Web check on doctors' background

Patients can check their doctor's professional history on a free online register launched today by the Medical Council.

It gives details of 10,000 doctors, including their qualifications and any restrictions on their practice.

The register, updated weekly as part of the council's website, will confirm whether a doctor holds a practising certificate, the type and date of registration and vocational branch - a GP, for example.

The Medical Council said the move was to improve the relationship between doctors and patients.

"This is part of the council's work in setting standards and contributes to fulfilling the primary purpose of the Medical Council, which is to protect the health of the public of New Zealand," said president Tony Baird.

The council can investigate a doctor's competence at any time, and 37 were formally reviewed during the year to March 31.

It received 70 complaints about 82 doctors, a fall from 382 complaints the previous year. Four were for alleged inappropriate sexual behaviour, 43 were over treatment, 10 were over conviction of an offence and 13 were over communication.

But the council can probe only complaints about events before July1, 1996, with all others going to the Health and Disability Commissioner - 160 complaints were passed to that office during the period.

ACC also receives complaints against doctors, and information passed on to the Medical Council showed 40 doctors were involved in five or more findings of medical misadventure in five years.

Those doctors are being investigated by the Medical Council, pending more information from ACC district offices.

There have been calls for greater disclosure between ACC, the Health and Disability Commissioner and Medical Council to prevent complaints falling through the cracks.

The Medical Council said it was monitoring 90 registered doctors with health conditions that affected their fitness to practise.

In the year to March 31, it registered 1089 overseas-trained doctors from 55 countries.

The doctor register can be found on the Medical Council's website.

- NZPA

Medical Council of NZ