Registration and Practising Certificates
There are a number of changes taking place on 1 April 2010. If you are applying for registration after 15 March 2010, please use the new application forms. If you are applying for a practising certificate for the 2009-2010 year, please use the current form. Use the new form if you are applying for a practising certificate for the 2010-2011 year. If in doubt, please contact the Board for help, as the Board will not be able to process your form if it is incorrect.
New forms for 2010-2011 year:
Reg1: Registration form for all optometrists and dispensing opticians except TTMRA applicants
Reg2: Application for change in scope of practice - from optometrist to optometrist (TPA endorsement)
Reg3: Application for restoration to the Register
Reg4: TTMRA application for registration in New Zealand
Record of Training for NZ/Australian dispensing optician graduates
APC1: Application for annual practising certificate for all practitioners except new NZ or Australian graduates
APC2: Application for annual practising certificate for new NZ or Australian graduates
Process for dispensing opticians who do not hold a prescribed qualification.
Current forms valid to 31 March 2009
(see above to assess which forms you should use).
APC Application form for new Graduates
APC Application form for newly registered practitioners
APC application form for optometrists and dispensing opticians
Application for Restoration to the Register (for practitioners who have been removed from the Register)
Change of Scope Application Form (for TPA endorsement) Please note, all applications for Change of Scope must be accompanied by an official academic transcript from the University of Auckland. Applicants must request this directly from the University.
Before you apply for your APC you are advised to read the following information.
Every practitioner who wishes to renew or reapply for an annual practising certificate must apply to the Registrar. No person may claim to be practising as a health practitioner of a particular kind or do anything to suggest that they are practising unless the practitioner holds a current practising certificate with a scope of practice which indicates that the practitioner is of that kind.
Some employers organise the payment of APC for practitioners. If this is the case the practitioner needs to make sure that this is carried out in a timely way, noting that the practitioner is responsible for ensuring they have a current APC.
Please include current address details, noting your legal responsibilities to notify the Registrar of any change of address or change of name.
Receipts for payments are sent with the APC.
The standard APC year is 1 April until 31 March. You are legally required to hold a current APC by 1 April. If you apply for an APC after 1 April, you will need to pay an additional $100.00 for your APC. The APC may be issued for a period less than one year. Your scope of practice will be endorsed on the APC. Detailed information about the scope of practice is to be found in this website.
Should your APC be lost, the Board will not issue a new copy as it is an original document. However the Board will provide a letter verifying that you hold an APC.
The Registrar will issue an APC if the Registrar believes that there are no reasons to refer the application to the authority under section 27(1). The Registrar may decline to issue an annual practising certificate if satisfied that any information included in the application is false or misleading.
There are a number of grounds set out in the HPCA Act that may lead to the APC being referred to the Board for consideration namely:
The applicant
- has failed to maintain the required standard of competence
- has failed to fulfil or comply with a condition included in the applicants scope of practice
- has not satisfactorily completed the requirements of any competence programme that the applicant has been ordered by the board to complete
- has not held an APC within the 3 years immediately preceding the date of the application
- is unable to perform professional functions because of some mental or physical condition
- has not within the 3 years immediately preceding the date of application lawfully practised his or her profession
The Registrar may also decline to issue an APC if costs or expenses are owing from a Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal hearing.
If an APC is declined the Board may issue an interim practising certificate for a period of up to 12 months and with any conditions the Board specifies.
Practitioners will be given an opportunity to make written and oral submissions prior to any decision being made to decline an annual practising certificate application, or to include or vary conditions in the health practitioners scope of practice.
If the Board declines an application for an APC, it may authorise the issue of an interim practising certificate pending fullfillment of the conditions imposed.
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