FIREARMS ACT 1996 - SECT 54AA Health service workers who are exempt from this Part

FIREARMS ACT 1996 - SECT 54AA

    (1)     A health professional or health service security guard who is not a prohibited person and who possesses or carries a firearm in a health service facility in the circumstances set out in subsection (3) does not commit an offence against section 6, 6A, 7, 7A or 7B for so doing and is not required to hold a licence under this Part.

    (2)     An ambulance officer who is not a prohibited person and who possesses or carries a firearm in a health service facility or public place in the circumstances set out in subsection (3) does not commit an offence against section 6, 6A, 7, 7A, 7B or 130(1) for so doing and is not required to hold a licence under this Part.

    (3)     For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2), the circumstances are that the health professional, health service security guard or ambulance worker—

        (a)     is carrying out his or her duties as a health professional, health service security guard or ambulance worker, as the case may be; and

        (b)     either—

              (i)     is given the firearm by a patient; or

              (ii)     removes the firearm from a patient; or

              (iii)     finds the firearm in the vicinity of the patient; or

              (iv)     is given the firearm by a health professional or ambulance worker who has taken possession of the firearm in the circumstances set out in this subsection.

S. 54AA(4) amended by No. 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 63.5).

    (4)     A health professional, health security guard or ambulance worker who takes possession of a firearm in the circumstances set out in subsection (3) must notify a police officer as soon as practicable after having taken possession of the firearm.

    (5)     The possession or carriage of a firearm by a health security guard in a health services facility in the circumstances set out in subsection (3) does not affect the operation of any licence held by the health security guard under this Part as a requirement of his or her work or contravene any conditions to which the licence is subject.

    (6)     In this section—

"ambulance worker" means an operational staff member of the ambulance services as defined in the Ambulance Services Act   1986 ;

"health professional" means—

        (a)     a registered medical practitioner;

        (b)     a nurse or midwife;

        (c)     a registered psychologist;

"health security guard" means a security guard licensed under the Private Security Act   2004 when working in a health service facility as a contractor or an employee;

"health service facility "means—

        (a)     a day procedure centre; or

        (b)     a denominational hospital; or

        (c)     a multi purpose service; or

        (d)     a private hospital; or

        (e)     a public health service; or

        (f)     a public hospital—

as defined in the Health Services Act 1988 .

S. 54AB inserted by No. 11/2011 s. 7.