SCHEDULE 5 - Membership and Pr SCHEDULE 5 - Membership and Procedures of Medical Advisory Committees

Clause 6 of Part 2 of Schedule 1

1.   Membership

(1) Unless otherwise approved by the Secretary, a medical advisory committee is to consist of at least 5 medical practitioners.

(2) The Secretary may approve a committee as a medical advisory committee that does not comply with the requirements of subclause (1) if the Secretary thinks fit to do so, after taking into account the relevant establishment and the treatment performed.

(3) Despite subclauses (1) and (2) , a medical advisory committee must include one member who has no pecuniary interest in the establishment.

(4) In addition to the members specified in subclauses (1) and (2) , the medical advisory committee may include nominees or representatives of other health care providers, academic institutions or other relevant professional organisations.

2.   Procedure of medical advisory committee

(1) The medical advisory committee is to meet as often as is necessary to effectively perform its responsibilities and functions.

(2) A medical advisory committee may co-opt any person having any desirable expertise but any such person is not entitled to vote.

(3) A medical advisory committee is to review at least once in each period of 5 years the credentials and scope of clinical practice of each medical practitioner and dentist appointed to the private hospital or day-procedure centre.

(4) A member must not participate in any deliberation or decision of the committee in respect of a practitioner if grounds might exist for a reasonable apprehension that the member might not bring a fair and unbiased mind to the issue before the committee.

(5) In the circumstances referred to in subclause (4) , the member concerned must declare the facts of the matter to the chairperson who must then decide whether or not the member should participate in any deliberation or decision of the committee.