Call for AHPRA’s emergency suspensions to be lifted after 12 months
Medical defence organisation Avant says it is aware of one doctor who has been under emergency suspension for eight years.
Medical defence organisation Avant is calling for doctors’ emergency suspensions to be lifted after 12 months if AHPRA has not finalised its investigation into their conduct.
There have been long-running concerns about the use of emergency suspensions, which denies a doctor the ability to work pending a formal hearing into their alleged conduct.
In its submission to the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman, which is reviewing AHPRA’s powers, Avant refers to one of the more “significant and unreasonable” cases, where a doctor has been suspended for eight years with the issue still unresolved.
The medical defence organisation wants a 12-month time limit on the watchdog to complete its substantive investigation.
