Scopes of Clinical Practice Project

The State Scope of Clinical Practice Unit (SSoCPU) continues to progress the project to develop model Scopes of Clinical Practice (SoCP) for each medical and dental specialty in NSW Health, and we are pleased to release for consultation the fifth tranche of draft model SoCPs, which includes:

These draft documents and more information about working group membership are available on our website at www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/ssocpu. The draft model SoCPs have been developed with working groups, usually of about seven members, with broad representation of specialists nominated by Local Health Districts and Specialty Networks including rural or regional areas and a Director of Medical Services, as well as nominees from medical colleges and relevant specialty societies or associations.

Whilst the Society is welcome to comment on any of the draft model SoCPs, we would specifically appreciate your feedback on the following aspects for the draft model SoCP for Occupational & Environmental Medicine (Attachment 1):

Core: Is the Core SoCP a reasonable description of the type of work that can reasonably be expected to be undertaken by all practitioners in the specialty? If not, what do you suggest?
Specific: Does the Specific SoCP appropriately reflect procedures or practices which require specific credentialing for safe and effective performance, but which are within the practice of the relevant specialty? If not, what do you suggest?
Useability: Do you expect the Core and Specific descriptions to be useful in a medical appointments and credentialing process? If not, what do you suggest?
Potential Implications: Are there any foreseeable adverse implications which may arise from the description of the Core and Specific section of each model SoCP, for example, for workforce or operational matters? If so, please outline your concerns.

Please note that we are not seeking feedback on any other elements of the template, as the final content for the remainder of the template may need to be adjusted to be consistent with the Ministry of Health’s credentialing policy which is currently under review.

Attachment 2 provides a preamble and explanatory notes which should be circulated with the draft document. If any responders are not yet familiar with the Model SoCP Project, more information is available on our webpage at www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/ssocpu. This includes links to the consultation documents, SSoCPU Discussion Paper (April 2015) and Phase 2 Consultation Report and Recommendations (October 2015).

Please respond by Tuesday, 14 November 2017. We are happy to consider reasonable requests for extension of time, but will take a nil response by the due date as being supportive. Feedback can be directed to:

Dr Roger Boyd, Director
Tel: (02) 9887 5674
Email: roger.boyd@health.nsw.gov.au

Jennifer Chapman, Project Manager
Tel: (02) 9887 5656
Email: jennifer.chapman@health.nsw.gov.au