Media release

01 Nov 2013

The 2012/13 National Scheme Annual Report, which includes a report from the Physiotherapy Board of Australia, has been published.

2012/13 National Scheme Annual Report published

The 2012/13 Annual Report of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the National Boards has been published.

The report details the work of the National Boards and AHPRA in implementing the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme over the 12 months to 30 June 2013.

There are now more than 590,000 health practitioners registered to practise in Australia – an increase in all professions and more than ever before – with one in 20 working Australians a registered health practitioner.

‘The National Scheme has a significant impact on the lives of many Australians – directly on all health practitioners who are registered to practise, and indirectly through our work to protect public safety and maintain professional standards,’ AHPRA Agency Management Committee Chair Peter Allen said.

‘The ongoing, effective functioning of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme is a reflection of the partnership and collaboration between AHPRA and the National Boards,’ Mr Allen said.

For the physiotherapy profession the report reveals that:

• 24,703 physiotherapists were registered at the end of June 2013, an increase of 10.4 per cent from when national registration data was first published in June 2011
• 83 notifications (concerns/complaints) were received about physiotherapists and of these 53 were lodged outside of NSW where there is a co-regulatory system¹ 
• 80 notifications were closed by the end of June 2013, including 55 managed outside of NSW 
• of the 55 notifications closed under the National Scheme, the Physiotherapy Board of Australia determined:
  • to take no further action in 35 cases 
  • that the case was to be retained and managed by the health complaints entity in the relevant state or territory in two cases
  • that conditions be imposed on a physiotherapist’s registration in seven cases 
  • to accept an undertaking from the physiotherapist in six cases, and 
  • to issue five physiotherapists with a caution.
• the Board undertook a review of its accreditation entity and reappointed the Australian Physiotherapy Council (APC), and 
• a binational project to develop shared entry level qualifying statements for the physiotherapy profession in Australia and New Zealand has started and incorporates a review of the existing Standards for Physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy Board of Australia Chair Paul Shinkfield said effective and proportionate regulation was the constant goal of all National Boards.

‘Every decision National Boards make consciously focuses on striking the right balance between public safety and facilitating access to health services,’ Mr Shinkfield said.

‘This report explains the work we do, and accounts to the community and the health professions about how we do it,’ he said.

The annual report is published on the AHPRA website under Legislation and publications.

It includes a detailed report – including data – for the Physiotherapy Board of Australia.

A media release about the report – with data across professions and jurisdictions – is published on the AHPRA website.

For more information

• Lodge an online enquiry form 
• For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 8708 9001 (overseas callers) 
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200

Download a PDF of this Media release - 2012/13 National Scheme Annual Report published - 1 November 2013 (240 KB,PDF)

¹NSW is part of the National Scheme but notifications about practitioners’ health, performance and conduct are handled by the HCCC and the NSW health professional councils supported by the HPCA.