Health Legislation Amendment - not improving access!

CRANAplus, representing the remote and isolated health workforce of Australia is seeking urgent clarification from the Hon Nicola Roxon MP, Minister for Health and Ageing, regarding the circulated amendments to the Health Legislation (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill and the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Bill.

Christopher Cliffe, the President of CRANAplus, said; “The Government is to be congratulated on trying to improve access and equity of health care across Australia by enabling eligible midwives and nurse practitioners, to actually do what they are trained, skilled and experienced to do! But, if this amendment is linking them to prescriptive collaborative arrangements with a medical practitioner, then that’s ridiculous and will destroy the ‘access’ patients will have to eligible midwives and nurse practitioners. This will be exacerbated in remote and rural Australia, where doctors are like ‘hens teeth’.”


CRANAplus seeks confirmation from the Minister that collaborative arrangements, for safety and quality reasons, can be with a variety of health services not just individual medical practitioners.
CRANAplus urges all health professionals to have collaborative arrangements, work to the full scope of their potential and continue to strive to meet the complex growing needs of their community.