Nuclear medicine technologists
Nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs) practising in Australia are required to have appropriate indemnity cover in place to meet Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration.
MIPS membership benefits include insurance cover that more than satisfies AHPRA's indemnity requirements. NMTs are provided the same level of membership and insurance covers as all MIPS members.
MIPS also provides run-off cover for nuclear medicine technologists.
Why you need your own medical indemnity insurance
As is the case for all healthcare professions in Australia, medical indemnity insurance is also a mandatory requirement for NMTs. It covers you and future-proofs your career and reputation for the acts, errors and omissions that may occur when you provide healthcare.
Are you fully covered by your employer?
As an NMT practitioner you may be covered by your employer (eg public hospital), however there may be instances where your employer is unable to cover or assist you.
MIPS provides confidential advice, support and indemnity cover for your peace of mind and is suitable for NMTs working in public and private settings.
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Event or situation
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Employer provided indemnity
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MIPS membership indemnity, advice and support
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Indemnity for the healthcare you provide as part of your role as an employee indemnified by your employer
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Private temp/locum placements
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Telehealth for a private clinic/hospital
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Responding to/Appearing before a coronial inquiry
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A patient complaint made to AHPRA
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Making a mandatory report to AHPRA including self-reporting
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Assistance for workplace issues that arise with your colleagues and other staff
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Assistance understanding the indemnity clause within your contract
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Membership type
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Limit of cover
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Civil liability
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Discipline and regulator matters
(eg AHPRA or drugs and poisons investigation)
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Private practice
Where you are working independently or your employer requires you to hold cover
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$20M
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Public/employer indemnified
Where you are working in a public hospital or your private employer provides your indemnity
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$20M
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Excludes matters covered by your employer
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Medical Indemnity Protection Society – MIPS – How we help you
MIPS is an Australian, not-for-profit organisation that provides professional indemnity cover, advice and support to NMTs. We also cover doctors, dentists and allied dental professionals You’ll be in great company with over 50,000 of your peers.
Membership benefits
$20M Comprehensive indemnity insurance
Membership with MIPS provides cover up to $20m for claims arising out of healthcare you provide to your patients with no sub limits. It covers all civil liability (ie when you are sued), defence costs and any complaints or investigations resulting from an adverse event.
Accredited professional development (CPD)
MIPS has an extensive ‘member only’ library of on-demand learning including webinars, articles, practice notes, podcasts and other online resources.
24hr Medico-Legal Advice and Support
You will have access to expert advice from experienced medico-legal and regulatory advisors. They offer an independent opinion to assist you with navigating through your professional indemnity challenges.
MIPS has helped members just like you
MIPS membership covers legal and defence costs and has assisted our members in the following scenarios:
- Technologist mistakenly administered wrong radiopharmaceutical.
- Patient complained to hospital about unnecessary bone scan and other diagnostic tests.
- Patient complained following an error in administration of a nuclear medicine test. The results were not able to be interpreted and the outcome delayed as the test should not be repeated for two months.Nucl
- Patient complained to NSW Healthcare Complaints Commission (HCCC) of a swollen arm after injection of nuclear medicine, wondering if the swelling was a result of a ‘bad batch’ or infection as a result of negligence.
- Colleagues suggested a haematoma on dorsum on the hand of a patient was due to negligence of the NMT following a nuclear medicine injection– further tests did not link the two.
- Practitioner recorded parathyroid lesion was on left rather that right hand – operation made to incorrect site.
Complaints made against radiation practitioners
MIPS routinely assists technologists in handling complaints made to AHPRA. In the last year there were 40 notifications lodged against medical radiation practitioners through AHPRA. This involved 6 cases where AHPRA took immediate action including suspending a practitioner’s registration and 7 concerning mandatory reports. 63 practitioners remain under AHPRA monitoring (as at 30 June 2021).
If you have any concerns a complaint may be made against you, you can pre-emptively contact MIPS for assistance. This support is part of your MIPS membership.
