Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Health Professions Registration Act 2005 - SECT 7

Specific registration

7. Specific registration



(1) The responsible board may grant specific registration as a health
practitioner to an applicant who has completed a course of study and any
supervised practice in the health profession regulated by that board that does
not qualify that applicant for general registration-

   (a)  to enable that applicant to fill a teaching or research position
        approved by the responsible board in the health profession regulated
        by that board;

   (b)  to enable an applicant from another country to practise as a health
        practitioner in Victoria if that applicant, with the prior permission
        of the responsible board-

   (i)  has exchanged practice with a registered health practitioner for a
        limited period; or

   (ii) has been engaged to provide locum services for a registered health
        practitioner in Victoria;

   (c)  if the responsible board is satisfied that, in order to meet an
        identified need for a health practitioner, it is necessary for a
        person having qualifications and training in the nature of the
        applicant's to practise as a health practitioner in Victoria;

   (d)  if the responsible board is satisfied that provisional registration or
        registration as a student is not appropriate in the circumstances-

   (i)  to enable that applicant to undertake supervised practice or training;
        or

   (ii) to enable an applicant who is a candidate for an examination that is a
        qualification for general registration to undertake training for that
        examination;

   (e)  if the responsible board is satisfied that it is in the public
        interest for a person having qualifications and training in the nature
        of the applicant's to practise as a health practitioner in Victoria
        for a limited period or to undertake limited practice;

   (f)  to enable an applicant to practise within a health practitioner
        speciality recognised by the board if the applicant holds-

   (i)  qualifications in the health profession regulated by the board
        obtained outside Australia that do not qualify the applicant for
        general registration; and

   (ii) specialist qualifications that are recognised by the board.

(2) The Nurses Board of Victoria may also grant specific registration as a
nurse to an applicant who is not qualified for general registration under
Division 1 of the register kept by the Board but has completed a course of
study and supervised training in midwifery to enable that applicant to
practise midwifery and use the title midwife.

(3) The responsible board may refuse to grant specific registration to an
applicant if-

   (a)  any of the grounds for refusal set out in section 6(2) apply to the
        applicant; or

   (b)  having regard to the qualifications and training of the applicant, it
        is not in the public interest to register the applicant to practise as
        a health practitioner.

(4) A person's specific registration continues in force until-

   (a)  the period, not more than 12 months, specified by the responsible
        board ends; or

   (b)  if the period of registration is extended under subsection (7), the
        first of the following occurs-

   (i)  the board makes a decision about the person's application for another
        period of specific registration;

   (ii) the period for which the specific registration was extended ends.

(5) A grant of specific registration is subject to any condition that the
responsible board thinks fit including conditions as to professional indemnity
insurance.





(6) The responsible board may, upon application by the registered health
practitioner or with the agreement of the registered health practitioner,
amend, vary or revoke any condition imposed on the registration under this
Part.

(7) The registrar of a responsible board, or another person authorised by the
responsible board for this section, may extend the period for which a person's
specific registration continues in effect for a period of not more than 3
months if-

   (a)  the person has, while the person's specific registration is in force,
        applied again under this section for a grant of specific registration;
        and

   (b)  it is not practicable to wait until the board can consider the
        application; and

   (c)  if the person has a workplace supervisor, the supervisor has provided
        a report indicating the person's work performance is satisfactory; and

   (d)  the registrar or other person authorised by the board is satisfied
        that none of the grounds for refusing an application for the grant of
        specific registration apply.