Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Health Professions Registration Act 2005 - SECT 118

Powers and functions of responsible boards

118. Powers and functions of responsible boards



(1) A responsible board has the following functions-

   (a)  to register persons who comply with the requirements of this Act for
        registration so that they may practise as health practitioners in the
        health profession regulated by the board or, in the case of students,
        undertake clinical training in that health profession in Victoria;

   (b)  to approve courses of study that provide qualifications for
        registration as health practitioners in the health profession
        regulated by the board;

   (c)  to approve positions with a registered health practitioner or any
        other person or body providing regulated health services for
        supervised practice required for registration under section 5;

   (d)  to regulate the standards of practice in the health profession
        regulated by the board in the public interest;

   (e)  to investigate the professional conduct, professional performance or
        ability to practise of registered health practitioners regulated by
        the board and impose sanctions where necessary;

   (f)  to investigate the suitability of students regulated by the board to
        undertake clinical training and impose sanctions where necessary;





   (g)  to issue and publish codes for the guidance of registered health
        practitioners regulated by the board and registered students regulated
        by the board about standards recommended by the responsible board
        relating to the provision of regulated health services and about
        professional performance;

   (h)  to issue and publish guidelines about the minimum terms and conditions
        of professional indemnity insurance for registered health
        practitioners regulated by the board;

        (i)    to issue and publish guidelines about the obtaining,
               possession, use, sale or supply of Schedule 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8
               poisons within the meaning of the
               Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 by health
               practitioners registered under this Act;

   (j)  to issue and publish guidelines about qualifications for registration
        or endorsement of registration as a health practitioner including
        supervised practice and examinations;

   (k)  to initiate, promote, support, fund or participate in programs that
        the responsible board considers will improve health practitioners'
        ability to practise and students' ability to undertake clinical
        training;

   (l)  to advise the Minister on any matters relating to its functions;

   (m)  when so requested by the Minister, give to the Minister any
        information reasonably required by the Minister;

   (n)  any other functions conferred on the responsible board by this or any
        other Act.

(2) The Chinese Medicine Registration Board of Victoria has an additional
function of issuing and publishing codes for the guidance of Chinese medicine
practitioners and herbal dispensers registered under this Act about standards
recommended by the Board relating to the practice of Chinese medicine and the
prescribing, labelling, storage, dispensing and supply of Chinese herbs
including Schedule 1 poisons within the meaning of the
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981.

(3) The Pharmacy Board of Victoria has the additional function of approving
pharmacies, pharmacy businesses, pharmacy departments and pharmacy depots for
the purposes of Part 6.

(4) A responsible board has all the powers necessary to enable it to perform
its functions.

(5) If there is an inconsistency between any practice recommended under a
guideline or a code published by a responsible board and a provision of this
Act or the regulations or any other Act or regulations the provision of the
Act or the regulations prevails.