News

Reminders from FCMA for its members after registration

27th May 12

The Secretariat of FCMA wishes to remind members: after 1st July 2012, we will be subject to the regulatory law of the Health Practitioners Regulation National Law Act 2009 (in the following called "National law"). So be sure to pay proper attention to the following aspects:

1) Strictly follow the Guidelines announced by the CMBA. In business advertisements you are not allowed to promote your business by using patient’s testimonies or case reports etc. Correctly handle the relationship between practitioners and patients. Never transgressing professional boundaries; complete patients history and treatment records and keep records.

2) You are not allowed to use any specialist title such as “Gynaecologists" Paediatricians" or" orthopaedic surgeons.” etc, unless you have been registered as a specialist in Australia you can't use these titles.

3) You are not allowed do the cervical manipulation to your patients.

4) All of the registered Chinese medicine practitioners must complete a minimum 20 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) per year, including at least 4 hours relating to professional issues (i.e., professional ethics and other aspects.) Practitioners who hold a scheduled herbs endorsement must complete at least 2 hours of CPD per year relating to that endorsement. At least 14 hours per year must include formal learning activities such as the FCMA's various academic activities. The FCMA changed the 2012 CPD record in accordance to the CMBA new guidelines; please fill in the form in accordance with the new one. Living in remote areas or lack of time to attend the CPD activities is no excuse and will be deemed not to have completed the professional education for that year.

5) You must have your Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) in place for professional indemnity claims for the insured amount $5,000,000.00 which has an automatic additional coverage and retrospective clause.

6) Before the 30th November every year, you must complete the renewal of registration process. Members, who have already registered in CMRBV in Victoria, must finish the first renewal of registration before June 22ndof this year. And finish the second (national) renewal of registration process before 30 November 2012.

7) Maintain a high degree of professionalism and ethics. Fully respect the patient’s rights, including autonomy, informed consent, privacy and the right to equal treatment.

8) Refuse to issue false certificates for sick leave and false receipts. For each charged fee, cost of treatment or costs of medicines you must truthfully issue receipts, and in accordance with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) you are required to retain records for five years.
9) If you change your address, add a new business address, change your email address, postal address or phone number, please inform the Secretariat in time.

10) If members have any comments or suggestions to do something for the FCMA, please feel free to contact us any time. If a person is treated unfairly in any way, please contact the FCMA. The FCMA will try it’s best to help everybody to solve the problems. The FCMA is one big family.