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December 2024 Newsletter
Deputy President's message
I am writing to you with a different voice and perspective for our end-of-year newsletter. I am in the wonderfully unique position of being both the Deputy President and a community member on the Medical Radiation Practice Council (the Council). I am also currently in the middle of a brief stint as Interim Chair of the Council while we go through the recruitment process for a new President.
Community members bring a variety of voices to the table. As a lay person, I bring both an outside view, the view of a health care consumer, at times an unpaid carer, a systems intermediary; as well as someone who genuinely cares about good health outcomes for consumers. These various perspectives add a richness to the Council’s deliberations and conversations. Community voices are a reminder to health practitioners that they serve the public good and this is a place of great privilege, requiring professional expertise, while sometimes navigating challenges as well as challenging behaviours.
The cases that I have been part of reviewing as a Council member have provided me with a small glimpse into the opportunities and complexities of our health care systems. Sometimes practitioners have come before us due to barriers in their workplaces that impact on good practice; other times they have made poor judgement calls and on rare occasions have done the wrong thing. The Council’s role is to determine if a practitioner is safe to practise and ensure the health and safety of the public.
We are a small Council but a highly effective one. We are very collaborative, supportive and co-operative. We encourage and actively enable a diversity of views to be expressed with respectful robust discussion, all in a safe environment. We all place public safety central to our decision-making processes.
It has been a steep learning curve to understand the scope of the Medical Radiation Practice profession and the breadth of practice. I have been very ably supported by my fellow Council members who generously share their professional expertise and knowledge for which I am very grateful.
As we head into the holiday season, I want to wish you all continued safe and caring practices.
I also wish to thank the previous Council members – Sheryl Foster, Nadine Thompson and Greg Ross and I welcome our two new Council members, who were appointed in July 2024.
Prue Warrilow
Deputy President and Community Member
Meet your new Council members
Adam Booker
“I am a barrister and academic employed by the University of Sydney Law School. Those are roles I have held variously for almost two decades. I am also a legal member of the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal, as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. I joined the Medical Radiation Practice Council as I’m interested in the protection of the health and safety of the public in NSW. Although having attended a few meetings I am also looking forward to being a part of some of the Council’s non-regulatory work, oriented around community engagement and education."
Alison Brown
“I am a Radiation Therapist with a particular interest in urology radiation therapy. I decided to join the Council as I thought it was important that there was a Radiation Therapist practitioner member to be able to provide insight on all things Radiation Therapy when the need arises. I was also keen to learn more about our profession from a different viewpoint and work with a new team of professionals to broaden my skillset.”
Patient confidentiality and privacy
In this newsletter, the Council thought it appropriate to remind practitioners of their obligations when it comes to patient privacy and confidentiality. Often, when thinking of patient privacy, we think of patient electronic / paper medical records which are a detailed record of everything that may be happening with the patient’s current health and treatment.
All too often though we forget, as practitioners, that privacy extends beyond that one record. With the recent implementation of statewide radiology and picture archiving systems, medical radiation practitioners are no longer working in silos. Patient records are being shared across the state within different institutions, and while this is fantastic for the sharing of information and continuity of care, it unfortunately provides more ways that data breaches can occur. Being mindful of where you are accessing patient information and ensuring your computer is secure is critical in making sure you don’t inadvertently breach patient privacy.
Privacy is not just limited to physical patient records or images – past notifications have featured in social media, where a seemingly innocent comment about a case could make you identifiable as a medical radiation practitioner. Debriefing sessions with colleagues in a public area, discussions with our loved ones after work, or even taking a photo on a non-work mobile device that is not secure are all additional risks.
Importantly, ask yourself, 'Do I need this information to perform my role as a medical radiation practitioner? And, if I do, am I careful and mindful with that information, including where and how it is discussed?' Be sensitive and sensible to who is around you and can overhear corridor conversations.
As registration renewals for Medical Radiation Practitioner’s is upon us, this is a timely reminder to review the Ahpra Shared Code of Conduct and the 11 guiding principles.
We work in quite intense, highly stressful environments and it is imperative that we look after our own mental and physical wellbeing. Remember to avail yourself of any resources your workplace may have e.g. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services.
Helpful links
Family and Domestic Violence statement
Family violence remains one of the most serious public health and safety threats across Australia. The 15 NSW Health Professional Councils and the HPCA along with our regulatory partners released an important joint statement taking a united stand against family violence.
