Performance appraisal & support process
To support the provision of safe, high quality health care in Victorian hospitals, the Department of Human Services released, in July 2007, the policy document Credentialling and defining the scope of clinical practice for medical practitioners in Victorian health services – a policy handbook. The policy provides guidance to hospitals around the appointment and ongoing employment of Senior Medical Staff (SMS). The policy was updated in February 2009. All senior doctors appointed to Victorian public hospitals are now appointed and reappointed under this policy; this includes Visiting Medical Officers.
The policy recognises that doctors should work within a defined scope of clinical practice, which is consistent with the organisation’s capabilities. A doctor’s scope of clinical practice may thus be different in the different hospitals at which they hold appointments. In appointing a doctor to a given scope of clinical practice, there is a clear onus on organisations to support the doctor in delivering that skill set. Thus, credentialling and defining the scope of clinical practice must be a collaborative approach between organisation and doctor, based around a shared commitment to patient care.
The policy recognises that regular appraisal of a senior doctor’s scope of clinical practice is critical to the ongoing relationship between the doctor and organisation, as clinician skill sets and organisational capability may evolve with time. The department sees this work as an opportunity to build on the outstanding work organisations are doing to strengthen their credentialling and defining scope of practice processes.
To begin engagement with medical staff and health service administrators in developing this process and to clarify the linkages with credentialling and scope of clinical practice, a workshop was held on 10 October 2008 at Telstra Dome. The workshop report is now available.
There has been widespread support amongst senior clinicians and the broader hospital sector for the development of a consistent approach to the process of regular appraisal with a view to enhancing clinical practice. Other industry sectors have well established processes to review and support the activities provided by employees. Those clinical groups that have established a regular appraisal process describe significant benefits to both organisation and clinician.
The department has recently commissioned DLA Phillips Fox, in association with SACS Consulting and the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (the Consortium), to develop a performance appraisal and support process for senior medical staff in Victoria's public health services. The project is due for completion towards the end of 2009.
Clinical Engagement: Supporting Senior Medical Staff Performance
Update, September 2009 (27kb, pdf)
For further information please email Sarah Harper or telephone (61 3) 9096 9030.