Veterinary Practice Amendment Regulation 2020

More topics in this section

Legislation	Part/Schedule	Section/Clause	Amendment	What this means
Veterinary Practice Regulation 2020	3. Registration of Veterinary Practitioners	Clause 10(1)(i),10(1)(j), 10(1)(m)	Prescribes additional details of continuing professional development that can be undertaken by a veterinary practitioner and included in the practitioner’s annual return to the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW.	The legislative requirements of registered veterinarian’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has been updated to align with operational practice and national arrangements.
Veterinary Practice Regulation 2020	4. Complaints and disciplinary proceedings	Clause 11, Clause 12	Makes further provision for the conduct of a veterinary practitioner that constitutes professional misconduct or unsatisfactory professional conduct.	This amendment removes legislative inconsistencies regarding ‘professional misconduct’ and ‘unsatisfactory professional conduct’, instead providing flexibility for the Veterinary Practitioners Board to take into account individual circumstances. NB. This amendment does not change the existing breaches or penalty arrangements for offences.
Veterinary Practice Regulation 2020	Schedule 2. Veterinary Practitioners Code of Professional Conduct	Clause 12	Provides that the disclosure of confidential information obtained in the course of professional practice is not a breach of the code of professional conduct if the disclosure is: otherwise authorised or required by law, or made to certain persons in relation to an alleged offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 or an alleged animal cruelty offence under the Crimes Act 1900.	This change provides an exemption to the confidentiality provisions of the Code of Conduct to enable veterinary practitioners to disclose confidential information obtained in the course of their practice in certain circumstances. These changes will also provide veterinarians’ discretion to disclose information of an alleged offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 or an alleged animal cruelty offence under the Crimes Act 1900 without risking their license to practice. These changes may result in increased reporting by veterinarians of alleged animal welfare offences.

Legislation

Part/Schedule

Section/Clause

Amendment

What this means

Veterinary Practice Regulation 2020

3. Registration of Veterinary Practitioners

Clause 10(1)(i),10(1)(j), 10(1)(m)

Prescribes additional details of continuing professional development that can be undertaken by a veterinary practitioner and included in the practitioner’s annual return to the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW.

The legislative requirements of registered veterinarian’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has been updated to align with operational practice and national arrangements.

Veterinary Practice Regulation 2020

4. Complaints and disciplinary proceedings

Clause 11, Clause 12

Makes further provision for the conduct of a veterinary practitioner that constitutes professional misconduct or unsatisfactory professional conduct.

This amendment removes legislative inconsistencies regarding ‘professional misconduct’ and ‘unsatisfactory professional conduct’, instead providing flexibility for the Veterinary Practitioners Board to take into account individual circumstances.

NB. This amendment does not change the existing breaches or penalty arrangements for offences.

Veterinary Practice Regulation 2020

Schedule 2. Veterinary Practitioners Code of Professional Conduct

Clause 12

Provides that the disclosure of confidential information obtained in the course of professional practice is not a breach of the code of professional conduct if the disclosure is: otherwise authorised or required by law, or made to certain persons in relation to an alleged offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 or an alleged animal cruelty offence under the Crimes Act 1900.

This change provides an exemption to the confidentiality provisions of the Code of Conduct to enable veterinary practitioners to disclose confidential information obtained in the course of their practice in certain circumstances.

These changes will also provide veterinarians’ discretion to disclose information of an alleged offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 or an alleged animal cruelty offence under the Crimes Act 1900 without risking their license to practice.

These changes may result in increased reporting by veterinarians of alleged animal welfare offences.