Queensland Consolidated Acts

OPTOMETRISTS REGISTRATION ACT 2001 - SECT 11

The board has the following functions--

(a) to assess applications for registration;

(b) to register persons who satisfy the requirements for registration;

(c) to monitor, and assess, whether registrants comply with any conditions of registration;

(d) to keep a register of, and records relating to, registrants;

(e) to promote high standards of practice of the profession by registrants;

(f) to develop or adopt programs for the continuing professional education of registrants, and encourage their participation in the programs;

(g) to develop or adopt training programs in the practice of the profession that are relevant to a person's eligibility for registration;

Example of training programs--

refresher courses for persons who have not practised the profession for a number of years

(h) to confer and cooperate with interstate regulatory authorities;

(i) to confer and cooperate with entities engaged in the development of national policies about the regulation of the profession;

(j) to confer and cooperate with the following entities about the education of persons in the practice of the profession--

(i) educational institutions;

(ii) entities responsible for accrediting courses, or accrediting institutions to educate persons, for the profession;

(k) to inform registrants and the public about the operation of the legislative scheme in its application to the profession;

(l) to examine, and advise the Minister about, the operation of the legislative scheme in its application to the profession;

(m) to monitor, and enforce, compliance with this Act;

(n) to undertake research, relevant to the legislative scheme, into the regulation of the profession;

(o) to collect, and give to persons, information about the practice of the profession by registrants;

Example of information about the practice of the profession by registrants--

the languages, other than English, spoken by registrants

(p) to perform other functions given to the board under this or another Act.

Example for paragraph (p)--

Under the Health Practitioners (Professional Standards) Act 1999, section 374, the board may develop codes of practice, or adopt another entity's code of practice, to provide guidance to registrants as to appropriate professional conduct or practice.