WA welcome to have their say about proposed health care policy

The state consultation, which is open until 9 February, seeks input from health care workers, consumers and other interested parties in relation to the national benchmark implementation in Western Australia.

Assistant Director Governance and Executive Services with the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO), Rachel Beard, says this open consultation provides an opportunity for everyone to have a say.

“The purpose of the National Code is to protect the public by setting minimum standards of conduct and practice for all public and private health care workers  who are not registered under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for health practitioners or who provide services unrelated to their registration,” Ms Beard explains.

“The public consultation provides the opportunity for any interested individual or organisation to provide feedback on the proposed implementation of the National Code in Western Australia.”

She adds that the target audience is “varied” and includes individuals or organisations that have an interest in the implementation, noting that a number of stakeholders, Western Australian government departments, health and disability service providers, not for profit, education and training establishments, employment services and even unions have already been part of the process.

Consultation at a national level has already been undertaken in 2011 and 2014 while developing the terms of the National Code.

Ms Beard says that while there are a number of target audiences for the Western Australian consultation, anyone interested is able to have their say.

Written submissions can be made until 9 February 2018 via email, online questionnaire and mail to:

Kieran Handmer

Project Officer

Health and Disability Services Complaints Office

PO Box B61,

Perth, WA, 6838

Following the closure of the public consultation period, HaDSCO will analyse all submissions and prepare a report on the findings. Feedback and information from the public consultation process will be used to help finalise the policy framework for implementing the National Code in Western Australia which will be provided to the Office of the Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Mental Health for endorsement.