Locum Medical Officers: Frequently asked questions
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS
Who is the employer of the Locum Medical Officer?
NSW Health requires locums to be remunerated through the payroll to a personal account, provide a TFN declaration form and have PAYG tax deducted. In such circumstances the NSW Health District is the employer.
Is the 'customer' the Local Health District or the hospital facility?
The 'customer' for the provision of locum medical officers is the Local Health District not the hospital facility.
NSW HEALTH STANDARDS AND CONDITIONS
Do the Standards and Conditions relate to visiting medical officers (VMOs) and Staff Specialists?
No, the Standards and Conditions do not relate to the appointment of VMOs, Dentists, Staff specialists or any medical professional that must have their employment confirmed by the Medical and Dental Appointments and Advisory Committee (MDAAC).
What will be the cost of a third party audit and how often will it be required?
The cost of the third party audit will be determined by the audit provider. If the locum agency is fully compliant then the audit will only be required every three years. If the audit process results in compliance notices then all compliance timeframes as stipulated by the audit company must be addressed and NSW Health notified of progress.
Does the locum agency require public liability ($15 million) professional indemnity ($10 million) in respect of any claim and $20 million in the aggregate for any period of cover, as well as workers compensation policies?
Yes, it is a standard requirement that the locum agency has insurance certificates to these levels of indemnity as a condition of continued engagement with the NSW Health Districts. As an employee, a medical officer will be indemnified through the employer for acts or omissions arising during the course of his or her employment, except where severe and/ or wilful misconduct is involved.
Does the Local Health District need to have a separate agreement with each locum agency?
What type of financial system would be suitable for a Medical Locum Agency?
A suitable financial system would be one that demonstrates effectively the tracking of income revenue from various sources as well as expenditure and commissions. There are a variety of software packages that could be used to demonstrate this effectiveness.
WORKING WITH CHILDREN BACKGROUND CHECKS AND CRIMINAL RECORD CHECKS
Are Working with Children Background Checks still required if the doctor lives in another state?
Yes, the Working with Children background check is mandatory for preferred applicants for paid child-related employment.
Further information is available at http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/kids/working.cfm
How often will Working with Children Background Checks need to be conducted?
Agencies that provide locum staff to NSW Health agencies are required to lodge requests for a Working with Children Background Check directly with the External Relations and Employment Screening Review Unit of the NSW Ministry of Health at the time the applicant is registered with the agency. A further Working with Children Background Check is not required unless the medical officer ceases to be registered with the agency and reregisters at a later date, or registers with another agency.
The Working with Children Background Checks will remain valid during periods of continuous registration with a locum agency even if employment has not been continuous.
Further information is available in the Employment Screening Policy
Is there a minimum amount of time that a person must have resided in a country before a criminal record check is required?
No, a criminal record clearance is required from the country of origin.
If this is not possible then a statutory declaration can be completed which is available as APPENDIX G to the Locum Medical Officers – Employment & Management Policy.
REFEREE CHECKS
How should the referee checks be conducted?
Medical Locum Agencies must conduct at least two (or preferably three) referee checks on clinical skills and professional behaviours.
One of the referee checks must be conducted with a current supervisor. The supervisors must have qualifications and experience to the position being sought by the Locum Medical Officer.
The Public Health Organisation is responsible for demonstrating due diligence, by reviewing the written record of each referee check to ensure they are satisfied with it, and directly confirm with each referee their identity and relationship to the applicant.
Can referee checks be shared between locum agencies?
References can be shared between locum agencies provided the agency has the written consent of the medical officer. If the medical officer is registered with more than one agency, permission should be given by the medical officer for an agency to direct the Local Health District to existing information that has been provided by another agency.
How long are referee checks current?
The referee check is but one part of the pre-placement process for locum Medical Officers. During the employment period there should continue to be a consistent match between the duties and the performance of the Locum Medical Officer. This should be captured through feedback and performance monitoring systems initiated by the Medical Locum Agency. If there was a significant break in the employment period then on a case by case basis Local Health Districts would be entitled to ask for more current referee checks.
Will Local Health Districts still conduct their own reference checks?
Local Health Districts will manage this process by conducting a risk assessment of the information presented to them by the locum agency. The extent of further reference checks will be based on this assessment.
What is an internal Service Check Register (SCR)?
It is mandatory for Local Health Districts to conduct a SCR check for all Medical Locum Agency staff to ensure that the locum medical officer is not suspended from another employment arrangement within NSW Health or has resigned from employment in NSW Health to avoid suspension. It is a requirement that the locum agency advise the Locum Medical Officer that prior to commencing work an internal service check will be conducted.
Further information can be found in the Service Check Register for NSW Health Services Policy.
DOCUMENTATION CHECKS
When conducting the 100 point identification check, is it sufficient for qualifications to be noted from a person's curriculum vitae?
There is no need to sight qualifications used to gain registration as this is done by the Medical Board of Australia.
Does the Medical Locum Agency have to check the documents for the 100 point ID check?
Yes, it is the responsibility of the Medical Locum Agency to ensure that all forms of identification are checked according to the 100 Point Identification Check Form.
All documents provided to support the 100 point identification check must be original documents. Certified copies will not be accepted to make the 100 Point ID Check.
Original documents should be copied and certified as 'original sighted' and dated.
This information should be assembled in an orderly manner and sent to the Local Health District with the supplied form. It is the responsibility of the Medical Locum Agency to ensure that copied information is readable and accurate.
The 100 Point ID Check Form is located at APPENDIX E to the Locum Medical Officers – Employment & Management Policy.
The Locum Medical Office Pre-placement Checklist requires a copy of registration from the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) dated within the past 7 days. How do I obtain this?
The documentation required is a copy of the medical officer's registration details as they are shown on the medical register by AHPRA website within the last 7 days.
The APHRA register link: http://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registers-of-Practitioners.aspx
What documents are required to be carried by the Locum Medical Officer to the Local Health District place of employment for their shift?
The Locum Medical Officer should present for the shift at the appointed time to the designated site contact and present photo identification and a copy of the current letter of introduction from the agency and documentation that verifies shift details.
ONLINE ORIENTATION PROGRAMS
Who is required to complete the orientation programs?
All Locum Medical Officers are required to complete a medical orientation program.
This requirement is necessary to work in NSW public hospitals as part of the pre placement process.
Locum agencies listed on the NSW Health 'Register of Locum Agencies' have been issued with access details to this program. The Locum Medical Officers eMedical Orientation program contains the following modules:
- NSW Health Code of Conduct
- NSW Health Policy compliance declarations
- Child Protection training
- Manual Handling
- OH&S
- Workplace Health and Safety
- Electronic Records Management
- Infection control
- Security & Aggression
- Fire Safety
- DETECT – recognition and management of a patient who is clinically deteriorating
How does a locum Medical Officer access the Locum Medical Officers eMedical Orientation program?
The online training can be accessed using the following link: http://nswhealth.moodle.com.au
How long will it take to complete the modules in the Locum Medical Officers eMedical orientation program?
It is anticipated that depending on the medical officers existing knowledge of NSW Health policies, it should take approximately one hour.
What online courses have been included in the revised policy?
DETECT – recognition and management of a patient who is clinically deteriorating has been included, and the e-learning component must be completed as well as reading the policy as part of the policy sign off sheet.
Will the locum medical officer get paid for completing the eMedical orientation program?
Medical officers introduced to Local Health Districts via a locum agency will be required to complete the Interim eMedical orientation program prior to placement and will receive no payment.
SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT
How does a Locum Medical Officer get approval for secondary employment?
Approval for locum work must only be given by the Public Health Organisation Chief Executive, or approved delegate.
The Locum Medical Officer should contact the Casual and Locum Staffing Service in their Local Health District for details. The District will advise on the forms that will need to be completed and approval process.
Will an application for secondary employment approval be denied by the Public Health Organisation if the Locum Medical Officer wishes to work for a locum agency?
Each application for secondary employment approval is considered on a case by case basis by each Local Health District with decisions made consistent with NSW policies.
More information on secondary employment approval can be found at APPENDIX I of the Locum Medical Officers – Employment & Management Policy.