The Legislation Relating to Contrast Media Recation - Literature review Example

INTRODUCTION The Radiographer’s Act as it came into force on 5th October, 2009, reads in its short that the purpose of the act is to provide for registration of radiographers and control the practice of radiography and for related purposes. It is divided into three major units; one dealing with the Board set up in order to control Registration, the second unit dealing with registration itself and the ways by which the same can be brought by and also its restoration and the final unit dealing with miscellaneous provisions which are covered by the phrase “related purposes” mentioned above. These miscellaneous provisions vary from the appointment of the inspector to permits, records, exemptions etc. The act is applicable to the Northern Territory of Australia. Summary of Radiographer’s Act 2009 Sections 1 to 3 of the act are under Part 1-Prelimnary. Sec.1 declares that the act shall come into force from the date which is fixed by the administration and that such date shall be published in the Gazette. However, there is an exception to this clause which reads that Section 18 and 19(1) shall come into operation after six months of commencement of the act. Part II elaborates about the Radiographers Registration Board. The board shall constitute of 6 members including the Chief Health Officer, his/her nominee who shall be the Chairman, a specialist who is a radiographer from that territory and two others members who have a practice of three years since post graduation and one other member. The usual term of office of all members other than that of the Chairman is to be three years or till the date which is mentioned in the appointment letter not exceeding three years. As the members have been appointed by the Minister, they may be removed from their office by him or by writing a letter of resignation addressed to him. There shall be a registrar under Part III of the Act. However, the act provides for an appeal against such decision and restoration and proceedings and conduct in regard to the same. He is supposed to maintain a register which has all information regarding registered practitioners, whose registration has been cancelled, restored, or who has been given special permission under S.20. Such registration shall be granted to everyone who passes the approved test set up by the Board and goes through the training period specified by the Board. The act covers provisional registration and gives direction regarding issuance of a practicing certificate. For the purpose of inspection the minister may appoint on request, an inspector who shall conduct inquiry into matters related with the Act. Various offences have been outlines as well as the exceptions to the same. Finally, the register is to be published annually in the Gazette. Literature review In the year 2000, the NT Review of Radiographers Act stated that sometimes at radiography level a very high standard of excellence is neither expected nor required and to put road blocks where they are not called for might be a huge set back. It read, “A key issue in this regard is the extent to which the requirements for registration and the constraints placed on others who have various types of training in radiographic procedures match the needs of principal health care providers and their patients who require radiographic imaging. High standards generally result in high quality. But if those standards are not necessary to carry out the functions at the level of quality desired by users or if persons with adequate standards and training are prevented from carrying out these services, high costs and inflexibilities may result. This said, it is recognized that, because of the permit system, there is greater scope in the Radiographers Act for these higher costs and inflexibilities to be avoided than there is in some other legislation regulating the health professions in the Northern Territory.”1 Formerly in the year 2009, the Radiation Protection and Radiographers Amendment Bill proposed to amend the Radiographers Act and the Radiation Protection Act (which had not commenced), to allow the professional registration of radiographers in the Northern Territory. The Radiation Protection Act called for the repeal of the Radiographers Act; however, the same was not brought to force. The Bill also improved the regulation-making power in the Radiation Protection Act in relation to the instruments under the Radiographers Act that are deemed to be licenses under the Radiation Protection Act.2 (In your parliament summary, June, 2009) The Australian Institute of Radiography, in 2006 highlighted the fact that the standard of practice can be regulated by professional bodies, such as the Australian Institute of Radiography (Australian institute of radiography).3 Another important point in regard to the Northern Territory is that aboriginal population spans many cultural beliefs and languages. The permit system allowed doctors to perform a limited number of procedures in Northern Territory’s remote communities. An act of Radiographer Registration Board, it allows for people in remote areas to be diagnosed and treated in their own community. Patients don’t have to be evacuated to other areas The permit system provides for a basic training to such professionals which helps them to connect better and more effectively with the locals.4 (Rural and Remote Health Journal) An NCP review of this NT Act had been done and a final report was published in May 2000. The key recommendation was that the Radiographers Act 1976 is repealed and radiographers no longer be registered professionals. The review recommended for the Radiation Safety Control Act, 1978 to start with licensing and inspection5 (ncp-att) CONCLUSION The Radiographers Act of 2009 is a big leap for controlling what goes on in the medical care sector. All the above mentioned recommendations seem to be vitally incorporated in the new Act. Although there are loopholes in the fact that it will make simple procedures more complex for those who are already carrying out such practice in the areas without having a proper degree as required under the Act will face challenges in not being able to practice any longer, but the plus point is that at each and every stage, the Act ensures that proper safety norms are followed and every care is taken to check varied stages of registration. By making the registration process tedious from the point of view of radiographers, it has ensured from the view of the general public their safety and well being. The act certifies that no unauthorized person who practices radiography is let off freely, that even registration is transparent by making it public in the Gazette each year. REFERENCES 1. In Your Parliament-NT Legislative Assembly, June, 2009, http://www.dcm.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/45258/03__In_Your_Parliament_Summary_June09.pdf 2. The Rad-Dot System in Medical Imaging, 2006, http://www.minniscomms.com.au/articles/RadDec06_pp4.pdf 3. Remote Doctors Radiation License Training And Manual: a review process, Rural and Remote Health Journal, August, 2008, http://www.rrh.org.au/articles/subviewaust.asp?ArticleID=865 4. NCP Review of the NT Radiographers Act, May, 2000, http://ncp.ncc.gov.au/docs/NT%20reviw%20of%20radiographers%20act.pdf 5. The Potential Restrictions, http://www.arpansa.gov.au/pubs/ncp/ncp_att3.pdf Read More