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HEALTH PRACTITIONERS (SPECIAL EVENTS EXEMPTION) BILL
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11 November 1999
Second Reading
THWAITES
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HEALTH PRACTITIONERS (SPECIAL EVENTS EXEMPTION) BILL Second reading Mr THWAITES (Minister for Health) -- I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The principal aim of the bill is to authorise visiting health practitioners to provide health care services to visitors in Victoria in connection with designated special events while exempting such practitioners from the provisions of Victorian law relating to health practitioners. The Victorian government has made a commitment to host rounds of both the men's and women's football -- soccer -- competitions of the Olympic Games in September 2000. In addition, there may be other visiting teams associated with the Olympic Games who use facilities in Victoria for training prior to the games. Over any year Victoria also hosts special sporting, cultural and other events which bring teams or groups of participants from other countries into Victoria specifically to take part in the special event. Many groups or teams associated with special events are accompanied by health practitioners who provide health services to the visiting group or team participants. Formal registration processes as provided for in the existing Victorian health practitioner registration acts are not deemed necessary for visiting health practitioners to provide services to members of a visiting team or group. Provision is made in this bill for the Minister for Health to declare a special event in the Government Gazette. Visiting health practitioners will then be exempted from the offence provisions contained in a health registration act and from those contained in the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act and its regulations. Furthermore, visitors who are members of a team or group who are visiting as part of a declared special event will be exempt from any offence provision contained in the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act and regulations relating to the possession or use of a drug or poison where the drug or poison has been prescribed or supplied to them by a visiting health practitioner. The bill also makes provision for a person who is licensed to supply or sell a drug or poison to be exempted from offence provisions of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act and regulations
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when the sale or supply is to a visiting health practitioner. Similarly, a pharmacist who dispenses a prescription written by a visiting health practitioner is also exempt from offences under the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act and regulations. The bill authorises visiting health practitioners to provide health services to any visitor during an exemption period of a special event; authorises visiting health practitioners to use any title he or she normally uses in providing health services and to hold himself or herself out as being able to provide those services. Visiting health practitioners are also able to prescribe or supply a drug or poison to a visitor and to obtain or purchase drugs or poisons for supply to a visitor. In addition to the above exemptions and authorisations, the ministerial special event order will specify the exemption period, impose conditions, restrictions or limitations on visiting health practitioners relating to services to be provided or to the security or storage of drugs and poisons in their possession. This bill will streamline the process necessary for a visiting health practitioner to provide health care services to a member of a group or team associated with a designated special event. I commend the bill to the house. Debate adjourned on motion of Mr DOYLE (Malvern). Mr THWAITES (Minister for Health) -- I move: That the debate be adjourned until Tuesday, 23 November.