What we do
The Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand (formerly known as the Medical Laboratory Science Board) is one of sixteen New Zealand health regulation authorities appointed by the Minister of Health under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the Act). The Council is responsible for the administration of the Act in regard to the professions of medical laboratory science and anaesthetic technology.
The primary responsibility of the Council is to protect the health and safety of the New Zealand public by ensuring practitioners registered in the professions of medical laboratory science and anaesthetic technology are competent and fit to practise.
In accordance with Section 118 of the Act, the Council is responsible for fulfilling a number of functions:
- Prescribe the qualifications required for scopes of practice within the professions of medical laboratory science and anaesthetic technology, and, for that purpose, to accredit and monitor educational institutions and degrees, courses of studies, or programmes.
- Authorise the registration of health practitioners under the Act, and to maintain registers.
- Consider applications for annual practising certificates.
- Review and promote the competence of health practitioners registered with the Council.
- Recognise, accredit, and set programmes to ensure the ongoing competence of health practitioners registered with the Council.
- Receive and act on information from health practitioners, employers, and the Health and Disability Commissioner about the competence of health practitioners registered with the Council.
- Notify employers, the Accident Compensation Corporation, the Director-General of Health, and the Health and Disability Commissioner that the practise of a health practitioner registered with the Council may pose a risk of harm to the public.
- Consider the cases of health practitioners registered with the Council who may be unable to perform the functions required for the practice of their relevant profession.
- Set standards of clinical competence, cultural competence, and ethical conduct to be observed by health practitioners registered in each of the professions regulated by the Council.
- Liaise with other authorities appointed under the Act about matters of common interest.
- Promote education and training in each of the professions regulated by the Council.
- Promote public awareness of the responsibilities of the Council.
- Exercise and perform any other functions, powers, and duties that are conferred or imposed on it by or under the Act or any other enactment
