Guidance for Victorian public health services to establish Technology/Clinical Practice Committees

As indicated in the 2006-07 Public Hospitals and Mental Health Services Policy and Funding Guidelines, the Department of Human Services (department) has requested that all acute metropolitan and regional health services establish a Technology/Clinical Practice (TCP) Committee where they do not currently exist.  All metropolitan and regional health services and Regional Directors have been advised about this requirement.  Rural health services are not required to establish a TCP Committee, but should consider doing so if considered appropriate.

The role of a TCP committee is to:

• Assess proposals for the introduction of new technology and clinical practice
• Monitor the uptake of new technology and clinical practice
• Review use of existing technology and clinical practice.

The department invited all metropolitan and regional health services to provide feedback to inform the development of Guidance for Victorian public health services to establish Technology/Clinical Practice Committees (‘Guidance’).  The Victorian Policy Advisory Committee on Clinical Practice and Technology (VPACT) has overseen the development of the Guidance.

The Guidance provides advice and direction to assist health services establish TCP Committees and proformas to standardise operations and outputs across the health system.  Health services should use the Guidance to inform the establishment of TCP Committees where they do not currently exist.

The Guidance document includes the following proformas: 

• Submission proforma for the introduction of a new technology/clinical practice
• Approval proforma to introduce a new technology/clinical practice
• Progress report proforma for introduced new technology/clinical practice
• Nomination summary for health services seeking to establish a new Nationally Funded Centre Program.

Download the Guidance for Victorian Public Health Services to Establish Technology/Clinical Practice Committees, including relevant proformas (Word file 239 KB)

Enquiries / Contact

Any queries regarding the Guidance or the establishment of TCP Committees should be directed to Dr Paul Fennessy on (03) 9096 2142 or by email: paul.fennessy@dhs.vic.gov.au.