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The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) establishes an Information Publication Scheme (IPS). The IPS requires Australian Government agencies to publish certain information. The FOI Act also requires agencies to publish a plan that explains how they have implemented the IPS.
The IPS promotes accessibility to government information. Participating agencies are encouraged to proactively provide information rather than being reactive to individual requests for documents.
The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Regulation 2018 requires the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), its governing body (Ahpra Board), and each National Board to participate in the IPS from 1 June 2019.
Ahpra, National Boards and the Ahpra Board have worked together to develop a shared Information Publication Plan and IPS page.
Under our IPS we are required to publish:
The National Health Practitioner Ombudsman and Privacy Commissioner (NHPOPC) has oversight of our IPS.
Members of the public who believe that our decisions about access to information do not meet the requirements of the FOI Act can raise a complaint with the NHPOPC.
Find information about how to contact the NHPOPC on their website.
Our shared Information Publication Plan sets out how Ahpra, the Ahpra Board and each National Board implements and administers the IPS in a manner that complies with the FOI Act.
The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (National Law) is in force within each Australian state and territory. The National Law establishes a National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (National Scheme) for participating health professions. Information about the National Scheme can be found on the What we do page.
The professions currently regulated under the National Scheme are:
The National Law establishes standards that need to be met in order to be registered as a health practitioner and prohibits members of the public from claiming membership of a profession when they are not registered. The National Law also provides a framework for setting and maintaining professional standards and responding to public safety concerns.
In order to do this the National Law establishes National Boards to regulate each profession. National Boards are responsible for developing codes and guidelines, overseeing the accreditation of education providers and making decisions in response to applications for registration and notifications (concerns) raised about individual registered health practitioners.
Links to each National Board website are available on the National Boards page. Each website contains more information about the role and responsibilities of the National Boards.
The National Law also established Ahpra. Ahpra is responsible for working with each National Board to develop policy and make regulatory decisions. More information about Ahpra, office locations and structure can be found under About Ahpra.
Ahpra is governed by the Ahpra Board. Information about the structure, role and membership of the committee is available on the Ahpra Board page.
In practice National Boards often delegate decision making power to state and territory boards and committees. Information about National Board delegations can be found on the Delegations page. In addition, an overview of the structure of each National Board and boards and committees established to make delegated decisions can be found in the table below:
A guide to the National Scheme is available on the COAG Health Council website.
Regulation 15(e) of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Regulation 2018 exempts us from the requirement to publish details of the appointment of agency officers to our IPS.
However, we do publish information about membership of National Boards and the Ahpra Board along with information about Ahpra’s Chief Executive Officer and senior executives. Links to this information can be found below:
Information about board and committee member recruitment can be found on the statutory appointments page.
Ahpra and National Boards undertake wide-ranging public consultation about proposals that affect health professions. Consultation processes often relate to the development or review of policies, codes, guidelines or standards.
Ahpra and National Boards publish details of current consultations on their websites. Details of consultations listed on the Ahpra website can be found on the Consultations page along with links to the consultation pages within each National Board website.
The National Boards, the Ahpra Board and Ahpra are accountable to the COAG Health Council sitting as the Ministerial Council established under the National Law. The COAG Health Council consists of the Health Minister from each state and territory and the Commonwealth. The COAG Health Council is provided with information about the operation and performance of the National Scheme.
As a result of these governance arrangements information is not routinely provided to Parliaments by National Boards, the Ahpra Board or Ahpra.
From time-to-time National Boards, the Ahpra Board or Ahpra may make submissions to a Parliament in response to a particular issue, request or inquiry. Past submissions to Parliament can be viewed on the Corporate publications page.
Many documents produced by National Boards, the Ahpra Board or Ahpra are published on our websites.
You can contact the Senior Legal Advisor, Information Release on 1300 419 495 or [email protected] if you would like to enquire about the IPS or would like to request access to an unpublished document.
The FOI Act gives any person the legal right to access documents in our possession unless an exemption applies.
Information about how to make a Freedom of Information request can be found on the Making an FOI Request page.
There is no fee for making a Freedom of Information request. However, we may charge a fee for processing an application under the Freedom of Information (Charges) Regulations 1982 (Cth).
If we propose charging a processing fee we will contact you and provide an estimate before processing your request.
You can ask for processing charges to be waived or reduced for various reasons (such as financial hardship or public interest grounds). We will ask you to explain your reasons and you may need to provide evidence.
The FOI Act requires Ahpra to maintain a Freedom of Information disclosure log of all documents released under the Act unless an exemption applies.
Ahpra’s FOI disclosure log can be accessed on the Freedom of information disclosure log page.
Certain information published to the disclosure log can be downloaded. A request to access other information noted in the disclosure log can be made in writing. Details about how to do this can be found on the Freedom of information disclosure log page. A printing charge of 15 cents per page will be made for documents provided in hardcopy.
National Boards, the Ahpra Board and Ahpra produce a range of documents that assist us to perform our functions and exercise our powers. Some of the operational information we produce is shared. Other documents may only apply to a single agency (eg Ahpra).
Our operational information is set out below.
We have developed the Regulatory principles for the National Scheme. These principles guide our decision-making and promote a responsive, risk-based approach to regulation across professions.
The National Law allows National Boards to decide whether to provide notifiers with reasons for decisions made in response to notifications. The National Boards have produced the Common protocol for informing notifiers about the reasons for National Board decisions to explain when reasons for decisions will be provided to notifiers. The common protocol can be downloaded from each National Board website.
The National Law enables National Boards to require registered health practitioners to provide information about their practice at any time. The National Boards have produced the guideline Informing a National Board about where you practise to explain what information practitioners need to produce depending on the business arrangements they maintain in order to provide health services. The guideline can be downloaded from each National Board website.
Guidelines for National Boards making applications and submissions to the Ministerial Council in relation to approvals for endorsements for scheduled medicines are published on our website.
We regulate advertising of regulated health professions. Information and guidelines about the regulation of advertising can be found in the Advertising resources section.
Information about the registration of health practitioners including how to make an application, standards and processes can be found on the Registration page.
Information about the accreditation of education providers, approved programs of study and the continuing professional development of registered health practitioners can be found in our Accreditation section.
Information about how to make a notification (raise a concern) about a registered health practitioner or student and how Ahpra and National Boards respond to notifications can be found on the page, Concerned about a health practitioner?
* Please contact Ahpra to request access to this document
Information about the Ahpra Board including its communiques and charter can be found on the Ahpra Board page.
Registration standards set by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practice accreditation standards can be downloaded from the Accreditation page.
Registration standards set by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
The Chinese medicine accreditation standards can be downloaded from the Accreditation page.
Registration standards set by the Chiropractic Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Chiropractic Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
The Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia Accreditation and Competency Standards 2017 can be downloaded from the Accreditation page.
Registration standards set by the Dental Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Dental Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
The Accreditation Standards for Dental Practitioner Programs can be downloaded from the Accreditation page.
Registration standards set by the Medical Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Medical Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
The accreditation standards for medical schools and specialist colleges can be found on the Accreditation page.
Registration standards set by the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
The Medical Radiation Practice Approved accreditation standards can be downloaded from the Accreditation page.
A link to the Nursing and Midwifery accreditation standards can be found on the Accreditation page.
A link to the IQNM qualification criteria and registration requirements can be found on the IQNM meeting the registration requirements page.
A link to the qualification assessment process can be found on the IQNM steps after self-check page.
Registration standards set by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
Accreditation standards set by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia can be found on the Accreditation page.
Registration standards set by the Optometry Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Optometry Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes, guidelines and policies page.
Accreditation standards set by the Optometry Board of Australia can be found on the Accreditation page.
Registration standards set by the Osteopathy Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Osteopathy Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
The Accreditation standards for osteopathic courses in Australia can be downloaded from the Accreditation page.
The 2020 Accreditation standards for paramedicine and other relevant documentation can be downloaded from the Accreditation page.
Information about qualifications that may lead to registration in paramedicine can be found on the Qualifications for registration page.
Registration standards set by the Pharmacy Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Pharmacy Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes, guidelines and policies page.
Information about the accreditation of education providers and approved programs of study can be found on the Accreditation page.
Registration standards set by the Physiotherapy Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Physiotherapy Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes and guidelines page.
Registration standards set by the Podiatry Board of Australia can be viewed on the Registration standards page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Podiatry Board of Australia can be viewed on the Policies, codes and guidelines page.
Policies, codes and guidelines issued by the Psychology Board of Australia can be viewed on the Codes, guidelines and policies page.
The Accreditation standards for psychology programs can be downloaded from the Accreditation page.