Page 4035 - Week 13 - Thursday, 10 November 1994
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The first drugs and poisons standard to be published under AHMAC will be effective from 18 December 1994. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Act to reflect that the standard will be published by AHMAC, and not by the National Health and Medical Research Council, from 18 December. This will ensure that the scheduling of drugs and poisons in the ACT remains up to date. I present the explanatory memorandum.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Carnell) adjourned.
SKIN PENETRATION PROCEDURES BILL 1994
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General and Minister for Health) (11.39): Madam Speaker, I present the Skin Penetration Procedures Bill 1994.
Title read by Clerk.
MR CONNOLLY: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
The Skin Penetration Procedures Bill aims to minimise the risk of contamination from blood-borne diseases. Examples of these diseases include hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. The Government is committed to addressing this important issue through a range of activities, including legislation. As you are aware, there have been several recent instances where patients in New South Wales have contracted a blood-borne infection while seeking medical treatment. It is also possible that members of the general public are at some degree of risk from contracting infectious disease while receiving the professional services of acupuncturists, tattooists and beauty therapists. It is essential that the proposed legislation have application to all persons in the ACT who own a business which conducts skin penetration procedures or who perform these procedures.
Madam Speaker, other Australian States and Territories are adopting various approaches to addressing the risk of contracting infectious diseases. New South Wales, for example, has developed codes of practice and is adopting them by reference into registration Acts. Our Government will seek to minimise the risk of infection from these diseases by requiring all businesses, whether privately owned or conducted by the Government, as well as all persons who perform skin penetration procedures to comply with approved codes of practice. I shall approve codes of practice which have been prepared by the Chief Health Officer in consultation with various bodies and also in looking at interstate developments. These codes of practice will be, in part, based on universal precautions and will specify requirements regarding the fixtures and fittings to be installed in premises. The codes will also specify the practices of persons when these involve skin penetration procedures.
For the purposes of this legislation, "a business" may refer to any service to the public involving skin penetration procedures. In the ACT this will include hospitals, doctors surgeries, tattoo parlours and mobile beauty therapists. "Operators" would also include doctors, dentists, nurses and acupuncturists, as well as tattooists and any other
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