Medical radiation practitioners urged to have their say on revised professional capabilities

18 Feb 2019

Medical radiation practitioners are being urged to have their say on revised professional capabilities for the profession.

The Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (the Board) public consultation on revised professional capabilities for medical radiation practice opened today and will close at 12pm on Friday 26 April 2019.

The professional capabilities describe the minimum level of professional capability required for general registration and independent practice as a diagnostic radiographer, a nuclear medicine technologist or a radiation therapist in Australia.

The Board first published professional capabilities in November 2013.

Board Chair Mark Marcenko said, ‘Since 2013 there have been developments in technology and changes in practice, and this impacts on what minimum professional capabilities we expect a registered medical radiation practitioner to have.’

The Board spent last year reviewing the current professional capabilities before developing the draft revised professional capabilities which are now published for public consultation.

The draft revised professional capabilities reflect changes in the scope and role of medical radiation practitioners since 2013.

Some of the changes include:

• a revised structure
• new capabilities for ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging
• enhanced requirements for safe and effective practice in CT for all medical radiation practitioners
• more complete descriptions for recognising and responding to deteriorating patients, and
• the importance of conveying information when urgent or unexpected findings are identified.

The Board will use the professional capabilities as a reference point for threshold competence when exercising its statutory functions.

They will also be used by the Board to communicate to the public, consumers, employers, insurance companies and other stakeholders the standards they can expect from medical radiation practitioners.

‘It’s important for all stakeholders to participate in the development of these minimum professional capabilities,’ Mr Marcenko said.

The consultation paper is available under Consultations and the Board invites feedback from practitioners, stakeholders and the community.

You can provide feedback using one of the following options:

• Complete the Qualtrics online consultation survey, OR
• Email a written submission marked ‘Feedback on Draft revised professional capabilities for medical radiation practice’ to medicalradiationconsultation@ahpra.gov.au.

Feedback must be received by 12pm (midday) 26 April 2019.

Submissions sent by post should be addressed to the Executive Officer, Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia, GPO Box 9958, Melbourne VIC 3001.

Submissions to this consultation may be published on the Board’s website. There may be circumstances under which submissions may not be published. Published submissions will include the names of individuals and/or organisations that made the submission unless confidentiality is requested.

For more information

• Lodge an online enquiry form
• For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 03 9275 9009 (overseas callers)
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200