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If you are a registered health practitioner and a concern has been raised about your health, conduct or performance, we have information that can help you understand what to expect, including:
If a concern has been raised about you, we will arrange a time to talk to you to describe the concerns, explains what will happen next and what you can expect. We will follow this up in writing.
We understand that having a concern raised about you can be very stressful. To help you, we have produced a video we would encourage you to watch as a first step. We also have other useful information published on our website and there is a list of support services and details of where you can find further information.
We are committed to ensuring that the management of the notification is completed in a timely manner, taking into account the complexities of individual matters.
Every concern we receive is assessed for potential risk to the public by both Ahpra and an appropriate committee appointed by the National Boards. We take seriously all concerns raised with us. They are managed sensitively and in accordance with our legal obligations, including confidentiality, privacy and natural justice principles. Learn more about how we manage concerns.
The National Board can do a number of things in response to a concern. If they identify that a practitioner poses a serious risk, there are immediate actions that the National Boards can take.
Further information on possible outcomes.
Ahpra and National Boards are committed to ensuring that the management of the notification is completed in a timely manner, taking into account the complexities of individual matters. You can help with this by:
We also know that most practitioners manage risk over their careers.
When a concern is raised with us, we need to understand how you have responded to the event that triggered the concern. This includes actions you have taken after reflection to reduce the likelihood of future risk. This is done when you:
Yes. We will speak to you at different stages (unless we have decided we cannot do this) as we manage the concern so that it is clear:
Sometimes, Ahpra is not able to contact you at this stage if it is considered doing so would:
Our preference is to gather information we need by discussing things with you, and then follow up in writing. This saves us time and allows us to resolve the concern sooner.
Our priority in managing a concern is to speak directly to you, to gather information about your practice, as well as your reflections and actions in response to the events identified in the notification.
For some investigations we will do this at a case discussion with you. This is a formal, non-compulsory discussion. Following this discussion, the Ahpra officer will ask for follow up information to confirm the actions. This may include speaking to your workplace to gather information.
We encourage you participate in these discussions. You can have representation there. This may be from your indemnifier and/or professional association. The Ahpra officer will explain this in more detail and provide you and your representative with an information beforehand.
There may be times when an Ahpra officer gathers information from you and others using the powers available under the National Law. These are compulsory and there are potential consequences if you do not comply with requests made this way. Further information is available under investigations.
Organisations where registered health practitioners work also manage risks at the front line of care delivery. They are instrumental in investigating and responding to risk in the workplace. Workplaces that do this well:
During an investigation we will usually contact your workplace(s) to gather information about:
This may be done through formal, non-compulsory discussions or using the powers available to Ahpra and the National Boards under the National Law. Further information is available under investigations.