Breaking down Standard 1.2 Registration and Licensing

Friday, 23 September 2011

 

Breaking down  Standard 1.2 Registration and Licensing 

Staff, contractors and any other practitioners providing diagnostic imaging services must have and maintain the appropriate and current registration and/or licence to provide diagnostic imaging procedures for which accreditation is sought in the State or Territory.

 

What is Standard 1.2?
For service providers wishing to achieve accreditation, this Standard requires you to demonstrate that staff providing key diagnostic imaging services have the required registration and licence. The aim of this Standard ensures that the appropriate staff are qualified to adequately operate, read and report on images.

What does registration mean?
The term ‘registration’ refers professional qualification of the individual. Refer to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA): http://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registers-of-Practitioners.aspx

What does licence mean?
A radiation operator’s licence must be held by the individual carrying out diagnostic imaging procedures. State and Territory radiation licensing requirements differ and could be either;

• a licence to use radiation apparatus and radioactive substances (individuals)
• a licence to sell and/or possess radiation apparatus and radioactive substances (individual and/or company)

Depending on the profession and services provide, you may be required to provide both a registration and licence; other professions may only require one of these. This table in the next section summarises requirements for each profession.

How do I meet this Standard?
Service providers must submit a list of staff in each of the categories listed below accompanied with their:

• Name
• Profession category
• Title
• Registration and/or licence details (listed below)

The below list outlines the registration and/or licensing categories accompanied with the standard evidientiary reqirements for each category.

Medical practitioner(s) and other registered health professionals - Medical registration number or copy of registration document and;
Copy of radiation operator’s licence.
Radiographer(s) - Radiographer registration number or copy of registration document and; Copy of radiation operator’s licence.
Sonographer(s) -  Registration number or copy of registration document.
Nurse(s) -  Registration number or copy of registration document.
Nuclear medicine technologist(s) - Registration number or copy of registration documentp; Copy of radiation operator’s licence.
Medical physicist(s) - Copy of radiation operator’s licence.
Non-imaging practitioner(s) - Registration number or copy of registration document;Copy of radiation operator’s licence.
 

Where diagnostic imaging services are provided by sub-contracted third parties or agencies, the registration and/or licence numbers of persons providing such services must be submitted. Where such services are provided by practitioners registered in countries other than Australia – a copy of the person’s licence and/ or registration certificate must be provided.

*Helpful tip
'Medical personnel' refer to any medical practitioners such as radiologist, general practitioner, medical specialist or dentist etc.
'Non-medical personnel' include radiographers, sonographers, nurse, and allied health professionals such as chiropractors, physiotherapists, podiatrists and osteopaths.