Credentialing and Scope of Practice
Credentialing refers to the formal process used to verify the qualifications, training, experience, professional standing and other relevant professional attributes of medical practitioners for the purpose of forming a view about their competence, performance and professional suitability to provide designated safe, quality health care services within specific organisational environments.
Defining the scope of clinical practic or delineating clinical privileges involves delineating the extent of an individual clinician’s clinical practice or privileges within a particular hospital or organisation based the clinical scope and needs of the organisation, as well as the individual’s credentials, competence, performance and professional suitability.
The HNE Health Medical and Dental Advisory Appointments Committee advises the Chief Executive of Hunter New England Health on the credentials and scope of practice of individual senior medical and dental practitioners within the Area Health Service. The LHN Executive Sponsor of the Medical and Dental Appointments Advisory Committee is the Director Workforce Development.
NSW Health policy directives which pertain to the professional practice standards of senior medical and dental practitioners are listed below. To access the following NSW Health Policy Directives, click on the hyperlink below:
| Code of Conduct - NSW Health | PD2005_626 |
| Medical Practitioners - Compliance with Registration Conditions | PD2008_071 |
| Staff Specialists - Appointment | PD2005_500 |
| Staff Specialist/Visiting Practitioner Appointments (including clinical academics) - Critical Actions Compliance Declaration | PD2008_060 |
| Visiting Medical Practitioners - Performance Review | PD2005_498 |
| Visiting Medical Practitioners and Staff Specialists Delineation of Clinical Privileges for Policy for Implementation | PD2005_497 |
| Visiting Medical Practitioners Appointment | PD2005_496 |
The Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care has produced Standards for Credentialing and Defining the Scope of Clinical Practice, July 2004, which is a key reference document, and which sets the national standards in this area.
Should you have any questions concerning credentialing and scope of practice please contact Medical Workforce (Dierctor Medical Workforce) Dr Naomi Lee on email: Naomi.Lee@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Useful Links
http://intranet.hne.health.nsw.gov.au/medical_workforce_development