Medical Council of New Zealand

The Medical Council of New Zealand has ten members who are appointed by the Minister of Health. The main purpose of the Medical Council is to protect the health and safety of New Zealanders by ensuring that doctors practise a high standard of medicine. The Medical Council achieves this by:

• keeping a register of all doctors practising in New Zealand
• giving annual practising certificates only to doctors who are still able to practise medicine
• checking that the training provided for medical students and young doctors is appropriate
• making sure doctors continue their medical education after they qualify
• ensuring doctors receive treatment if they have an illness which is affecting their practice
• suspending a doctor’s practising certificate if necessary
• assessing a doctor’s performance if there have been complaints about that doctor.

All complaints about a doctor received by the Medical Council must be referred to the Health and Disability Commissioner. Sometimes the Commissioner refers a complaint back to the Medical Council for assessment. Possible outcomes of the Medical Council’s investigations into a complaint include: review of the doctor’s ability to practise medicine; referral of the matter to the police; counselling of the doctor; no further action being taken or a charge may be brought before the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (click here).

For more information on the Medical Council, click here:

For more information on the Health and Disability Commissioner’s office, click here: