News & updates
Please find our most recent news and updates below. Use the dropdown at the top of the list to filter it to a specific type of update.
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We are reviewing our statement on Doctors and health-related commercial organisations and would value your feedback. There is a potential for health-related commercial organisations to influence how doctors practise and the clinical decisions they make. It is important that doctors recognise this potential influence and take appropriate steps to manage any bias or conflicts of interest that may arise from interactions with health-related commercial organisations.
The Minister of Health has announced two pilot initiatives for selected NZREX graduates to be managed by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand. The details of the pilot programmes are currently being developed by Te Whatu Ora. The plan is to have this available before the end of October 2022. The Medical Council is unable to provide any further information. Te Whatu Ora will be managing both pilots and will publish further information on its website in due course.
Consultation: Consideration of eligibility requirements for the New Zealand Registration Examination
The consultation is now closed and we are analysing the responses. We will update this page once we have made a decision on whether to introduce this requirement.
This consultation is closed. Thank you for considering the Medical Council of New Zealand’s recent consultation on the proposed Council fees and disciplinary levy, and thanks to the individuals and organisations who made submissions.
Te Kaunihera Rata o Aoteroa |The Medical Council of New Zealand today released the results of its New Zealand Medical Workforce in 2021 Survey.
Council’s Chair, Dr Curtis Walker says “key findings show that while Māori and Pasifika doctors remain under-represented in the medical workforce, the positive trends in undergraduate and graduate levels continue, with more Māori and Pasifika doctors in the workforce.”
Council’s Chair, Dr Curtis Walker says “key findings show that while Māori and Pasifika doctors remain under-represented in the medical workforce, the positive trends in undergraduate and graduate levels continue, with more Māori and Pasifika doctors in the workforce.”
We've extended our COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice through to 31 March 2023. Doctors already registered in this scope of practice under an earlier notice can also be extended to 31 March 2023, subject to completion of the renewal process.
In August 2021, Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa |Medical Council of New Zealand, underwent a full performance review that showed compliance to our obligations under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCAA).
Council have extended the scope of practice for all interns, to allow them to work in “COVID-19 related health services outside of accredited clinical attachments” until 15 January 2023. This includes placements in services that require cover, that are not directly related to the pandemic.
The Chair of Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa | The Medical Council of New Zealand, Dr Curtis Walker, reinforced today that public health and safety remains the top priority for Council. His statement follows the recent interim suspension of the practising certificates of three doctors, Dr Peter Canaday, Dr Emanuel Garcia, and Dr Matthew Shelton, pending investigations for conduct relating to Covid-19 (section 69 HPCAA 2003).
He karanga manaaki ki ngā rata o te motu, With the COVID-19 lockdown in effect across the country in response to community transmission, Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa would like to take the opportunity to thank the medical profession for once again being at the frontline of Aotearoa's national response.
The Medical Council has received a number of notifications this morning about a GP who sent a text message to patients that said he does not support COVID vaccinations. Council takes this matter very seriously. We are taking immediate steps which include communicating with the doctor today. Our primary focus is public safety.
The 25th annual Australian and New Zealand Prevocational Medical Education Forum is being held virtually on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 October 2021.
The call for abstracts is now open for the virtual 2021 Australian and New Zealand Prevocational Medical Education Forum!
Dentists and doctors are expected to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as outlined in the guidance, jointly released by the Dental Council and the Medical Council of New Zealand today.
We have launched a new online portal to make it easier for supervisors of international medical graduates (IMGs) under supervision to submit their three-monthly supervision reports. The portal is designed to improve efficiency in the way we go about collecting supervision reports for IMGs.
Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa, the Medical Council of New Zealand (Council), today released the names of the four elected candidates to join Council governance.
We've updated our advice for doctors when using technology to deliver health care services to ensure safe and effective care for patients.
We're further extending the expiry date of our COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice out to 31 March 2022 at the request of the Director-General of Health.
Council has confirmed the continued leadership of Chair, Dr Curtis Walker, and Deputy Chair, Ms Susan Hughes QC, during their first meeting of 2021.
A stronger focus on the wellbeing and future care of patients sits at the centre of Council’s amended guidance for doctors on ending professional relationships with their patients.
The Medical Council of New Zealand, in partnership with Te Ohu Rata O Aotearoa (Te ORA), has released an independent research report outlining findings on the current state of cultural safety and health equity delivered by doctors in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Thank you for considering the Medical Council of New Zealand’s (Council) recent consultation on the proposed increases to the 2020/2021 practising certificate (PC) Fee and disciplinary levy, and to the many individuals and organisations who made submissions.
Council's Chair, Dr Curtis Walker, sent the email below to all practising doctors on 26 March 2020. This was a follow-up to the previous update on 25 March and provided additional clarification around prescribing and telehealth.
We’re pleased to announce the release of our Statement on cultural safety and its associated resource He Ara Hauora Māori: A Pathway to Māori Health Equity.
We have strengthened our continued competence and continuing professional development requirements for vocationally registered doctors with a focus on reflection, quality assurance and quality improvement.
The Medical Council has decided to put in place extra protections at the next Medical Council of New Zealand Registration Examination (NZREX) following the outbreak of coronavirus. NZREX brings people together from all over the world. These protections are necessary to ensure the health and wellbeing of all the people we work with to run this examination.
The Medical Council of New Zealand Chair, Dr Curtis Walker, said today that imposing closely monitored strict conditions on the practice of the doctor who was found to have performed unjustified clinical examinations on a number of woman patient’s breasts was entirely appropriate and necessary.
This article celebrates Te wiki o te reo Māori and profiles the Medical Council’s chair, Dr Curtis Walker.
The Council would like to thank New Zealand Doctor magazine for granting permission to republish it online.
The Council would like to thank New Zealand Doctor magazine for granting permission to republish it online.