One in 17 working Australians on the national register

15 Nov 2019

More than 41,500 new registered health practitioners joined the National Scheme in 2018/19.

Over 41,500 new registered health practitioners were welcomed to national registration over the past year, including the registration of more than 17,000 paramedics for the first time, in data published in the 2018/19 Annual Report of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

‘We welcomed 41,696 new health practitioners into the National Scheme in 2018/19. That means one in every 17 people working in Australia is a registered health practitioner. To ensure this large group is trained, qualified and competent, there are now over 1,000 approved programs of study,’ AHPRA CEO Martin Fletcher said.

The report also shows AHPRA directly received 9,338 concerns (notifications) about registered health practitioners and closed 8,979 during 2018/19.

‘This was our busiest year ever with more notifications received and more notifications closed than ever before.’ said Mr Fletcher.

‘AHPRA works in close partnership with the National Boards. Our annual report highlights the combined work we do to regulate health practitioners efficiently and effectively to keep the community safe,’ said Mr Fletcher.

‘We are committed to improving the notification experience for both notifiers and practitioners and this report indicates we are making progress. The number of notifications received by AHPRA also suggests the public are becoming more aware of their option to report their health care concerns.

Insights from the year include: 

• There were over 41,696 more registered health practitioners, totalling 744,437 health practitioners across 16 regulated professions.
• Student registrations increased by over 21,000 registrants to 182,657.
• 17,323 paramedics registered for the first time in 2018/19 after officially joining the National Scheme in December.
• Across the professions, the largest growth in registrants (aside from paramedicine) was Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners +7.6%, occupational therapy +6.9% and osteopathy +6.6%.
• 1 in 17 people working in Australia is a registered health professional with 75% of all registrants being female.
• AHPRA received more notifications in 2018/19 than in any other year since the National Scheme began (9,338), an increase of 14.3%.
• Nationally (including data for the Office of the Health Ombudsman and the Health Professional Councils Authority) 15,858 notifications were received. 12,445 practitioners had a notification made about them (1.7% of all registered health practitioners). The top three reasons for a notification made to AHPRA were clinical care (46.3%), medication issues (10.7%) and health impairment (6.5%).
• While AHPRA received more notifications than ever before, it also closed more than ever before during the year (8,979). AHPRA also reduced the average time taken to resolve a notification by 5.1%.
• AHPRA received 380 new offence complaints relating to title and practice protection and 668 complaints related to advertising.
• 2,584 practitioners were monitored for health, performance and/or conduct during the year.
• AHPRA completed 15 proceedings in the Magistrates’ and Local Courts. All prosecution resulted in convictions.

To view and download the 2018/19 annual report, visit the AHPRA website.

For more information

• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200.
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