Preamble
Pursuant to section 9 of the Medical Practitioners Act 1995 ("the Act"), no person (other than the holder of temporary registration or interim registration) shall practise medicine under the title medical practitioner unless he or she holds both probationary registration, general registration or vocational registration and a current annual practising certificate (APC).
Rules for Cyclical Issue of APCs
1. The Medical Council of New Zealand ("the Council") gives notice under section 56 (1) (a) of the Act, that in 2000 there will be a change from a single annual issue of APCs (based on a year commencing 1 April) to a quarterly cyclical issue, based on a year according to the applicant's birth date.
2. The following rules made under section 56(2) of the Act give effect to the general principle that APCs be in force for 1 year, but make provision for APCs to have effect for a shorter or longer period in the following cases:
(a) First issue of APC to a medical practitioner:
Such an APC will be issued immediately after the Council meeting at which the applicant is approved for probationary or general registration.
Probationers (Classes 2-7) will be issued either an APC valid for the duration of their employment contract or an APC appropriate to the quarter in which their birth date falls, whichever the Registrar determines best satisfies the requirements of Section 9 of the Medical Practitioners Act 1995.
All other applicants will be issued with an APC appropriate for the quarter in which their birth date falls. See paragraph 4 below.
(b) Issue of APCs to medical practitioners returning
to practice:
Medical practitioners may apply throughout the year as they resume practice after a period of non-practice. Such APCs will be issued in accordance with the cycle set out in paragraph 4 below.
(c) Issue of APCs during 2000/2001 transition period
Most medical practitioners will be issued two APCs in the transition year 2000/2001. Paragraph 3 sets out the transition arrangements.
3. All medical practitioners will apply for renewal of their APCs before April 2000 as usual. Such APCs will be renewed to cover the period to 31 August 2000, 30 November 2000, 28 February 2001 or 31 May 2001 depending on the quarter in which the practitioner's birth date falls. Forms will clearly state the currency of the APC and the fee payable. Fees and levies will be adjusted proportionally in accordance with the fees notice published in the New Zealand Gazette on 27 January 2000 pursuant to sections 126 and 127 of the Act.
4. Currency of APCs and allocation of medical practitioners to cycle for APC renewal:
(a) Medical practitioners born in the quarter 1 June to
31 August will be allocated to an APC year starting
1 September.
(b) Medical practitioners born in the quarter 1 September to 30 November will be allocated to an APC year starting 1 December.
(c) Medical practitioners born in the quarter 1 December to the end of February will be allocated to an APC year starting 1 March.
(d) Medical practitioners born in the quarter 1 March to 31 May will be allocated to an APC year starting
1 June.
5. The Council will normally send out a renewal notice
6 weeks before a medical practitioner's current APC expires.
6. These rules come into effect on 14 February 2000 in conjunction with the issue of APC renewal notices to all current holders of APCs due to expire on 31 March 2000.
Dated at Wellington this 19th day of January 2000.
GEORGINA A. JONES, Registrar, Medical Council of New Zealand.