(Important: Please read ‘How to register: Overview’ first)

On the Employers' pages:

-Employers' Responsibilities under the HPCA Act

-Competency Referrals

-Information for those wishing to employ: a NZ graduate, or an Australian or UK or other Overseas trained dietitian or a NZ dietitian wishing to return to work after 3+ years out of the profession.

-Supervision

-Annual Practising Certificates

The Board’s information    leaflet (PDF) outlines the functions, scope of practice and membership of the Board, and information about the Board committees.

Employers' Responsibilities under the HPCA Act
 

The purpose of the HPCA Act is to protect the health and safety of the public by establishing mechanisms to ensure that health practitioners are competent and fit to practise their professions.

If you are an employer of a dietitian you should be aware of how the HPCA Act impacts on you. You will be aware that dietitians are legally required to be registered with the Dietitians Board, which is the Regulatory (Responsible) Authority appointed by the Minister of Health. To practise in New Zealand, dietitians are required to hold a current practising certificate.
 
Please note the following points:

• If an employee employed as a dietitian resigns or is dismissed from his or her employment for reasons relating to competence, the employer must give the Registrar of the Dietitians Board written notice of the reasons for that resignation or dismissal (s34(3) of the HPCA Act refers).
• If an employer of a dietitian has reason to believe that the practitioner is unable to perform the functions required for the practice of his or her profession because of some mental or physical condition, the employer must promptly give the Registrar of the Dietitians Board written notice of all the circumstances (s45(2) of the HPCA Act refers).
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• The statutory functions of the Dietitians Board include notifying employers that the practice of a health practitioner may pose a risk of harm to the employer (s 118(g) of the HPCA Act refers). 
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• If the Dietitians Board has reason to believe that dietitian poses a risk of harm to the public, it must promptly give the employer of the practitioner written notice of the circumstances that have given rise to that belief (s35(1)(d)). The Board may also give this written notice to any person who works in partnership or in association with the practitioner.
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• If the Dietitians Board, having conducted a review of the competence of a dietitian, has reason to believe that the practitioner fails to meet the required standard of competence, and issues an order (for example, under s38 an order that conditions be placed on the practitioner's scope of practice) - it must ensure that a copy of the order is given within five working days to the employer of the practitioner and any person who works in partnership or association with the practitioner (s39(3)(a) of the HPCA Act refers).
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• If the Dietitians Board reviews the competence of a dietitian or has set a competence or recertification programme for the practitioner, it may for the purposes of the review or programme inspect all or any of the records of the practitioner, who must make the records available (s42 of the HPCA Act refers).
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• Link here for a copy of the HPCA Act which is also available on-line on the NZ Legislation website www.legislation.govt.nz.
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For further information regarding dietitians wishing to apply for registration, please refer to the information under ‘How to Register’. 

Competency Referrals

Please refer to Guidelines for Competency Referrals written by the Health Regulatory Authorities NZ (HRANZ) and the District Health Boards NZ (DHBNZ). 

Information for those wishing to employ a new graduate or overseas trained Dietitian

Please use the attachment links if you are considering employing a:

• recent NZ graduate,
• an Australian Credentialed dietitian,
• a UK trained and registered dietitian,
• an Overseas Trained dietitian (from a country other than Australia or the UK, or who do not meet the criteria as above),

or

• a NZ dietitian wishing to return to work after at least three years out of the dietetic workforce.

NB: The above information was revised in September 2010.

Supervision

All entry level dietitians to NZ are required to be under practice supervision for the first year of practising in NZ. The name of the supervisor must be notified to the Board before the dietitian starts work, and Section 1 of the Board's 'Practice Supervision' agreement should be returned, signed by both parties, to the Board within a fortnight of starting work. 

Once the entry level dietitian is no longer under your supervision (whether the supervision year is completed or not), please send back the signed Section 2 of the supervision agreement. If the person leaves before the year is up, they must inform the Board and find a new Supervisor.

Please note that if your supervisee changes supervisors whilst still under the minimum of one year practice supervision, then please sign off his/her Section 2 of the supervision agreement, and remind him/her that they need to send a new Section 1 agreement to the Board.

The Board is pleased to endorse the Dietitians NZ 'Professional Supervision for Dietitians' Guidelines'.

Annual Practising Certificates (APCs)

 The Annual Practising Certificate (APC) is issued to practitioners who meet the requirements set by the Dietitians Board. The APC is valid for up to twelve months until 31 March each year.
 
It is important for employers to note that a registered practitioner will be committing an offence if he or she practises without an annual practising certificate.

Practitioners who apply for an annual practising certificate will have to meet certain minimum recertification requirements. This includes undertaking of continuing professional development, maintaining regular peer contact and meeting required practice standards.