Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health regulation at work: Protecting the public in 2017/18

13 Feb 2019

A profession-specific annual report summary that highlights the work of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia over the year to 30 June 2018 has now been published.

The report draws on data relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice in Australia, which have been drawn from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the National Boards’ 2017/18 annual report. It offers a unique insight into the regulatory landscape for the profession, and includes the number of applications for registration, outcomes of practitioner audits and segmentation of the registrant base by gender, age and principal place of practice.

Notifications information includes the number of complaints or concerns received, matters opened and closed during the year, types of complaint, monitoring and compliance and matters involving immediate action.

Insights into the profession include:

• 641 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners were registered in 2017/18.
• 155 new applications for registration were received.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners make up 0.1% of all registered health practitioners in Australia.
• The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners increased by 5.4% from 2016/17.
• 76% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners are women; 24% are men.
• Northern Territory (NT) was the principal place of practice for most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners (219); Tasmania (Tas) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) were home to the smallest number (3).
• The age bracket with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners was 50–54 (102).
• 15 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health practitioners were under 25 years of age; none were aged 75 or over.
• 4 notifications (complaints or concerns) were lodged with AHPRA about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners.
• AHPRA closed 4 notifications about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners in 2017/18.
• 62 cases were being actively monitored by AHPRA at 30 June 2018 for compliance with conditions placed on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners’ registration.
• The Board took immediate action once.
• No statutory complaints were made about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners during the year; one matter was closed.

To download this report, or to view the main 2017/18 annual report and supplementary data tables, visit the AHPRA website.

In January and February 2019, AHPRA and the National Boards are publishing summaries that break down 2017/18 data for 13 other Boards in the National Scheme.

For more information

• Visit the AHPRA website
• Lodge an online enquiry form
• For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 9275 9009 (overseas callers)
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200