Revised standard for PII arrangements published today

10 Dec 2015

A revised registration standard for Professional indemnity insurance (PII) arrangements has today been published by the Pharmacy Board of Australia.

The revised standard will come into effect on 1 July 2016, and will replace the standard that is currently in place. All registered practising pharmacists with general, limited or provisional registration, will need to meet the requirements of the revised standard either:

• by the time they next renew their PII arrangements policy, or 
• by their next renewal of registration which is due by 30 November 2016, whichever is sooner.

This standard does not apply to the current cycle of renewals (that is, it does not apply to late applications for renewal received in December 2015).

The revised standard has not changed significantly compared to the standard that is currently in place, continuing to set a minimum amount of cover of $20 million which reflects the industry standard.

There have been some minor changes to the requirements, with the revised standard specifically requiring policies to have retroactive cover and automatic reinstatement. There is also additional detail in relation to:

• third party cover and run-off cover 
• the need to conduct a self-assessment and seek expert advice on whether more than the minimum amount of cover is required 
• the need to notify the Board within seven days if PII arrangements are no longer in place 
• the required evidence of the PII arrangements in place, and 
• consequences if a pharmacist does not meet the standard.

The standard has also been reworded to improve clarity, to make it easier for pharmacists to understand the requirements.

The Board will soon publish additional information including FAQs, which will further explain the requirements of the standard and what is expected of practitioners.

The revised standard was reviewed as part of a scheduled review of standards, and was approved by the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council on 27 August 2015. A public consultation was held as part of the review, and the submissions to public consultation are published on the Board’s website. A brief consultation report which outlines the public consultation, rationale for any changes and proposed way forward (including areas where further work is planned), has also previously been published by National Boards.

More information about the revised PII arrangements standard, including a brief consultation report and FAQs, can be found on the Professional indemnity insurance arrangements page of the AHPRA website.