Code of practice review schedule 2014/15 At the April 2014 teleconference, the Standards Review Committee considered its work plan for the coming year.

Code of practice review schedule 2014/15

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At the April 2014 teleconference, the Standards Review Committee considered its work plan for the coming year.

After considering its risk matrix, interrelationships with other planned reviews or Council projects, and the capacity of the secretariat, the Committee made its recommendations to Council. 

Council agreed that with the medical emergencies code of practice review nearing its completion, and the transmissible major viral infection code of practice review currently underway, that the following additional code of practice reviews be prioritised for 2014/15:

• Sexual boundaries
• Cross infection
• Sedation (to follow after finalisation of the medical emergencies code of practice)
• Record keeping. 

TMVI review

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The working group membership for the transmissible major viral infection (TMVI) code of practice review has been determined, with the following participants:

• Professor Anita Nolan (Chair), registered Oral Medicine Specialist
• Dr Kim Gear, registered Oral Medicine Specialist and Dentist
• Dr Arlo Upton, registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand in Internal Medicine and Pathology vocational scopes of practice.

So far, the group has made good progress with regard to the analysis of the relevant international and local standards and guidelines. This work will inform the discussion on the various areas for review, identified by the Standards Review Committee TMVI work stream’s gap analysis.  

Follow-up consultation on the draft Medical Emergencies in Dental Practice Code of Practice

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Last year, the Council consulted on the draft Medical Emergencies in Dental Practice Code of Practice.  The Council established Submissions Review Team considered the submissions, prior to making recommendations to Council.

The Council approved an amended draft Medical Emergencies in Dental Practice Code of Practice for further consultation.

Stakeholders received the consultation documents on 19 May 2014 and comments are sought on the proposed draft code of practice by 14 July 2014.

Note: that in the interim, until a revised code has been finalised, the current Medical Emergencies in Dental Practice Codes of Practice remain in place. 

Dental Specialist competencies review

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The joint project between Council and the Dental Board of Australia, to develop the specialist qualifications framework and competencies for dental specialities, has made significant progress.

The review objective is to develop a specialist qualifications framework and competencies for each specialty.  The competencies will be used to set standards for entry to the Register, and could also be used when a concern was raised about a practitioner’s competence.

To this end, the two regulators have appointed an Expert Reference Group Specialist (ERGS), with the following membership:  

• Professor Richard Logan (Chair)
• Winthrop Professor Paul Abbott
• Dr Werner Bischof
• Dr Mark Leedham
• Professor Robert Love
• Dr Neil Peppitt
• Dr Jocelyn Shand
• Dr John Lockwood (ex-officio).

May and June 2014 featured ERGS meetings with various Australasian specialist stakeholders to gather information to inform the development of the draft competencies. A forum with New Zealand specialist stakeholders will be held on 8 July 2014 in Wellington.  This will be followed by a wider consultation process with all Council stakeholders.

Accreditation Standards

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The Dental Council (New Zealand) and Dental Board of Australia commissioned the Australian Dental Council to conduct a review of the joint accreditation standards for all the professions’ programmes. This resulted in a New Zealand discussion forum, held on 11 April in Wellington. The intent of the forum was to gain clarity on the issues with the existing standards, identify any potential overlap with other regulation of educational institutions and programmes that occurs, and to recognise areas not sufficiently covered in the standards.

The forum was well attended with attendee representation from academia, professional associations, quality assurance bodies and governance. Project consultant, Prof Maree O’Keefe from Adelaide, was also in attendance.  Prof O’Keefe will consider the forum notes, gathered across the five discussion forums held in Australia and New Zealand, and the survey responses on the first discussion document, when developing the draft standards.

The target date for project finalisation and approval of the revised standards is by the end of 2014. However, this date is dependent on the level of submission feedback received and any possible requirement for subsequent follow-up consultations.

All Council stakeholders will be afforded an opportunity to have their say on the draft accreditation standards, through the consultation process.