Notifying the Council about
a possibly unwell doctor

Any person who has reason to believe a registered doctor is unable to perform the functions required to practise medicine because they may be unwell must notify the Medical Council. This includes:

• any person in charge of an organisation that provides health services, or any doctor’s employer
• a person in charge of an educational programme in New Zealand for a scope of practice (if they believe the student completing the course would be unable to perform the functions required to practise medicine)
• any member of the public.

Notification must be in writing to the Council’s Registrar.

Note: The Council may disclose the name of the person who notified it about an unwell doctor to the doctor concerned, however, this is not always appropriate.

Definition of 'ability to perform the functions required to practise medicine'

The functions required of a practising doctor include:

• making safe judgments
• demonstrating the level of skill and knowledge required for safe practice
• behaving appropriately
• not risking infecting patients with whom the doctor comes into contact
• not acting in ways that impact adversely on patient safety.

Conditions affecting the ability to perform functions required to practise medicine

Conditions that may impair a doctor’s ability to perform those functions include:

• alcohol or drug dependence
• psychiatric disorders
• temporary stress reaction
• infection with a transmissible disease
• declining competence due to age related loss of motor skills or the early stages of dementia, and
• certain other illnesses and injuries.

Useful forms and information

The following items are available:

• Are you a doctor with a health problem or do you know a doctor with a health problem?   
• Doctor's health
• Steps taken when a doctor is notified to the Medical Council
• Statement on transmissible Major Viral Infections (doctors’ rights and responsibilities if exposed or infected)
• The Medical Council’s mentoring programme