Extension of Pandemic scope through to 31 March 2022

Media releases

We've further extended the COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice

We've further extended the expiry date of our COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice out to 31 March 2023 at the request of the Director-General of Health.

COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice - extended

We're further extending the expiry date of our COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice out to 31 March 2022 at the request of the Director-General of Health.

Notice of extension of Pandemic scope of practice

On 19 March 2020, I gave Notice that Council had activated a special purpose scope of practice; the COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice. I gave further notice on 12 August 2020 that Council had extended the expiry date of the COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice from 30 September 2020, out to 31 March 2021.

I now give notice that, on 9 February 2021, Council extended the expiry date of the COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice to 31 March 2022. 

Definition of scope

This scope of practice permits the practise of medicine:

  • under approved supervision; and
  • within an approved New Zealand hospital, general practice, or other institution or organisation providing one or more health services.

Registration in this scope of practice may, in the case of an individual applicant, also be subject to any condition on that doctor’s scope of practice that was in place at the time the doctor last held a current practising certificate. 

Requirements for registration in the scope of practice

An applicant for registration in this scope of practice must:

  • hold, or held within the last three years, General registration or Vocational registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand; and
  • have held a practising certificate issued by the Council and current no later than 3 years prior to the date of the application.

Excluded applicants

Applications will not be accepted from doctors:

  1. whose registration was cancelled by the Council under sections 146 or 147 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCAA), or by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal; or
  2. who, within the last three years, had had their registration suspended by the Council or the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal; or
  3. who, within the last three years, has had conditions on his or her scope of practice imposed under sections 39, 50, 67A or 69 or 101 of the HPCAA.

Registration in this scope of practice to expire 31 March 2022

Registration in the COVID-19 Pandemic scope of practice will expire on 31 March 2022.  As a result, any practising certificate issued for practice within this scope of practice must expire no later than 31 March 2022.

Expressions of interest to be made to the Ministry

Registration in this scope of practice is intended to allow doctors to return to practice, to undertake roles identified by the Ministry. Applications for registration in this scope of practice will only be considered once the Ministry has identified a role for an applicant.

For that reason, doctors interested in registration in this scope of practice must first register their interest with the Ministry. The Ministry will provide eligible doctors with applications for registration in this scope of practice as part of its process of allocating doctors to roles.

You can register your interest with the Ministry by clicking the relevant links below:

  • Vaccination Rollout Interest Registration [Link now expired]
  • Registration of Interest COVID-19 surge workforce [Link now expired]

David Dunbar
Registrar
Medical Council of New Zealand