The Medical Laboratory Technologists Board ("the board") will become the Medical Laboratory Science Board on
18 September 2004. This notice will take effect from 18 September 2004.
Scopes of Practice
Pursuant to section 11 (1) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 ("the Act"), the board specifies two scopes of practice as follows:
1. MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST
2. MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
Qualifications Prescribed for Registration in a Scope of Practice
1. MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST
Pursuant to section 12 of the Act, the following qualifications are prescribed for registration as a medical laboratory scientist:
1. Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSC) degree from a New Zealand university accredited by the board.
2. A post-graduate qualification, approved by the board in each case, combined with relevant and specialised medical laboratory experience that, in the opinion of the board, is sufficient for registration as a medical laboratory scientist.
3. Certification in medical laboratory science by a certification authority outside New Zealand approved by the board, combined with relevant and specialised medical laboratory experience that, in the opinion of the board, is sufficient for registration as a medical laboratory scientist.
4. A course of training and examination or examinations that, in the opinion of the board, are substantially equivalent to the course of training and examinations for the New Zealand BMLSC degree.
5. An undergraduate qualification, approved by the board in each case, combined with subsequent relevant and specialised medical laboratory experience gained prior to 18 September 2005 that, in the opinion of the board, is sufficient for registration as a medical laboratory scientist.
Note 1.: All registered technologists (those whose names are on the Register of Medical Laboratory Technologists currently maintained by the board) will have the scope of practice of a medical laboratory scientist from 18 September 2004.
2. MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
Pursuant to section 12 of the Act, the following qualifications have been prescribed for registration as a medical laboratory technician:
1. A Qualified Technical Assistant (QTA) certificate or Qualified Phlebotomist Technician (QPT) certificate issued by the New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science (NZIMLS).
2. A Bachelor's degree in a field of science awarded by a New Zealand university, approved in each case by the board, combined with a minimum of 12 months' relevant full-time (or equivalent) medical laboratory experience that, in the opinion of the board, is sufficient for registration as a medical laboratory technician.
3. A New Zealand Certificate in Science, approved in each case by the board, combined with a minimum of 12 months' relevant full-time (or equivalent) medical laboratory experience that, in the opinion of the board, is sufficient for registration as medical laboratory technician.
4. A course of training and an examination or examinations combined with relevant medical laboratory experience that, in the opinion of the board, is sufficient for registration as medical laboratory technician.
Dated at Wellington this 10th day of June 2004.
PHIL SAXBY, Secretary, Medical Laboratory Technologists Board.