Guide to Consumer Submissions

MBA Public Consultation Update

The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) is consulting on options to further regulate medical practitioners who practice ‘complementary and unconventional medicine and emerging treatments’.

Many patients are most concerned that the introduction of a new set of guidelines for their doctors will compromise their ability to access the healthcare of their choice.

The new guidelines look like a direct attack on doctors and patients who choose an integrative approach to their care.  Should these guidelines be adopted they could impact on patient choice and safety particularly as they may fail to align with the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care’s Patient Charter of Rights.

In this era of championing patient-centred care and the right of the patient to co-design their treatment it is troubling that there seems to have been no consumer/patient input into these draft guidelines.  Given that around 75% of Australians choose to integrate their health care this lack of patient input seems to disregard the notion of patient choice.

Safety is a primary concern for AIMA and for all doctors.  We believe that the current guidelines, which all doctors work under, appropriately protect patients.  Adding a new set of regulations on top of the existing ones is likely to lead to confusion and will not provide any further protection for patients.

It is vital that patients/consumers have their voices heard on this issue, that they let the MBA know how important it is to be able to integrate their medical care and to choose complementary and integrative treatments if they so wish.

We urge all concerned people to lodge a submission as part of the public consultation.

Click here for a guide on how to make a submission.