OVERVIEW:

• Role of AHPRA in regulating doctors and health care providers
• Significance of a doctor making an undertaking to AHRPA
• Significance of a doctor having restrictions or conditions on their registration

role of AHPRA in regulating doctors and health practitioners

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is a national board that regulates all registered doctors and health practitioners in Australia.[1]

One of the key roles of AHPRA is to manage and monitor the registration of doctors and health practitioners.

AHPRA plays a role in managing complaints about doctors and health practitioners to ensure safety of patients and protect the public.[2]

significance of a doctor making an undertaking to ahpra

If a complaint or concern about a doctor is reported to AHPRA, the doctor may voluntarily offer to limit their practice in some way. AHPRA will accept an undertaking from a doctor if they believe it to be necessary to protect the public.[3]

For example, if a complaint was made that a psychologist pursued an inappropriate personal relationship with a female patient, the psychologist may make an undertaking with AHPRA not to treat female patients.

A doctor has a legal obligation to adhere to any undertaking they have made to AHPRA.[4]

Some other examples of undertaking doctors might make to AHPRA include: 

• an undertaking not to practise;
• an undertaking not to perform a certain kind of treatment or surgery;
• an undertaking to refrain from treating certain patients.

Significance of a doctor having restrictions or conditions on their registration

If a complaint or concern about a doctor is reported, AHPRA may impose a condition or restriction on a doctor’s registration. This will mean the doctor must do something or must refrain from doing something.[5]

AHPRA may impose a restriction or condition on a doctor’s registration pending an investigation of a complaint or upon conclusion of an investigation. However, it is important to note that a condition or restriction may be made for reasons other than disciplinary proceedings.

Unlike undertakings (which are voluntary), AHPRA may impose a restriction or condition on a doctor’s registration with or without their consent.[6]

Some examples of restrictions or conditions AHPRA may impose on a doctor’s registration to practice: 

• to only provide treatment under the supervision of another doctor;
• to undergo further education or training;
• to refrain from providing certain kinds of treatment;
• not to treat certain kinds of patients.

HOW TO CHECK IF A DOCTOR HAS MADE AN UNDERTAKING TO AHPRA OR HAS RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR REGISTRATION

AHPRA publishes an online registry of all registered doctors and health care providers.

This registry allows anyone to search a registered practitioner’s name and see details of their registration status, including whether they are subject to any undertakings or restrictions.

To look up a doctor or health care provider in the AHPRA registry, please see click here. 

To view the list of doctors and health care providers who have undertaken not to practise, please click here. 

For tips on how to use the AHPRA registry, please click here. 

Please note that the AHPRA registry only contains information regarding registered health care providers. That is, the AHPRA registry will not include persons who provide therapeutic services but are not registered health care providers. For example, some massage therapists or alternative medicine/healthcare providers may not be registered with AHPRA.

To find more information on the role of AHPRA, we recommend reading our other articles, when does AHPRA take action? and AHPRA Reporting 2020/2021: Review of Stats & Complaints Over the Last Year Identified by Specialty.

 [1] AHPRA, ‘Who We Are’ (07/02/2022) <https://www.ahpra.gov.au/About-Ahpra/Who-We-Are.aspx>

[2] AHPRA, ‘What We Do’ (10/03/2021) <https://www.ahpra.gov.au/About-Ahpra/What-We-Do.aspx>

[3] AHPRA, ‘How We Manage Concerns: Possible Outcomes’ (26/11/2020) <https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/How-we-manage-concerns/possible-outcomes.aspx>

[4] AHPRA, ‘How We Manage Concerns: Possible Outcomes’ (26/11/2020) <https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/How-we-manage-concerns/possible-outcomes.aspx>

[5] AHPRA, ‘How We Manage Concerns: Possible Outcomes’ (26/11/2020) <https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/How-we-manage-concerns/possible-outcomes.aspx>

[6] AHPRA, ‘How We Manage Concerns: Possible Outcomes’ (26/11/2020) <https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/How-we-manage-concerns/possible-outcomes.aspx>