How are healthcare professionals regulated in Australia?

The National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) regulates 16 health professions, including doctors.

It registers all regulated health professionals, including medical practitioners, against consistent, high-quality, national professional standards.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) supports 15 National Boards to run the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS).

The NRAS objectives are to:

• keep the public safe by registering only health practitioners who are suitably trained and qualified to practice in a competent and ethical manner
• provide high-quality education and training for practitioners
• assess overseas qualified practitioners
• access to services provided by health practitioners

The National Boards set the registration standards that practitioners must meet to register.

Once registered, they must continue to meet the standards and renew their registration yearly with the relevant National Board.

How are medical practitioners regulated?

In Australia, medical practitioners or doctors are tightly regulated to ensure patients receive high-quality care.

The Medical Board of Australia implements the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS).

You can search the national register to see whether a doctor is registered.

All medical practitioners must be registered and meet registration standards.

To work as a medical practitioner in Australia, someone must:

• complete an approved medical course
• follow a nationally consistent law that has been passed in all states and territories
• follow guidelines and codes of conduct
• undertake professional development in line with the standards set by a specialist medical college
• register with the Medical Board of Australia, which regulates the profession and monitors continuing professional development.

How are other healthcare professionals regulated?

Other health professionals are:

• regulated by the Ahpra, or
• are self-regulated by a professional association that certifies qualifications, sets and maintains standards and oversees professional development.

Other health professions that are regulated by Ahpra

If a health profession is part of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme, it is regulated by Ahpra

Ahpra regulates the following health professions:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia
• Chinese Medicine Board of Australia
• Chiropractic Board of Australia
• Dental Board of Australia
• Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia
• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
• Occupational Therapy Board of Australia
• Optometry Board of Australia
• Osteopathy Board of Australia
• Paramedicine Board of Australia
• Pharmacy Board of Australia
• Physiotherapy Board of Australia
• Podiatry Board of Australia
• Psychology Board of Australia.

Self-regulated professions

Some health professions are self-regulated.

Each has a professional association that sets and maintains standards and oversees professional development.

Examples include:

• Audiologists
• Dietitians
• Exercise Physiologists
• Orthoptists
• Myotherapists
• Remedial Massage Therapists
• Speech Therapists.