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29 Jul 2013
The Optometry Board of Australia has announced that the registration fee for optometrists for 2013/14 has been reduced.
The Board has reduced the registration fee to $395, which is $20 less than in the previous year. The annual renewal fee will apply from 1 August and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2013 to 30 November 2014.
Board Chair, Mr Colin Waldron, said that the Board was able to lower its registration fees as it is now in its third year in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (National Scheme) and can forecast more accurately what the costs of regulation the profession will be.
‘Being part of the National Scheme for three years now has allowed the Board to track the actual cost of regulating optometry. This means that the Board was able to set a fee reduction of $20, while still ensuring that it still maintains adequate financial reserves that allow it to fulfill its regulatory functions,’ Mr Waldron.
Some of the National Boards in the National Scheme have seen an increase in notifications (complaints) over the past year although for optometry the numbers are comparatively low and stable. As the number, complexity and cost of these matters can never be accurately forecast, the Boards will continue to keep fees under close review to ensure careful financial management.
A fee schedule, including the fee arrangements for practitioners whose principal place of practice is NSW, will be published on the National Board’s website on 1 August 2013. Any variation to the fees payable by NSW practitioners will be announced by the Health Professional Councils Authority in NSW.1
More detailed information about the Board’s financial operations will be outlined in the Health Profession Agreement between the Board and AHPRA, which will be published on the website soon. This agreement sets out the services AHPRA will provide to support the Board to regulate the profession.
The regulation of optometry is funded solely by registrant fees and there is no cross subsidisation between professions.
Download a PDF copy of this Media release - 29 July 2013 (109 KB,PDF)
1NSW has a co-regulatory arrangement and notifications (complaints) about practitioners in NSW are managed by the Health Professional Councils Authority.