22Amendment of licences

22 Amendment of licences

(1)  The Secretary may amend a licence in one or more of the following ways:

(a) by specifying in the licence additional classes of establishments;

(b) by omitting any class of establishments specified in the licence;

(c) in the case of a private hospital, by increasing or decreasing the number of patients specified in the licence as the number of patients who may be accommodated overnight at any one time in the hospital;

(d) in the case of a residential care service, by increasing or decreasing the number of residents specified in the licence as the number of residents who may be accommodated;

(e) in the case of a day-procedure centre, by increasing or decreasing the number of rooms available for day procedures;

(f) by amending or revoking any condition to which the licence is subject, including a condition relating to a type of specialty service to be provided under the licence but excluding the condition referred to in section 16(2) , or attaching further conditions to the licence.

(2)  The Secretary may amend a licence under this section if –

(a) the licensee applies in writing to the Secretary to make the amendment and pays the prescribed fee; or

(b) the Secretary considers that the licence requires amendment.

(3)  The amendment is to be based on clinical considerations relating to service quality and is to be consistent with established clinical practice and guidelines relating to specialty service planning published by the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Committee, the Medicare Services Advisory Committee, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Royal Colleges, any health authority established in any other State or a Territory or any other similar body or authority.

(4)  A licence is amended under this section –

(a) by an appropriate endorsement on the licence; or

(b) by the cancellation of the licence and the issue of a substitute licence incorporating the amendment; or