HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW (ACT)

Table of Provisions

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

• 1 Short title  
• 2 Commencement  
• 3 Objectives  
• 3A Guiding principles  
• 4 How functions to be exercised  
• 5 Definitions  
• 6 Interpretation generally  
• 7 Single national entity  
• 8 Extraterritorial operation of Law  
• 9 Trans-Tasman mutual recognition principle  
• 10 Law binds the State  

PART 2--MINISTERIAL COUNCIL

• 11 Policy directions  
• 12 Approval of registration standards  
• 13 Approvals in relation to specialist registration  
• 14 Approval of endorsement in relation to scheduled medicines  
• 15 Approval of areas of practice for purposes of endorsement  
• 16 How Ministerial Council exercises functions  
• 17 Notification and publication of directions and approvals  

PART 4--AUSTRALIAN HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION AGENCY

Division 1--National Agency

• 23 National Agency  
• 24 General powers of National Agency  
• 25 Functions of National Agency  
• 26 Health profession agreements  
• 27 Co-operation with participating jurisdictions and Commonwealth  
• 28 Office of National Agency  

Division 2--Agency Board

• 29 Agency Board  
• 30 Functions of Agency Board  

PART 5--NATIONAL BOARDS

Division 1--National Boards

• 31 Regulations must provide for National Boards  
• 31A Status of National Board  
• 32 Powers of National Board  
• 33 Membership of National Boards  
• 34 Eligibility for appointment  

Division 2--Functions of National Boards

• 35 Functions of National Boards  
• 35A National Board consideration of criminal history  
• 36 State and Territory Boards  
• 37 Delegation of functions  

Division 3--Registration standards and codes and guidelines

• 38 National board must develop registration standards  
• 39 Codes and guidelines  
• 40 Consultation about registration standards, codes and guidelines  
• 41 Use of registration standards, codes or guidelines in  

PART 6--ACCREDITATION

Division 1--Preliminary

• 42 Definition  

Division 2--Accreditation authorities

• 43 Accreditation authority to be decided  
• 44 National Agency may enter into contracts with external  
• 45 Accreditation processes to be published  

Division 3--Accreditation functions

• 46 Development of accreditation standards  
• 47 Approval of accreditation standards  
• 48 Accreditation of programs of study  
• 49 Approval of accredited programs of study  
• 50 Accreditation authority to monitor approved programs of study  
• 51 Changes to approval of program of study  

PART 7--REGISTRATION OF HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

Division 1--General registration

• 52 Eligibility for general registration  
• 53 Qualifications for general registration  
• 54 Examination or assessment for general registration  
• 55 Unsuitability to hold general registration  
• 56 Period of general registration  

Division 2--Specialist registration

• 57 Eligibility for specialist registration  
• 58 Qualifications for specialist registration  
• 59 Examination or assessment for specialist registration  
• 60 Unsuitability to hold specialist registration  
• 61 Period of specialist registration  

Division 3--Provisional registration

• 62 Eligibility for provisional registration  
• 63 Unsuitability to hold provisional registration  
• 64 Period of provisional registration  

Division 4--Limited registration

• 65 Eligibility for limited registration  
• 66 Limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised  
• 67 Limited registration for area of need  
• 68 Limited registration in public interest  
• 69 Limited registration for teaching or research  
• 70 Unsuitability to hold limited registration  
• 71 Limited registration not to be held for more than one purpose  
• 72 Period of limited registration  

Division 5--Non-practising registration

• 73 Eligibility for non-practising registration  
• 74 Unsuitability to hold non-practising registration  
• 75 Registered health practitioner who holds non-practising registration must not practise  
• 76 Period of non-practising registration  

Division 6--Application for registration

• 77 Application for registration  
• 78 Power to check applicant's proof of identity  
• 79 Power to check applicant's criminal history  
• 80 Boards' other powers before deciding application for registration  
• 81 Applicant may make submissions about proposed refusal of application or imposition of  
• 82 Decision about application  
• 83 Conditions of registration  
• 83A Undertakings at registration  
• 84 Notice to be given to applicant  
• 85 Failure to decide application  

Division 6A--Withdrawal of registration

• 85A Power to withdraw registration  
• 85B Registered health practitioner may make submissions about proposed withdrawal of  
• 85C Decision about withdrawal of registration  
• 85D Notice to be given to registered health practitioner  
• 85E When decision takes effect  

Division 7--Student registration

• 86 Definitions  
• 87 National Board must register persons undertaking approved  
• 88 National Board may ask education provider for list of persons undertaking approved  
• 89 Registration of students  
• 90 Period of student registration  
Subdivision 2--Other persons to be registered as students
• 91 Education provider to provide lists of persons  
Subdivision 3--General provisions applicable to students
• 92 Notice to be given if student registration suspended or  
• 93 Report to National Board of cessation of status as student  

Division 8--Endorsement of registration

• 94 Endorsement for scheduled medicines  
Subdivision 2--Endorsement in relation to nurse practitioners
• 95 Endorsement as nurse practitioner  
Subdivision 4--Endorsement in relation to acupuncture
• 97 Endorsement for acupuncture  
Subdivision 5--Endorsements in relation to approved areas of practice
• 98 Endorsement for approved area of practice  
Subdivision 6--Application for endorsement
• 99 Application for endorsement  
• 100 Boards' other powers before deciding application for endorsement  
• 101 Applicant may make submissions about proposed refusal of  
• 102 Decision about application  
• 103 Conditions of endorsement  
• 103A Undertakings at endorsement  
• 104 Notice of decision to be given to applicant  
• 105 Period of endorsement  
• 106 Failure to decide application for endorsement  

Division 9--Renewal of registration

• 107 Application for renewal of registration or endorsement  
• 108 Registration taken to continue in force  
• 109 Annual statement  
• 110 National Board's powers before making decision  
• 111 Applicant may make submissions about proposed refusal of application for renewal or  
• 112 Decision about application for renewal  

Division 10--Title and practice protections

• 113 Restriction on use of protected titles  
• 114 Use of title “acupuncturist”  
• 115 Restriction on use of specialist titles  
• 115A Claims by persons as to membership of surgical class  
• 116 Claims by persons as to registration as health practitioner  
• 117 Claims by persons as to registration in particular profession or  
• 118 Claims by persons as to specialist registration  
• 119 Claims about type of registration or registration in recognised  
• 120 Registered health practitioner registered on conditions  
Subdivision 2--Practice protections
• 121 Restricted dental acts  
• 122 Restriction on prescription of optical appliances  
• 123 Restriction on spinal manipulation  

Division 11--Miscellaneous

• 124 Issue of certificate of registration  
Subdivision 2--Review of conditions and undertakings
• 125 Changing or removing conditions or undertaking on application by registered  
• 126 Changing conditions on Board's initiative  
• 127 Removal of condition or revocation of undertaking  
• 127A When matters under this subdivision may be decided by review body of a co-regulatory  
Subdivision 3--Obligations of registered health practitioners and students
• 128 Continuing professional development  
• 129 Professional indemnity insurance arrangements  
• 130 Registered health practitioner or student to give National Board  
• 131 Change in principal place of practice, address or name  
• 132 National Board may ask registered health practitioner for practice  
Subdivision 4--Advertising
• 133 Advertising  
Subdivision 5--Board's powers to check identity and criminal history
• 134 Evidence of identity  
• 135 Criminal history check  
Subdivision 6--General
• 136 Directing or inciting unprofessional conduct or professional  
• 137 Surrender of registration  

PART 8--HEALTH, PERFORMANCE AND CONDUCT

Division 1--Preliminary

• 138 Application of Part to persons who are registered health practitioners  
• 139 Proceedings in relation to practitioner's behaviour while temporarily  
• 139A Application of Part to persons who were registered health practitioners  
• 139B Application of Part to persons who were registered under corresponding prior  

Division 2--Mandatory notifications

• 140 Definition of notifiable conduct  
• 141 Mandatory notifications by health practitioners other than treating  
• 141A Mandatory notifications by treating practitioners of sexual  
• 141B Mandatory notifications by treating practitioners of substantial risk of harm to  
• 141C When practitioner does not form reasonable belief in course of providing health  
• 142 Mandatory notifications by employers  
• 143 Mandatory notifications by education providers  

Division 3--Voluntary notifications

• 144 Grounds for voluntary notification  
• 145 Who may make voluntary notification  

Division 4--Making a notification

• 146 How notification is made  
• 147 National Agency to provide reasonable assistance to notifier  

Division 5--Preliminary assessment

• 148 Referral of notification to National Board or co-regulatory  
• 149 Preliminary assessment  
• 149A Power to require information  
• 149B Inspection of documents  
• 150 Relationship with health complaints entity  
• 150A Referral to other entities  
• 151 When National Board may decide to take no further action  
• 152 National Board to give notice of receipt of notification  

Division 6--Other matters

• 153 National Board may deal with notifications about same person  
• 154 National Boards may deal with notifications collaboratively  

Division 7--Immediate action

• 155 Definition  
• 156 Power to take immediate action  
• 157 Show cause process  
• 158 Notice to be given to registered health practitioner or student about immediate  
• 159 Period of immediate action  
• 159A Board may give information to notifier about immediate action  

Division 7B--Public statements

• 159P Definition  
• 159Q Making of public statement  
• 159R Show cause process for public statement  
• 159S Revision of public statement by regulatory body  
• 159T Revocation of public statement  

Division 8--Investigations

• 160 When investigation may be conducted  
• 161 Registered health practitioner or student to be given notice of  
• 162 Investigation to be conducted in timely way  
Subdivision 2--Investigators
• 163 Appointment of investigators  
• 164 Identity card  
• 165 Display of identity card  
Subdivision 3--Procedure after investigation
• 166 Investigator's report about investigation  
• 167 Joint decision by National Board and health complaints entity  
• 167A Board may give information to notifier about result of  

Division 9--Health and performance assessments

• 168 Definition  
• 169 Requirement for health assessment  
• 170 Requirement for performance assessment  
• 171 Appointment of assessor to carry out assessment  
• 172 Notice to be given to registered health practitioner or student  
• 173 Assessor may require information or attendance  
• 174 Inspection of documents  
• 175 Report from assessor  
• 176 Copy of report to be given to health practitioner or student  
• 177 Joint decision by National Board and health complaints entity  
• 177A Board may give information to notifier about decision following assessor's  

Division 10--Action by National Board

• 178 National Board may take action  
• 179 Show cause process  
• 180 Notice to be given to health practitioner or student and notifier  

Division 11--Panels

• 181 Establishment of health panel  
• 182 Establishment of performance and professional standards panel  
• 183 List of approved persons for appointment to panels  
• 184 Notice to be given to registered health practitioner or student  
• 185 Procedure of panel  
• 186 Legal representation  
• 186A Role of health complaints entity  
• 187 Submission by notifier  
• 188 Panel may proceed in absence of registered health practitioner  
• 189 Hearing not open to the public  
• 190 Referral to responsible tribunal or National Board  
• 191 Decision of panel  
• 191A Decision of panel after reconsideration of suspension  
• 191B Change of reconsideration date for suspension of registration  
• 192 Notice to be given about panel's decision  

Division 12--Referring matter to responsible tribunals

• 193 Matters to be referred to responsible tribunal  
• 193A National Boards may decide not to refer certain matters  
• 194 Parties to the proceedings  
• 195 Costs  
• 196 Decision by responsible tribunal about registered health  
• 196A Offences relating to prohibition orders  
• 197 Decision by responsible tribunal about student  
• 198 Relationship with Act establishing responsible tribunal  

Division 13--Appeals

• 199 Appellable decisions  
• 200 Parties to the proceedings  
• 201 Costs  
• 202 Decision  
• 203 Relationship with Act establishing responsible tribunal  

Division 14--Miscellaneous

• 204 Notice from adjudication body  
• 205 Implementation of decisions  
• 206 National Board to give notice to registered health practitioner's employer and  
• 207 Effect of suspension  

PART 9--FINANCE

• 208 Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Fund  
• 209 Payments into Agency Fund  
• 210 Payments out of Agency Fund  
• 211 Investment of money in Agency Fund  
• 212 Financial management duties of National Agency and National Boards  

PART 10--INFORMATION AND PRIVACY

Division 1A--Australian Information Commissioner

• 212A Application of Commonwealth AIC Act  

Division 1--Privacy

• 213 Application of Commonwealth Privacy Act  

Division 2--Disclosure of information and confidentiality

• 214 Definition  
• 215 Application of Commonwealth FOI Act  
• 216 Duty of confidentiality  
• 217 Disclosure of information for workforce planning  
• 218 Disclosure of information for information management and communication  
• 219 Disclosure of information to other Commonwealth, State and  
• 220 Disclosure to protect health or safety of patients or other persons  
• 220A Disclosure of information about registered health practitioners to protect health or safety  
• 220B Disclosure of information about unregistered persons to protect health or safety of  
• 221 Disclosure to registration authorities  

Division 3--Registers in relation to registered health practitioner

• 222 Public national registers  
• 223 Specialists Registers  
• 224 Way registers are to be kept  
• 225 Information to be recorded in National Register  
• 226 National Board may decide not to include or to remove certain information in  
• 227 Register about former registered health practitioners  
• 228 Inspection of registers  

Division 4--Student registers

• 229 Student registers  
• 230 Information to be recorded in student register  

Division 5--Other records

• 231 Other records to be kept by National Boards  
• 232 Record of adjudication decisions to be kept and made publicly  

Division 6--Unique identifier

• 233 Unique identifier to be given to each registered health  

PART 11--MISCELLANEOUS

Division 1--Provisions relating to persons exercising functions under Law

• 234 General duties of persons exercising functions under this Law  
• 235 Application of Commonwealth Ombudsman Act  
• 236 Protection from personal liability for persons exercising functions  
• 237 Protection from liability for persons making notification or otherwise providing  

Division 2--Inspectors

• 238 Functions and powers of inspectors  
• 239 Appointment of inspectors  
• 240 Identity card  
• 241 Display of identity card  

Division 3--Legal proceedings

• 241A Proceedings for indictable offences  
• 242 Proceedings for other offences  
• 243 Conduct may constitute offence and be subject of disciplinary  
• 244 Evidentiary certificates  

Division 4--Regulations

• 245 National regulations  
• 246 Parliamentary scrutiny of national regulations  
• 247 Effect of disallowance of national regulation  

Division 5--Miscellaneous

• 248 Combined notice may be given  
• 249 Fees  

PART 12--TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

Division 1--Preliminary

• 250 Definitions  
• 251 References to registered health practitioners  

Division 2--Ministerial Council

• 252 Directions given by Ministerial council  
• 253 Accreditation functions exercised by existing accreditation entities  
• 254 Health profession standards approved by Ministerial Council  
• 255 Accreditation standards approved by National Board  

Division 3--Advisory Council

• 256 Members of Advisory Council  

Division 4--National Agency

• 257 Health profession agreements  
• 258 Service agreement  

Division 5--Agency Management Committee

• 259 Members of Agency Management Committee  

Division 6--Staff, consultants and contractors of National Agency

• 260 Chief executive officer  
• 261 Staff  
• 262 Consultants and contractors  

Division 7--Reports

• 263 Annual report  

Division 8--National Boards

• 264 Members of National Boards  
• 265 Committees  
• 266 Delegation  

Division 9--Agency Fund

• 267 Agency Fund  

Division 10--Offences

• 268 Offences  

Division 11--Registration

• 269 General registration  
• 270 Specialist registration  
• 271 Provisional registration  
• 272 Limited registration  
• 273 Limited registration (public interest-occasional practice)  
• 274 Non-practising registration  
• 275 Registration for existing registered students  
• 276 Registration for new students  
• 277 Other registrations  
• 278 Endorsements  
• 279 Conditions imposed on registration or endorsement  
• 280 Expiry of registration and endorsement  
• 281 Protected titles for certain specialist health practitioners  
• 282 First renewal of registration or endorsement  
• 283 Programs of study  
• 284 Exemption from requirement for professional indemnity insurance arrangements for  

Division 12--Applications for registration and endorsement

• 285 Applications for registration  
• 286 Applications for endorsement  
• 287 Disqualifications and conditions relevant to applications for registration  

Division 13--Complaints, notifications and disciplinary proceedings

• 288 Complaints and notifications made but not being dealt with on participation  
• 289 Complaints and notifications being dealt with on participation day  
• 290 Effect of suspension  
• 291 Undertakings and other agreements  
• 292 Orders  
• 293 List of approved persons  

Division 14--Local registration authority

• 294 Definition  
• 295 Assets and liabilities  
• 296 Records relating to registration and accreditation  
• 297 Financial and administrative records  
• 298 Pharmacy businesses and premises  
• 299 Members of local registration authority  

Division 15--Staged commencement for certain health professions

• 300 Application of Law to relevant health profession between commencement and 1 July  
• 301 Ministerial Council may appoint external accreditation entity  
• 302 Application of Law to appointment of first National Board for  
• 303 Qualifications for general registration in relevant profession  
• 304 Relationship with other provisions of Law  

PART 13--TRANSITIONAL AND OTHER PROVISIONS FOR HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2017

Division 1--Paramedicine Board and registration of paramedics

• 306 Definitions  
• 307 Establishment of Paramedicine Board  
• 308 Powers and functions of Paramedicine Board  
• 309 Paramedicine Board taken to be a National Board for stated matters  
• 310 CAA accredited programs of study  
• 311 Qualifications for general registration in paramedicine for a limited  
• 312 Accepted qualification for general registration in paramedicine  
• 313 Provisions that apply to student registration for Diploma of Paramedical Science  
• 314 Applications for registration in paramedicine and period of registration  
• 315 Applications for registration in paramedicine made but not decided before participation  
• 316 Period after participation day during which an individual does not commit an offence  
• 317 Application of ss 113 and 116 to individual temporarily practising paramedicine in another  

Division 2--Other transitional provisions

• 318 Deciding review period for decision on application made under section 125 before  
• 319 Deciding review period for decision after notice given under section 126 before  
• 320 Membership of continued National Boards  
• 321 Offences relating to prohibition orders made before commencement  
• 322 Register to include prohibition orders made before commencement  
• 323 Public national registers  

PART 14--TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT ACT 2022

• 324 Renaming of Agency Management Committee  
• 325 Saving of endorsement of midwife practitioner  

PART 15--TRANSITIONAL PROVISION FOR HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW (SURGEONS) AMENDMENT ACT 2023

• 326 Application of ss 196A, 222, 223 and 227 to particular prohibition  
• SCHEDULE 2
• SCHEDULE 3
• SCHEDULE 4
• SCHEDULE 5
• SCHEDULE 6
• SCHEDULE 7
ENDNOTES