Ngā māharahara mō tētahi manapou
Concerns about a paramedic
The purpose of Te Kaunihera Manapou Paramedic Council (Te Kaunihera) is to ensure that paramedics are qualified, competent and fit to practise.
Te Kaunihera carries out this role by considering the health, competence (performance) or conduct of a paramedic and deciding whether the paramedic needs support mechanisms to be put place in order for the paramedic to practise.
Hauora | Health
It is important that you notify Te Kaunihera if you have reason to believe that a paramedic is unable to practise safely due to a health condition.
A health condition can be a mental or physical impairment and may include a condition or impairment caused by alcohol or substance use disorders. If you believe the condition is affecting the paramedic’s ability to practise, you may need to notify Te Kaunihera of your concerns in writing.
You must notify the Registrar of Te Kaunihera of your concerns if you:
- oversee an organisation that provides health services
- are a health practitioner
- are an employer of health practitioners
- are a medical officer of health.
A notification must be made in writing to the Registrar and include the reasons why you believe the paramedic poses a risk of harm to the public.
You may access our online form here. If you would like to discuss your concerns further before completing a notification form, please email [email protected].
Further information about health notifications
After receiving a notification about a paramedic, Te Kaunihera may require the paramedic to have a health assessment. If the assessment identifies anything that may affect their practice, they will be given an opportunity to meet with a health committee. Here they will discuss their situation in detail before any decisions are made that might affect how they practise as a paramedic.
The paramedic may have conditions included in their practising certificate (such as employer support and monitoring of the health condition) to enable them to practise safely in a supportive place of employment. In serious cases, paramedics may have their registration suspended until they are well enough to return to practice.
If you are a paramedic with a health condition and believe that this may affect your ability to practise, you must inform Te Kaunihera. You do not have to declare health conditions that are temporary or do not affect your ability to practise.
Every year, paramedics are asked to declare whether they have a health condition when applying for a practising certificate.
Tohungatanga | Competence
Paramedics are required to meet all competencies for their profession.
If you are a health practitioner and you believe that a paramedic may pose a risk of harm to the public by practising below the required standard of competence, you may be required to notify Te Kaunihera of your concerns. A notification must be in writing to the Registrar and include the reasons why you believe that the paramedic poses a risk of harm to the public.
Te Kaunihera may decide to refer a paramedic to a competence review committee (CRC) for a competence review. The CRC will consider the competence of a paramedic who holds a current practising certificate and whether the paramedic’s practice of the profession meets the required standard of competence.
You may access our online form here. If you would like to discuss your concerns further before completing a notification form, please email [email protected].
Further information about competence reviews
Under section 36(4) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act), Te Kaunihera may at any time review the competence of a paramedic who holds a current practising certificate, whether or not there is reason to believe that the paramedic’s competence may be deficient or Te Kaunihera receives a notification.
In conducting a competence review, Te Kaunihera must consider whether, in the opinion of Te Kaunihera, the paramedic’s practice of the profession meets the required standard of competence.
Te Kaunihera will consider this in conjunction with standards of clinical and cultural competence.
Under the HPCA Act, the form of a competence review is at the discretion of Te Kaunihera, but in every case, Te Kaunihera must give the paramedic:
- a notice containing sufficient particulars to inform the paramedic clearly of the grounds (if any) on which Te Kaunihera has decided to conduct the review
- information relevant to the paramedic’s competence that is in the possession of Te Kaunihera
- a reasonable opportunity to make written submissions and be heard on the matter, either personally or by their representative.
After conducting a review, if Te Kaunihera considers that the paramedic fails to meet the required standard of competence, Te Kaunihera must make one or more orders under section 38(1) of the HPCA Act that:
- the paramedic undertake a competence programme
- one or more conditions be included in the paramedic’s scope of practice
- the paramedic sits an examination or undertakes an assessment specified in the order
- the paramedic be counselled or assisted by one or more nominated persons.
Whanonga | Conduct
Unlike health and competence, there is no mandatory requirement to make a complaint about a paramedic’s conduct. However, if the paramedic’s alleged conduct affects the safety of the public, there is an obligation to make a complaint to Te Kaunihera.
A notification must be made in writing to the Registrar and include the reasons why you believe the paramedic poses a risk of harm to the public.
You may access our online form here. If you would like to discuss your concerns further before completing a notification form, please email [email protected].
Any complaint about a paramedic where their conduct has affected the safety of the public is referred by Te Kaunihera to the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC). The HDC may decide to investigate or refer the complaint back to Te Kaunihera.
Complaints of a serious professional nature are investigated and considered by a professional conduct committees (PCC), which decides whether to refer the complaint to the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal or whether no further disciplinary action is required.
If there is a conduct concern, Te Kaunihera may decide to refer a paramedic to a PCC.
PCCs are appointed by Te Kaunihera to investigate information that raises questions about the appropriateness of a paramedic’s conduct or the safety of their practice should the need arise.
A PCC is a statutory committee that regulates its own procedure. Every PCC consists of one lay person and two registered paramedics.
The PCC’s role is to investigate the circumstances that led to the complaint or conviction and then to make recommendations or determinations under section 80 of the HPCA Act.
PCCs can make various determinations and recommendations. Some of the determinations and recommendations are that:
- Te Kaunihera counsel the practitioner
- Te Kaunihera review the competence of the health practitioner
- Te Kaunihera review the practitioner’s scope of practice
- a charge be brought against the health practitioner in the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
- no further steps be taken.
If a PCC (or the HDC Director of Proceedings) lays a charge against a health practitioner, the charge will be heard by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.
You can find a guide to the Tribunal’s disciplinary proceedings and summaries of its decisions here.