On 1 May 1997 until December 2012 Beth Wilson was Victoria’s Health Services Commissioner. She is a lawyer by training and has worked mainly in administrative law. Beth has had a long-standing interest in medico/legal and ethical issues. Prior to becoming Health Services Commissioner, Beth was the President of the Mental Health Review Board, a Senior Legal Member of the Social Security Appeals Board and WorkCare Appeals Board and a past President of the Victorian Branch of ANZAPPL (Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law). In 2007 Beth was appointed a member of the Disability Services Board. In 2013 Beth became a Legal Member, Mental Health Tribunal. Beth is Patron for the Continence Foundation of Australia and The Satellite Foundation, a Board Member of Breacan, Women and Mentoring,. She is Chair of The Royal Children’s Hospital Travancore Community Advisory Group and a member of Cabrini Hospital’s Community Advisory Board.

Beth has received several important awards in recognition of her achievements. These include:

• 2002 – Monash University’s Distinguished Alumni Award for outstanding professional achievements and inspirational leadership
• 2003 – Centenary Medal for services to health
• 2004 – An Honorary Doctorate from RMIT for contributions to health education
• 2008 – Induction onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for services to women’s health in Victoria
• 2013-Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community of Victoria through the provision of dispute resolution in the area of health services.

Beth is a public speaker providing seminars, lectures and classes for consumers, carers, health service providers, business and others. She loves humour, story telling, art and music and her favourite topics are inspirational leadership, promoting positive culture change in organisations, the importance of team work.

The presentation will focus on how and why we regulate the health sector so vigorously and whether we are succeeding in protecting the public. While registered and de-registered health service providers can behave badly, there is better protection for the public through AHPRA and the health registration boards. Unregistered providers are more difficult to deal with and various strategies have been tried, including the concept of negative licensing. This talk will give some examples of unscrupulous behaviour, why the regulatory system was inadequate at the relevant time and what a better scheme might look like.