The announcement follows calls for a regulatory body with stronger compliance and enforcement powers.
A new regulatory body announced today by the Victorian Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas will “modernise” and “centralise” the state’s Department of Health.
The Health Regulator will be responsible for the regulation of medicines and poisons, health service facilities, safe drinking water, tobacco and e-cigarettes, food safety, child safety, radiation safety, legionella risk management and pest control.
“These reforms will create a super-team of regulators ready to respond to matters right across the health sector, and ensuring the best resources are available where they are needed,” said Ms Thomas.
“These reforms are all about keeping Victorians safe and ensuring they have a modern health regulator looking out for them.”
Regulation of assisted reproductive treatment will also shift from the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority to the Health Regulator, which will have stronger enforcement powers and bring regulation of ART in line with other states and territories.
This reform follows a recommendation from the 2018 “Gorton Review” to strengthen the regulation of fertility treatment and emphasise the need for clarification as to the regulator’s role, purpose and functions.
The Review recommended the introduction of a body with increased inspection and investigation powers, and powers to issue compliance notices, bringing the regulation of ART in line with how other health treatments are regulated and in line with how other jurisdictions regulate fertility care.
“These reforms will create a super-team of regulators ready to respond to matters right across the health sector, and ensuring the best resources are available where they are needed,” said Ms Thomas.
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