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Changes to the South Australian Medical Practitioners Act 1983

David H Wilde
Med J Aust 2002; 177 (1): S26. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2002.tb04628.x
Published online: 1 July 2002
New provisions for protecting the public

The approach of the Medical Board in South Australia has always been to support both individual members and the medical profession in general while retaining its statutory requirement of public protection.

Under the new Act, the SA Medical Board will require much more information on the health of individual doctors and students, particularly in relation to infectious diseases. While transmission rates of bloodborne viruses from healthcare professionals to patients are low, such transmissions do occur, with potentially serious consequences for patients.

As part of the Board's role of public protection, it is appropriate that the Board is made aware of practitioners who are infected with bloodborne viruses so that appropriate protective steps can be put in place. It should be emphasised that these steps would not necessarily or routinely mean denying the right to practise medicine.

There is already a requirement in the current Act for a treating doctor to report to the Board, in writing, the details of patients who are medical practitioners, and are suffering from a condition which impairs or may impair their ability to practise medicine safely. The new reporting requirements now place a responsibility on the patient who is a doctor to also report his or her own health status to the Board.

Overall, the SA Medical Board will maintain a careful balance of confidentiality, support for the medical profession, including medical students, while looking after the best interests of the general public.

  • David H Wilde1

  • Medical Board of South Australia, Stepney, SA.


Correspondence: admin@medicalboardsa.asn.au

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