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June 2022 Newsletter
Message from the Presidents
Hello and welcome to our mid-year newsletter and what a year 2022 has been already. As we approach our first 12 months since I began as President of the current MRP Council, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the Council and all the hard-working staff at the Health Professional Councils Authority for their flexibility, empathy, and support throughout what can only be described as a challenging first year.
I would also like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Council to recognise all medical radiation practitioners' ongoing commitment to the community throughout these challenging times and thank you for all the important work you do both within the public and private sectors.
2022 will be 10 years since MRP entered the National Registration Scheme and provides a timely opportunity to reflect on our professional obligations as registered health practitioners. We encourage all practitioners to review both documents – Code of Conduct and Professional Capabilities regularly as a reminder of our professional responsibilities to provide safe and ethical care to the community we serve.
In this newsletter you will find updates on a range of activities in health practitioner regulation.
- Advance code of conduct
- Professional conduct on social media
- Mandatory notifications
Communication with NSW practitioners and the community is a strong focus for the Council this year and to this end some Council members have had the opportunity to attend both the ANZSNM and ASMIRT conferences recently. We are also re-invigorating our ties with the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia – continuing to establish some regular formal meetings and develop projects we can work on together.
Council actively supports its practitioner members with their ongoing professional development and, Nadine, as the Deputy President, had the privilege of attending the ASMIRT conference in Cairns representing the Council. There was a brilliant scientific program with diverse range of presentations and strong focus on rural health care. We encourage all medical radiation practitioners to prioritise attending a conference in the coming years as they are a tremendous opportunity to learn from others, connect with colleagues from across the country and experience a diverse range of vendors and industry representatives.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the profession. Stay well and safe.
Justine Trpezanovski and Nadine Thompson
President and Deputy President, Medical Radiation Practice Council of NSW
Advance copy: Revised Code of Conduct for Medical Radiation Practice
Twelve National Boards have published an advance copy of their revised shared Code of conduct (the code) and are encouraging practitioners to familiarise themselves with it before it comes into effect on 29 June 2022.
Practitioners have a professional responsibility to be familiar with and to apply the code.
The code sets out National Boards’ expectations of professional behaviour and conduct for practitioners registered in these professions, which promotes safe and effective care and helps to keep the public safe.
The shared code sets the same expectations for all 12 professions subject to the code. This consistency supports inter-professional practice and contributes to safety and quality in healthcare.
The public can also use the code to better understand what they can expect from registered health practitioners and if the care they provide meets expected standards.
To read the advance copy of the code and provide feedback please visit the Shared Code of conduct page on the Ahpra website.
Professional conduct on social media?
Social media is an easily accessible public forum which can be open to misinterpretation or used inappropriately.
Health practitioners must be alert to how inappropriate conduct on social media can lead to complaints of unprofessional conduct or professional misconduct. The NSW Health Professional Councils have recently seen an upturn in the number of complaints about how some practitioners are using social media to express personal views on COVID-19 related issues.
The public nature of social media means a single post is instantly widely available. Content can quickly be copied and presented to another audience, without the consent of the person who made the original post. Sharing of information or even ‘likes’ can be construed as endorsement of inappropriate content.
The pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, mandated vaccinations and testing have contributed to increased social media activity by health practitioners. Complaints about the professional conduct of practitioners have been received by Councils where content has been inconsistent with public health orders or reputable scientific evidence. Practitioners are also reminded that breach of public health orders is an offence.
The role of Council is to protect public safety. This involves receiving complaints about health practitioners, assessing the complaints in consultation with the HCCC, and managing complaints. Regulatory action taken by Councils may include conducting hearings, placing conditions on practice and, for serious matters, registration may be suspended.
Whether practitioners are commenting in social media about COVID-19 or other matters, there is a professional responsibility to ensure adherence to the National Law, National Board Standards, Guidelines and Code of Conduct.
Any social media activity that is in conflict with these professional responsibilities is deemed inappropriate.
Examples of inappropriate social media activity that may result and has resulted in complaints about practitioners and action by Council include:
· Activity that contradicts public health orders, public health information or reputable scientific evidence including:
- Making comments, endorsing or sharing information, posting ‘likes’ or ‘dislikes’ with or without additional comments.
- Being photographed or videoed engaging in activities or events that are in conflict with professional responsibilities.
· Providing health advice on areas outside the scope of the profession or individual professional competencies.
· Commenting on a post made by a patient that could be seen as breaching the patient’s privacy.
· Unprofessional, disrespectful, or threatening communications with or about patients and/or other practitioners, including through closed group social media channels.
Meet your professional responsibilities by:
· Complying with professional obligations as defined in the National Boards’ Code of conduct
· Complying with confidentiality and privacy requirements
· Maintaining professional boundaries with patients, colleagues and employers
· Communicating professionally and respectfully with or about patients, colleagues and employers
· Ensuring any advertising or information presented is not false, misleading or deceptive
· Only supporting information that is consistent with public health orders and reputable scientific evidence.
Do you need further details?
Find more information on Social media guidelines, the code of conduct for registered practitioners, or your professional obligations under the National Law at these links or on the Ahpra website.
Mandatory notifications
By law, registered health practitioners, employers and education providers must make a mandatory notification in some limited circumstances. Mandatory notifications help to protect the public by ensuring that Ahpra and the National Board are alerted to any potential risks to the public.
Understanding when to make a mandatory notification and when not to is an important way you can help to protect the public and support your colleagues. Click here to find out more.
Council hearing and panel members
The Council retains a list of suitably qualified medical radiation practitioners to support the Council as hearing and panel members.
A hearing and panel member will work in collaboration with other members appointed to various hearing panels and assessments. Other categories of hearing and panel members include legal, medical and community members.
If you are interested in becoming a hearing and panel member, and/or have any questions, contact the Council via email at mail@medicalradiationpracticecouncil.nsw.gov.au
Tell us what you think
You can send us an email if you have a particular comment or suggestion about this edition of our newsletter or you can complete our short survey. Our hope is that we can gain further understanding about the practitioners we’re engaging with and begin to tailor these newsletters and other communication strategies.
