The Public Health Regulation 2022 commenced on 1 September 2022.
Under the Public Health Act 2010, regulations can be made setting out codes of conduct for the provision of health services by relevant health organisations and health practitioners who are:
- not subject to the scheme for registration under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (including de-registered health practitioners), and
- registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law for the provision of health services and who provide health services that are unrelated to their registration.
Schedule 3 of the Public Health Regulation 2022 sets out the code of conduct for unregistered and registered health practitioners who are providing a health service unrelated to their registration.
Schedule 4 of the Public Health Regulation 2022 sets out the code for relevant health organisations. Relevant health organisations are those who provide health services, but are not public health organisations or licensed private health facilities.
The codes of conduct will shortly be available in a number of other languages.
Complaints can be made to the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) about alleged breaches of the code of conduct and the Commission can investigate. If a practitioner or relevant health organisation is found to have breached the code of conduct, the HCCC may make a prohibition order against the practitioner or health organisation. Further information about the role and powers of the HCCC can be found at Health Care Complaints Commission.
Under section 15 of Schedule 3 and section 10 of Schedule 4 of the Public Health Regulation 2022, most practitioners and relevant health organisations must display a copy of:
These must be displayed at:
- the premises where the practitioner carries out their practice, or
- the premises at which the organisation provides health services, or
- on the website of the practitioner or organisation.
