Health Practitioners Act 2004

section 18B(4)

1. Convening of meetings

A meeting of the Pharmacy Committee may be convened by the Chairperson or by the number of members that constitute a quorum of the Pharmacy Committee.

2. Procedure at meetings

(1) The quorum at a meeting of a regulatory body is 3 members of whom 2 must be pharmacists.

(2) A duly convened meeting of the Pharmacy Committee at which a quorum is present is competent to transact any business of the Pharmacy Committee.

(3) Questions arising at a meeting of the Pharmacy Committee must be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and voting.

(4) In the event of an equality of votes on a question arising at a meeting of the Pharmacy Committee, the question stands adjourned until its next meeting.

3. Who presides at meetings

(1) The Chairperson must preside at all meetings of the Pharmacy Committee at which the Chairperson is present.

(2) If the Chairperson is not present at a meeting of the Pharmacy Committee, a member elected by the members present must preside at the meeting.

4. Minutes

The Pharmacy Committee must keep accurate minutes of its meetings.

5. Disclosure of interest

(1) If a member has or acquires an interest (whether pecuniary or otherwise) that would conflict with the proper performance of the member's functions in relation to a matter being considered or about to be considered by the Pharmacy Committeeard, the member must disclose the nature of the interest at a meeting of the Pharmacy Committee.

(2) A disclosure under subclause (1) must be recorded in the minutes and, unless the Pharmacy Committee (exclusive of the member) determines otherwise, the member must not:

(a) be present during any deliberations of the Pharmacy Committee in relation to the matter; or

(b) take part in any decision of the Pharmacy Committee in relation to the matter.

6. Meetings to be open to public

(1) Except as provided in subclause (2), a meeting of the Pharmacy Committee must be open to the public.

(2) The Pharmacy Committee may do either or both of the following at a meeting if it considers that there are compelling grounds to do so:

(b) make an order prohibiting the reporting or other disclosure of all or any of the proceedings at the meeting or prohibiting the reporting or other disclosure of particular information in respect of the meeting.

(3) Without limiting the range of grounds that may be relevant for the purposes of subclause (2), the Pharmacy Committee may exercise its power under that subclause if:

(a) it is dealing with privileged information or information that has been communicated to the Pharmacy Committee in confidence; or

(b) it is dealing with information concerning the personal affairs, finances or business arrangements of a person; or

(c) the disclosure of the proceedings or the information may be unfairly prejudicial to the reputation of a person.

(4) A person wishing to attend a meeting of the Pharmacy Committee must notify the Pharmacy Committee not later than 7 days before the date of the meeting.

7. General procedures

(1) Subject to this Schedule, the procedure for convening the Pharmacy Committee and conducting its business is as determined by the Pharmacy Committee.

(2) The Pharmacy Committee may permit members to participate in a particular meeting by telephone or by other means of communication.

(3) A member who is permitted to participate in a meeting under subclause (2) is taken to be present at the meeting.

(4) A regulatory body may allow a person to attend a meeting for the purpose of advising or informing it on any matter.

8. Confidentiality

Subject to this Act, the Chairperson, a member or a delegate of the Pharmacy Committee must not disclose information obtained in the course of his or her duties as Chairperson, member or delegate unless the disclosure is made in the course of those duties.

Maximum penalty: 100 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months.