Ensuring the professions of medical laboratory science and anaesthetic technology deliver safe and effective services to the people of New Zealand
This section of the website provides information specifically of interest to persons wishing to apply for registration as a medical laboratory scientist or a medical laboratory technician and those scientists and technicians who have already been granted registration with the Council.
All persons wanting to work in a New Zealand diagnostic medical laboratory in the scopes of practice of a medical laboratory scientist or a medical laboratory technician must be registered with the Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand.
When you apply to the Medical Sciences Council for registration as a medical laboratory scientist or a medical laboratory technician you will need to provide a number of documents as evidence that you have the required qualifications and experience that demonstrate you are competent to practise in the profession of medical laboratory science.
Once you have been granted registration in the relevant scope of practice, you must be issued with an annual practising certificate before you can work in New Zealand as a medical laboratory scientist or a medical laboratory techician. Annual practising certificates must be renewed every year and their issue is dependent on you providing the Council with evidence of enrolment and participation in a Council-approved recertification programme (commonly referred to as a CPD programme).
If you have not held an annual practising certificate or worked in the profession of medical laboratory science within the last 3 years, you must be able to demonstrate to the Council that you are competent to practise in the relevant scope of practice in New Zealand.
From time to time the Council is informed of concerns about the competence and/or conduct of an individual medical laboratory scientist or a technician. The Council has a number of avenues it can use if concerns are raised about the competence and/or conduct of a registered medical laboratory scientist or technician, including competence reviews, health reviews, and conduct reviews.
In 2006 the Council adopted a Code of Competencies and Standards for the Practice of Medical Laboratory Science.
If you are a registered medical laboratory scientist or technician and plan to leave New Zealand to work overseas, you must notify the Council and leave them details of your contact address. If you gain employment in the medical laboratory science profession overseas you may be required to provide your employer/relevant registration body with evidence of your registration and competence to practise when in New Zealand.
If you are registered as a medical laboratory scientist or medical laboratory technician you are required under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 to promptly notify the Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand of any changes to your name and/or address.
