Policy Statement

All applications for registration must be accompanied by at least three comprehensive references regarding a doctor’s fitness and competence to practise medicine.

Rationale

1.     Authentic references are the best way to ensure whether an applicant is fit and competent to practise medicine in New Zealand.

2.     In accordance with section 3 of the HPCAA 2003, Council’s principal purpose is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by providing for mechanisms to ensure that health practitioners are competent and fit to practise their professions.

3.      To ensure authenticity of references, it is important that there is direct communication between the employer/agent and the referee.  This limits the ability of a doctor to influence the reference.

Procedures

Vocational scope of practice and special purpose scope of practice (locum tenens) applications   4.      References must be completed by consultants/specialists who are familiar with the applicant’s current professional practice and have worked with the applicant within the last three years. At least one of these must be from the applicant’s most recent employer. 5.      The referees must be consultants/specialists in the same branch of medicine as the applicant, and must have worked closely with and be familiar with the applicant’s practice at a consultant/specialist level. 6.      References must be completed on Council’s RP6 referee report form. 7.      References must be dated within six months of the doctor’s completed application being received in the Council office. 8.      Where an applicant is applying for registration within a special purpose scope of practice (locum tenens), evidence that references have been verified must be provided to the Medical Council of New Zealand by the employer/agent.   9.      Where an applicant is applying for registration within a vocational scope of practice, Council staff will make direct contact with the nominated referees directly to verify the reports.

General scope of practice and provisional general scope of practice (comparable health system and competent authority) applications   10.      References must be completed by senior medical colleagues who are familiar with the applicant’s current professional practice and have worked with the applicant within the last three years. At least one of these must be from the applicant’s most recent employer. 11.      Where an applicant is applying for registration at registrar level or above, the referees must be consultants/specialists in the same branch of medicine as the applicant, and must have worked closely with and be familiar with the applicant’s practice at the level they have been appointed to in New Zealand. 12.      References must be of the following format: ·         comprehensive verbal reports, between the employer/agent and the referee; OR ·         comprehensive references sent by email from the referee directly to the employer/agent; OR ·         comprehensive written references, which then need to be verified by direct telephone contact by the employer/agent as to authenticity. 13.  References must be dated within six months of the doctor’s completed application being received in the Council office. 14.  Evidence that written references have been verified must be provided to the Medical Council of New Zealand by the employer/agent.