Circular details

WA Health Misconduct Policy

PURPOSE

To ensure a fair and reasonable approach is applied to the management of suspected misconduct.  Suspected misconduct will be managed pursuant to the Misconduct Management Process set out in the Policy.  Procedural fairness will be afforded to all parties involved in the Misconduct Management Process.

This is a whole of WA Health Policy which supersedes Operational Directive 0323/11 and all policies relating to misconduct and discipline in WA Health.

It is mandatory that WA Health complies with this Operational Directive.

SCOPE

This Operational Directive applies to all WA Health entities and shared services including:

• Department of Health, including Health Corporate Network and the Health Information Network;
• North Metropolitan Health Service;
• South Metropolitan Health Service;
• WA Country Health Service;
• Child and Adolescent Health Service;
• Pathwest; and
• Health Industrial Relations.

The WA Health Misconduct Policy (Policy) does not apply to employees subject to the provisions of Part 5 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994.  The relevant Public Sector Commission – Commissioner’s Instructions provide the procedural requirements for these employees.

BACKGROUND

WA Health employees are expected to behave in accordance with the principles and values expressed in the Public Sector Management Act 1994, the WA Public Sector Code of Ethics and the WA Health Code of Conduct.

Employees must not engage in, condone or promote any kind of breach of discipline or misconduct.  Employees are required to report any suspected breach of discipline or misconduct.

Any act/s of suspected misconduct may be subject to Improvement Action, Disciplinary Action and the matter may be reported to the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).

The Decision Maker is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Policy.

IMPLEMENTATION

The Policy comes into effect from the date of this Operational Directive.  All acts of suspected misconduct reported on or after this date will be managed in accordance with the Policy.

A disciplinary process which has commenced under Operational Directive 0323/11 must be concluded in accordance with that Policy.

It is the responsibility of managers to ensure employees are aware of and have access to the Policy.

Professor Bryant Stokes
A/DIRECTOR GENERAL
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL