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It’s that time of the year again!
This is a timely reminder that your registration as a health practitioner is due by November 30.
Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Podiatrists, Radiation Therapists, Nuclear Medicine Technologists and Radiographers all need to renew their registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
The core registration standards required under the National Law are:
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
- Recent Practice
- English Language Skills
- Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Criminal History.
Note that the Professional Indemnity Insurance that is provided to all VHPA members is fully compliant with the AHPRA registration standard.
>> You can renew your AHPRA registration here
Physiotherapists are largest group of registered HPs
Physiotherapists form the largest group of AHPRA-registered Health Professionals in Victoria.
According to the AHPRA Annual Report 2012-13, there were 6,166 registered Physiotherapists.
Occupational Therapists (3,634) are the next largest group, only slightly out-numbering Medical Radiation Practitioners (3,528). These two professional groups joined the AHPRA national registration scheme on 1 July 2012.
There were 1,247 Podiatrists in Victoria registered with AHPRA.
| AHPRA-Registered Health Professionals | 2012-13 | |
| Physiotherapists | 6,166 | |
| Occupational Therapists | 3,634 | |
| Podiatrists | 1,247 | |
| Medical Radiation Practitioners (total) | 3,528 | |
| – Diagnostic Radiographers | 2,655 | |
| – Nuclear Medicine Technologists | 283 | |
| – Radiation Therapists | 590 |
Complaints received for small proportion of Health Professionals
While there has been an increase in the overall number of complaints notified to AHPRA, only a tiny fraction of these relate to Health Professionals.
Out of a total of 1,844 complaints made to AHPRA in Victoria, the highest number of complaints concern Medical Practitioners (989), Nurses (330) and Dental Practitioners (223).
Only a very small number of Victorian complaints related to Physios (15), Podiatrists (10), Medical Radiation Practitioners (7) or OTs (5).
In the past year there has also been a 33% increase in mandatory notifications nationally. However in Victoria there was only one mandatory notification concerning Medical Radiation Practitioners and two concerning Physios.
Practitioners are required to advise of ‘notifiable conduct’ when another practitioner or student undertaking clinical training places the public at substantial risk of harm through:
- practising while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs
- sexual misconduct in the practice of the profession
- an impairment (health issue), or
- a significant departure from accepted professional standards.
Public consultations over English-language skills and criminal history
There is currently a review of standards relating to English language skills and criminal history for registered practitioners.
It is essential for safety reasons that all Health Professionals have good verbal and written English language skills.
At the same time, however, we need to make sure there are no unreasonable language tests or hurdles for properly qualified HPs seeking registration.
There are no changes to the Criminal History standard that are currently being recommended.
VHPA members are welcome to make individual submissions or you can forward any ideas or contributions regarding these reviews to the Union.
>> Background information regarding the Review can be found on the AHPRA website.