Medical rosters that have the purpose of facilitating patient access to medical services are an integral part of delivering health care to the community, especially in rural and regional Australia. By ensuring a minimum level of service to the community, the ACCC is satisfied that such rosters do not breach the Trade Practices Act.

Related media releases: MR42/01, MR67/01, MR15/02.

Review of the Impact of Part IV of the Trade Practices Act on the recruitment and retention of medical practitioners in rural and regional Australia

On 29 August 2001, the Prime Minister announced a review into the impact of the competition provisions (Part IV) of the Act on recruitment and retention of doctors in rural and regional areas. The ACCC made two submissions to the review (see .pdf files at the bottom of this page). The Wilkinson Report may be found on the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing website.

On 10 November 2002, the Prime Minister issued a press release stating that this review found that:

the Trade Practices Act (now renamed the Competition and Consumer Act) has minimal actual implications for the practice of medicine in rural and regional Australia
doctors do not need legislative exemption from the Act
genuine rosters do not breach the Act.

Related media releases: MR276/02, MR17/02.

Accordingly, the Health Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) was established in September 2003 to provide advice to the Commission on the implementation of the report recommendations.

See Treasurer's press release.

The HSAC concluded in 2006 after having served its purpose. However the ACCC recognised the broader value of the HSAC as a forum for communication with the medical community, which led to the establishment of the Health Sector Consultative Committee (HSCC), which first met on 29 May 2007. The primary function of the HSCC is to continue the process of liaison and information sharing between the ACCC and the health sector that developed through the operation of the HSAC.