Professional and credentialling standards committee

Purpose

To evaluate credentialling applications submitted by ACIPC members and progress assessment outcomes as recommendations for credentialling of ACIPC members to the Board. In addition, this Committee will advance the professional standing of ACIPC credentialling.

Professional and Credentialling Standards

Function

• To advance the professional standing of ACIPC credentialling
• To determine the professional standards by which infection control professionals are defined and practice
• To evaluate credentialling and re-credentialling submissions from members
• To conduct a formal evaluation of ACIPC credentialling with respect to professional standing
• To establish and maintain an ACIPC Advanced and Expert Database that the College may draw on for professional representation in external affairs

Decisions regarding credentialling and re-credentialling recommendations shall be made by vote of constitutional members of the Committee where each member carries a single vote. In the event that a tie in votes occurs, the Chair shall have the casting vote. Key Performance Indicators for the committee are determined by the Board of Directors and shall be based on the Functions of the Committee.

Process

• The process of assessing credentialling applications is conducted in accordance with the assessment protocol (Appendix 2) and is consistent and transparent.
• Each credentialling application is assessed by four committee members at the same level of credentialling or above the applicant.
• Committee decisions are made by consensus. Where consensus is not achieved, the committee will defer to a majority. In the event that a tie in votes occurs, the chair shall have the casting vote.

Membership

• The PACS committee will be comprised of members of the College with the requisite skills and experience duly appointed by the Board of Directors.
• The constitution of the PACS committee shall comprise a Chair, duly appointed from the elected members of the Board of Directors and up to six committee members with due regard to distribution across the categories of Primary, Advanced and Expert as well as geographical distribution.
• The PACS committee will implement a mentoring program for committee membership.
• Members will be appointed by the Board of Directors following a formal recruitment and selection process.
• The standard term of office for members of the PACS committee is two years. Members may seek re-appointment to the committee for a second term in accordance with the prevailing recruitment and selection procedures so determined by the Board of Directors, after which the position is declared vacant and an open merit process will apply.
• PACS committee members may invite other persons to participate in one or more meetings to provide advice and assistance where necessary and on the approval of the Chair. Such individuals may have right of audience and/or discussion and/or debate as determined by the Chair, but shall have no voting rights whatsoever.

Meetings

• Meetings are held monthly via Zoom on the 1^st Monday of the month at 11 am AEST.
• Meeting dates will be set by the office and sent to members’ calendars prior to the next year.
• Rescheduling or cancellation of the meetings will be at the discretion of the chair.
• A quorum consists of one-half of the membership of the committee plus one.

Reporting

The chair of the committee (or delegate) is required to:

• provide a written report to the board of directors using an approved reporting template each month;
• provide a yearly report to be included in the ACIPC Annual Report AGM.

Office support

The office of ACIPC will provide secretariat support to PACS and the chair and should action the following:

• preparation of agenda and notice of meeting;
• recording of minutes of the meetings;
• circulation of draft minutes from the previous meeting to be circulated one week following the meeting;
• credentialling update table – sent out weekly to the committee;
• credentialling application checklist.

Confidentiality

Committee members are to maintain confidentiality on all issues discussed, and members’ applications. This requirement survives the termination or expiry of membership of the membership of PACS.

Conflict of interest

Members will at all times declare any actual/potential or perceived conflicts of interest and this will be noted in the minutes of the meeting.   The chair will determine any action arising from any perceived conflicts of interest.

Review

At the end of each financial year, the committee will undertake a self-assessment of performance as directed by the committee chair.  This review will be tabled at an ACIPC Board meeting.

Review of the terms of reference

The committee must review the terms of reference each year.

Members of the PACS Committee

Chair:
Janine Carrucan
Members:
Professor Ramon Shaban
Dr Deborough Macbeth
Dr Peta-Anne Zimmerman
Belinda Henderson
Nicole Tolhurst
Sandra Roodt
Kathy Dempsey
Erica Short