Annual Report

4. competence reviews
The introduction of the HPCA gave the Board
a new tool for the support and discipline
of members of the profession. The option
to undertake a competence review of a
chiropractor’s professional practice gives the
Board the option of a collegial, supportive
approach to professionals who it is believed
may be practicing in contradiction of the
Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of
Practice document.
At the time of preparing this report only a small
number of competence reviews have been
undertaken and my initial impression is that
they have the potential to allow the Board to
assist chiropractors to meet their professional
obligations. However the cost of implementing
reviews is substantial and with this additional
cost in mind the Board has increased its financial
provision for dealing with reviews from $10,000
to $50,000 for the coming year.
In making this provision the Board has asked that
the Minister’s attention be drawn to the extent
of these costs and note that at some stage in the
future there may be a need to increase the cost
of an annual practising certificate to support this
expenditure.
5. formal contact with acc
One of the major steps forward for the Board
this year has been to establish regular formal
meetings with ACC. The Board is conscious
that an ongoing dialogue with ACC is of
considerable value to the profession and the
public and these have now been put in place
at two levels:
a. Formal six monthly meetings between
representatives of the Board and senior ACC
officials; and
b. Regular meetings between the Board
Registrar and ACC officials working on a
day-to-day basis with chiropractic affairs.
The Board looks forward to the development of
this relationship in the interests of the profession
and the public, and notes that the relationship has
already provided some very positive results.
6. new zealand college of
chiropractic
I noted in my 2003/04 report that I was extremely
pleased with the development of the relationship
between the College and the Board over the
previous year. I also noted the difficulties that
had been experienced in the past, and expressed
the hope that there would be significant progress
in future. That hope has been realised and in
my view the growth in confidence in both sides
means that the profession will be well served
in future with a respectful and professional
relationship between the two institutions. The
Board notes that the College received a two-year
accreditation from the Council for Chiropractic
Education Australasia.
7. waiting list practice
In July 2004 the Board approved the Chairman
issuing a letter to all chiropractors advising
that the Board and the Health and Disability
Commissioner’s office continues to receive
complaints from members of the public, and
some chiropractors, concerning members of
this organisation or practitioners employing
similar practice strategies such as forward billing
techniques.
The Board has no objection to chiropractors
using the Waiting List Practice organisation’s
methods provided all transactions with the public
and the profession are ethical and in compliance
with statutes and regulations, and the Board’s
recently revised Code of Ethics and Standards
of Practice.
8. changes to the board’s
code of practice
Significant changes to the Board’s Code of
Ethics and Standards of Practice have been
made over the last year. The document
is available on the Board’s website
www.chiropracticboard.org.nz.
ANNUAL REPORT 2004/05
3