Each of the registered health professions is regulated by a National Board. The Boards work to ensure that Australia’s health practitioners provide safe, quality healthcare.

All Chairs are registered health practitioners in their profession. The other Board members are a mix of practitioner and community members. All are appointed by the Ministerial Council.

• Ms Iris Raye, Chair, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia 
• Adjunct Professor Danforn Lim, Chair, Chinese Medicine Board of Australia
• Dr Wayne Minter AM, Chair, Chiropractic Board of Australia
• Dr Simon Shanahan, Chair, Dental Board of Australia
• Dr Susan O’Dwyer, Chair, Medical Board of Australia
• Ms Cara Miller, Chair, Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia
• Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey AM, Chair, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
• Ms Rebecca Singh, Chair, Occupational Therapy Board of Australia
• Mr Stuart Aamodt, Chair, Optometry Board of Australia
• Associate Professor Paul Orrock, Chair, Osteopathy Board of Australia
• Professor Stephen Gough ASM, Chair, Paramedicine Board of Australia
• Dr Cameron Phillips PhD, Chair, Pharmacy Board of Australia
• Dr Paula Harding, Chair, Physiotherapy Board of Australia
• Dr Kristy Robson, Chair, Podiatry Board of Australia
• Ms Rachel Phillips, Chair, Psychology Board of Australia

Supporting the Boards

Appointments 

National Board members are appointed by the Ministerial Council, and state and territory board members are appointed by the relevant health minister in each jurisdiction. 

Our regulatory work is not possible without the right people serving on boards and committees. We conducted a rigorous review of the attributes used to recruit board members and designed a National Scheme Board and Committee Member Attributes and Capability Framework to ensure that we recruit board and committee members who will deliver effective regulatory decision making. 

Ahpra provided administrative support for 664 board and committee appointments made within the year.

We have been working to increase the participation of people from diverse backgrounds through advertising and engagement strategies. There were 2.3% more Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, 13.6% more people with disability and 0.5% more culturally and/or linguistically diverse people appointed to boards and committees than last year, but 15.5% fewer people from rural and/or regional areas.

In January 2024, Ahpra began collecting information about the participation of people from LGBTIQA+ communities. Since then, 15 people from LGBTIQA+ communities have been appointed to boards and committees. 

Strengthening governance frameworks and capability

Ahpra continued to lead a coordinated governance program designed to support and enhance the effectiveness of our boards and committees. The program has four main areas, aligned to the three-year regulatory ‘life cycle’ of members and boards: 

• orientation and induction of new members 
• ongoing professional development, including skills enhancement 
• board effectiveness reviews 
• good governance practice. 

Regulatory decision makers across professions also received targeted training to assist in handling complex matters such as sexual misconduct and family violence. 

Orientation and induction 

During the year, 88 new board and committee members completed our orientation program. The program included an introduction to the National Scheme and self-paced online learning modules on governance, decision making and the National Law, information management and cybersecurity, and workplace respect. 

Professional development 

We continued to provide professional development programs for members including: 

a flexible online learning resource covering 10 key topics to support members in their governance roles 

quarterly one-day workshops focused on regulatory governance and decision making. These sessions were delivered by our external governance service provider Board Matters. A total of 61 members, along with senior Ahpra staff who work with the National Boards, attended these sessions. 

Board effectiveness reviews 

Board effectiveness is reviewed annually over a rolling three-year cycle. Years 1 and 3 are ‘check-in’ years and Year 2 reviews are in-depth and formal. 

In 2024, a check-in review was conducted. Reports were provided to individual board members and Chairs, and a thematic report was prepared for Ahpra. 

A new three-year cycle began in 2025, and the check-in review started in June. 

Governance documentation 

We completed the review of the Code of conduct for board and committee members and introduced the new Resolution management procedure for members. 

We reviewed and updated online learning modules to ensure they remain fit for purpose, relevant and aligned with our regulatory obligations. 

We updated the Manual for National Boards and their committees. 

Payments to Board Chairs 

Board members are entitled to remuneration, including travel and subsistence allowances, in line with the Ministerial Council’s framework. In addition to sitting fees for scheduled board and committee meetings, Chairs may also be remunerated for the additional work that is required.