Removal of reprimands

Removing reprimands from the national register

A reprimand on a practitioner’s registration can be imposed under the National Law by a performance or professional standards panel (panel), professional standards committee in New South Wales (NSW committee) and a relevant tribunal or court.

A reprimand is a formal and public denunciation of a practitioner’s conduct. A reprimand is imposed where there is a need for general, as well as specific, deterrence. General deterrence is the concept that misconduct followed by adverse consequences for the practitioner who engaged in it will prevent other practitioners and members of the profession from engaging in the same or similar misconduct.

The National Board will consider an application for the removal of the reprimand subject to the practitioner submitting a completed Application to remove reprimand from National Register form with all supporting documentation provided. An application for removal of a reprimand should address why the National Board should be satisfied that it is no longer necessary or appropriate to record the reprimand on the register.

Checking your identity with InstaID+

Everyone applying for the removal of a reprimand must go through an identity check. We do this using InstaID+, a secure independent provider. If you have completed this identity check for Ahpra using InstaID+, within the past five years, you do not need to complete it again. We will have your current identity check on record. If you are not sure whether you have completed a valid identity check for Ahpra within the past five years, please make an online enquiry to confirm.

If you are required to go through a new identity check, after you submit your application to remove a reprimand, InstaID+ will email you a secure link to complete your proof of identity check online. If you do not complete the identity check, we cannot progress your application.

It can take up to 48 hours for your link to come from InstaID+. Please check your junk or spam folder.

You can do the proof of identity check from your desktop with a web camera or using your mobile phone. As part of the check, you'll be asked to take a selfie photo of your face with your photo ID and take photos of your identity documents. If you have changed your name, you will also need to provide evidence of this.

InstaID+ will check your documents in real-time for authenticity and tampering. Facial recognition and liveness test are completed, and your identity details are checked for validity against the databases held by the authorities that issued your documents. If there are any follow up questions needed for your identity check, InstaID+ Customer Support will contact you directly.

If you do not receive your link after 48 hours, please check your junk or spam folder. If it’s not there, please contact us by making an online enquiry. This is the best way to request a new link. Please do not contact InstaID+, they cannot send you a new link.

Before you start your proof of identity check with InstaID+, make sure you have the right identity documents ready. You can find which documents you can use in the “Applying for registration” sections at the bottom of the Proof of identity page.

Deciding your application

The National Board will consider whether any relevant events have occurred in the period of publication of the reprimand. A relevant event is any health, performance or conduct notification action taken against the registrant in relation to an adverse disclosure on renewal of registration, new information returned on a criminal history check, a confirmed breach of restrictions, or where the practitioner has been the subject of action under Part 8 of the National Law or its equivalent in a co-regulatory jurisdiction. This includes receipt of any new notification irrespective of whether action was taken.

Where a panel, NSW committee, tribunal or court has recommended a publication period or end date, the practitioner may include that recommendation in support of their application.

An application form for removal of a reprimand from the national register is published under Common forms on the Ahpra website.