Guidance Note for the 'Verification of Death'
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has released a Guidance Note to clarify that, in addition to registered medical practitioners, other health professionals (nurses and paramedics) are educated to and can verify the fact of death. A Division 1 or Division 3 Registered Nurse (within the meaning of the Health Professions Registration Act 2005), or a paramedic may undertake a clinical examination of a body to establish that death has occurred ("verify death").
Once a death is verified, the deceased body may be moved (unless the death is a 'reportable death' or a 'reviewable death') to an appropriate location such as a mortuary, holding room or funeral service. The details of the 'verification of death' should be recorded by the nurse or paramedic within an appropriate record for the deceased.
The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) can be completed later by a registered medical practitioner when available. 'Certification of death' can only be completed by an authorised medical practitioner.
The purpose of this guidance note is to alleviate any unnecessary delays in the movement of a deceased body to a more suitable location when a registered medical practitioner is unavailable.
For full details of the Guidance Note, click here.
Commonwealth Dental Health Program (CDHP).
The VHA has been working closely with the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) to develop a position about the Commonwealth Dental Health Program (CDHP). The advocacy position reached provides a 'win-win' outcome that allows both the Medicare Dental program to continue and the CDHP to be introduced. Full details of the advocacy position can be found on the AHHA website www.aushealthcare.com.au
Valuer-General
Acute health services are now having their facilities audited by the Auditor General Victoria. The costs associated with these audits are of concern to member agencies given the significant cost increases compared to previous audits and the discrepancies in costs across agencies. The VHA has sent a range of correspondence to the DHS regarding this issue and continues to seek a resolution that will see the cost burden on agencies ameliorted. The VHA will continue to update members regarding this issue.
