration of Quality Assurance Activity under section 124X of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (QAA 1/2012)

Instrument number QAA 1/2012

Declaration of Quality Assurance Activity under section 124X of the Health Insurance Act 1973

as amended

Compilation start date:  3 June 2014

Includes amendments up to: Amendment Declaration of Quality Assurance Activities under section 124X of the Health Insurance Act 1973—QAA 1/2014

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Declaration of Quality Assurance Activities under section 124X of the Health Insurance Act 1973─ QAA 1/2012 as in force on 3 June 2014. It includes any commenced amendment affecting the legislation to that date.

This compilation was prepared on 11 September 2014.

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of each amended provision.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not reflected in the text of the compiled law but the text of the amendments is included in the endnotes.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments

If the operation of a provision or amendment is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Modifications

If a provision of the compiled law is affected by a modification that is in force, details are included in the endnotes.

Provisions ceasing to have effect

If a provision of the compiled law has expired or otherwise ceased to have effect in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

I, CHRIS BAGGOLEY, Chief Medical Officer of The Department of Health and Ageing, make this instrument under section 124X of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act).

1. DECLARE the Activities described in Schedule 1 to this declaration (the Activities) to be quality assurance activities to which Part VC of the Act applies being satisfied in relation to the Activities that:

(i)            the organisations engaging in the Activities are authorised to do so by associations of health professionals or educational institutions; and

(ii)          it is in the public interest that Part VC of the Act applies to the Activities having regard to the criteria prescribed in regulations 23C to 23G (inclusive) of the Health Insurance Regulations 1975.

Part 1  Preliminary

1                     Name of Declaration

This Declaration is the Declaration of Quality Assurance Activity under section 124X of the Health Insurance Act 1973 also known as QAA 1/2012.

2                     Commencement

This Declaration commences the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.  Section 124X (4) of the Act prescribes that, unless sooner  revoked, this declaration ceases to be in force at the end of five years after the instrument of declaration was signed.

Part 2  Schedule 1  

QAA1/2012 – Declared Quality Assurance Activities

[1] The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) Practice Visits: a peer review activity for specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists in Australia.

 Description:

As part of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program of RANZCOG, Fellows volunteer to participate in this peer review program which provides participants with recommendations on improving the quality and risk management of their practice. The practice visit program provides a quality framework in which to assess and evaluate the individual practice and competence of RANZCOG Fellows. Data from de-identified patients, co-workers as well as observations of the Fellow’s practice are collected and then used for evaluation. Qualitative analysis is undertaken on the de-identified information and feedback is then disseminated to the participant.  Further to individual feedback, the information is also disseminated to all Fellows of RANZCOG via a de-identified report in the O&G magazine. Presentations will also be made at either the Provincial Fellows Annual Scientific Meeting (PF ASM) or the RANZCOG ASM. The RANZCOG Practice Visit project has been declared quality activity in the past and has resulted in Fellows being more confident in participating in free flowing discussion about clinical performance and clinical decision making. This quality activity is in the public interest due to the quality improvement focus sought from the evaluation methodology employed during the practice visits. 

[2] The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program- Practice Evaluation – Quality Assurance; and Emergency Responses – Quality Assurance

 Description:

The Self Directed Quality Assurance (QA) Activities as part of ANZCA’s wider continuing professional development program focus on self directed and practice based learning activities rather than supervised training. Fellows are required to submit annual returns if they wish to receive a statement of participation that may be used for recertification or credentialing.  Candid self assessment is encouraged and promoted as participants develop an overarching plan that tailors their QA activities within the breadth of their jurisdiction. The self assessments are recorded in an online portfolio along with other QA activities. Specialists are then afforded the opportunity to study, analyse and audit selected aspects of their clinical performance with the aims of improving the outcomes of their patients through ongoing review of their practice. Reflection notes, practice peer review and evaluation of participation are the key methods in conducting the activity. The outcomes of the activity are disseminated to the ANZCA CPD Committee which publishes an annual report of the program. The Committee also makes any recommendations to ANZCA’s Council which in turn makes recommendations to the Education and Training Committee and Quality and Safety Committee. Public interest is demonstrated as the quality activity seeks to monitor and evaluate individuals which will shape improvements and quality measures in anaesthesiology practice.

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Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

The endnotes provide details of the history of this legislation and its provisions. The following endnotes are included in each compilation:

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Endnote 5—Uncommenced amendments

Endnote 6—Modifications

Endnote 7—Misdescribed amendments

Endnote 8—Miscellaneous

If there is no information under a particular endnote, the word “none” will appear in square brackets after the endnote heading.

Abbreviation key—Endnote 2

The abbreviation key in this endnote sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended the compiled law. The information includes commencement information for amending laws and details of application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision level. It also includes information about any provisions that have expired or otherwise ceased to have effect in accordance with a provision of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments—Endnote 5

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not reflected in the text of the compiled law, but the text of the amendments is included in endnote 5.

Modifications—Endnote 6

If the compiled law is affected by a modification that is in force, details of the modification are included in endnote 6.

Misdescribed amendments—Endnote 7

An amendment is a misdescribed amendment if the effect of the amendment cannot be incorporated into the text of the compilation. Any misdescribed amendment is included in endnote 7.

Miscellaneous—Endnote 8

Endnote 8 includes any additional information that may be helpful for a reader of the compilation.

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Endnote 5—Uncommenced amendments [none]

Endnote 6—Modifications [none]

Endnote 7—Misdescribed amendments [none]

Endnote 8—Miscellaneous [none]