Receiving a notice from Ahpra is extremely stressful for practitioners, not just because of the potential impact on reputation and career prospects but it can also cause practitioners to second guess their capabilities.
Here are some simple tips for controlling what you can do to minimise the risk of an Ahpra referral.
- Keep full, accurate and contemporaneous clinical records. This can be a challenge when you are busy and back-to-back with patients. However, it is critical for you to record the process of taking informed consent and make a note of any documentation you have provided to the patient.
- Seek the advice of colleagues when unsure. This may help defend your decision-making.
- Use a chaperone where appropriate. Chaperones are there to protect you (as well as the patient). Their presence can be critical when defending allegations of sexual misconduct.
- Be aware of professional boundaries with patients and colleagues. Seek to terminate the therapeutic relationship at the first sign of a relationship evolving into something personal.
- Be informed and cognisant of Medicare requirements with respect to the billing of items. Do not be satisfied that your billing is fine “because everyone else is doing it”.
- Don’t self-prescribe and don’t prescribe for your family and friends – the various codes of conduct stipulate that this should be avoided wherever possible. If you have to do so, be prepared to justify your decision, make a clear record of what you have done, and advise the patient’s GP in writing (unless the patient objects).
- Communication – it’s hard to emphasise enough the importance of good communication with patients and colleagues. Try to document all conversations or follow up important conversations with an email where there is potential for dispute.
- Be open and honest and apologise if something goes wrong. Importantly, do not actively dissuade aggrieved patients (or anyone) from making a notification.
- Be very careful when using social media, even on your personal pages. Health practitioners are obliged to ensure their views are consistent with public health messaging. This is particularly relevant in current times.
- Engage regularly with a GP and/or psychiatrist/psychologist. As well as maintaining good mental health, this can assist you if concerns are ever raised that you may have a health impairment which is affecting your practice.
- Be a good colleague and allow your colleagues to support you. Asking for help can prevent a situation from escalating out of control.
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