NZComplaints, insight and remediation

Remediation After a Concern

Planning, evidencing and sustaining practice change under the HPCA Act and the HDC Code of Rights

  • 3CPD hours
  • 20final questions
  • 80%pass mark
  • PDFcertificate

What you will learn

  • Explain the purpose of remediation within the public-protection framework of the HPCA Act 2003.
  • Describe competence reviews, competence programmes, recertification programmes, conditions on scope and interim orders, and the consequences of not completing a programme.
  • Explain how HDC recommendations under the Code of Rights, PCC recommendations and HPDT conditions require remediation.
  • Apply the Roberts v PCC penalty principles to explain why credible remediation matters.
  • Define a concern precisely and identify its root causes, including system and cultural safety factors.
  • Write testable remediation objectives linked to the relevant code, standard or Code right.
  • Select an effective mix of education, supervision, mentoring, audit and feedback.
  • Build an organised evidence bundle with a concern-to-evidence map, a reflective statement and informed testimonials.
  • Comply with orders and conditions and present remediation at each stage of the process.
  • Plan safeguards that sustain change through your recertification programme.

About this course

This course shows registered health practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand how to plan, carry out and evidence remediation after a concern about their practice. It covers the competence pathway under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, including competence reviews, competence programmes and conditions on scope of practice; recommendations made by the Health and Disability Commissioner under the Code of Rights; and the role of Professional Conduct Committees and the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.

It is written for doctors, nurses, midwives, oral health practitioners, pharmacists and allied health practitioners regulated by any of the 18 responsible authorities. It is useful both for practitioners currently responding to a concern and for those who want to understand remediation before they ever need it, including supervisors, mentors and clinical leaders who support colleagues through the process.

In New Zealand, remediation sits at the centre of a public-protection system that favours rehabilitation and the least restrictive appropriate outcome. Decision-makers look for honest understanding, targeted action and credible evidence of change. This course gives you practical tools for each step: defining the concern, finding its root cause, writing testable objectives, choosing education, supervision, mentoring and audit, building an evidence bundle and sustaining change through your recertification programme.

Course facts

CPD value
Approximately 3 CPD hours (estimated learning time including knowledge checks, reflection and assessment)
Audience
Registered health practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand under the HPCA Act 2003: doctors, nurses, midwives, oral health practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, physiotherapists, paramedics and other allied health practitioners
Standards covered
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (competence, conduct and discipline provisions); Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights; MCNZ Good medical practice; Nursing Council Code of Conduct and standards of competence; Midwifery Council Code of Conduct; Dental Council Standards Framework; Pharmacy Council Code of Ethics 2018; Health Information Privacy Code 2020; HQSC National adverse events policy 2023
Format
Self-paced, gated lessons with knowledge checks, case studies and reflection
Assessment
20 scenario-based questions, 80% to pass (16 of 20)
Outcome
Certificate of completion and a written reflection for your CPD record
Alignment
Mapped to the standards of the Medical Council, Nursing Council, Midwifery Council, Dental Council, Pharmacy Council and other responsible authorities under the HPCA Act; not accredited or approved by any of them

Syllabus

11 sections, 3 CPD hours, 20-question final assessment

  1. 1Remediation in the New Zealand context3 lessons
    • What remediation means for New Zealand health practitioners
    • Protection, not punishment: why remediation matters
    • Remediation, reflection, insight and recertification
  2. 2The legal and regulatory framework for remediation4 lessons
    • The competence pathway under the HPCA Act
    • HDC complaints, the Code of Rights and recommendations
    • Professional Conduct Committees and the Tribunal
    • How the responsible authorities approach remediation
  3. 3Understanding the concern and its root cause3 lessons
    • Defining the concern precisely
    • Finding the root cause: individual and system factors
    • Cultural safety, equity and the consumer’s perspective
  4. 4Designing a remediation plan3 lessons
    • Setting objectives that can be tested
    • Choosing the right mix of activities
    • Working within orders, conditions and employer processes
  5. 5Remediation activities in practice3 lessons
    • Targeted education that changes practice
    • Supervision and mentoring
    • Audits, practice review and feedback
  6. 6Building the evidence bundle3 lessons
    • What makes remediation evidence persuasive
    • Structuring the evidence bundle
    • Reflective statements and testimonials
  7. 7Presenting remediation through the process3 lessons
    • Remediating before a decision is made
    • Complying with orders, conditions and reporting
    • Case studies across the professions
  8. 8Sustaining change and preventing recurrence3 lessons
    • Embedding change in everyday practice
    • Recognising early warning signs and seeking support
    • Remediation, change and the regulatory horizon
  9. 9Conclusion and key points1 lesson
    • Conclusion and key points
  10. 10References and further reading1 lesson
    • References and further reading
  11. 11Your reflective account1 lesson
    • Your reflective account

Who this course is for

Registered health practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand under the HPCA Act 2003: doctors, nurses, midwives, oral health practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, physiotherapists, paramedics and other allied health practitioners.

Your certificate

Continuing professional development record for your portfolio.

  • Your name, the course title and the CPD hours
  • Completion date and a unique certificate ID that can be verified
  • Downloads as a PDF; save it to your portfolio

Questions about this course

What is the difference between a competence programme and voluntary remediation?

A competence programme is ordered by your responsible authority under the HPCA Act after a competence review, and its content and supervisor are set by them. Voluntary remediation is learning and practice change you plan yourself. This course helps with both, but only the authority can decide whether your own activities meet the terms of a programme or conditions.

Why does remediation matter to the Tribunal and responsible authorities?

Penalty decisions in New Zealand follow principles set out in Roberts v Professional Conduct Committee [2012] NZHC 3354, including public protection, rehabilitation and choosing the least restrictive outcome. Credible remediation is evidence that risk has reduced. The course shows how to present it at each stage, from an HDC recommendation to Tribunal conditions.

What goes into a remediation evidence bundle?

The course teaches you to assemble an organised bundle with a concern-to-evidence map, a reflective statement, certificates from targeted learning, supervision or mentoring reports, audit results and informed testimonials from colleagues who know the details of the concern. Each item is linked to the code, standard or Code right the concern engaged, so a decision maker can see exactly what changed.

Will this remediation course satisfy conditions placed on my scope of practice?

Not automatically. Conditions and education programmes are set and supervised by your responsible authority or the Tribunal, and we do not claim council approval. Check with your regulator, supervisor or lawyer that this course meets the terms of any order before enrolling. It is most useful for planning and documenting your wider remediation.

How long is the remediation course and what does it include?

It is a 3 CPD hour online course you can start immediately and complete at your own pace. Checks along the way, a final 20-question assessment (16 correct needed) and, on passing, a certificate plus a reflective account you can put in front of a reviewer. Cost: NZ$139.

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