Media release

01 Nov 2013

The 2012/13 National Scheme Annual Report, which includes a report from the Optometry 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 optometry profession the report reveals that:

• 4,635 optometrists were registered at the end of June 2013, an increase of 4.3 per cent since national registration data was first published in June 2011 
• 42 notifications (concerns/complaints) were received about optometrists, 30 of these lodged outside of NSW where there is a co-regulatory system¹ 
• 44 notifications were closed nationally by 30 June 2013 and of these 29 were managed outside of NSW 
• of the 29 cases closed under the National Scheme, the Optometry Board of Australia determined:
  • that no further action was required or that the notification should be handled by the health complaints entity that had received the notification in 28 cases, and
  • imposed conditions on the registration of one practitioner.
• the Board published new or revised documents: guidelines for use of scheduled medicine and continuing professional development and Continuing professional development registration standard.

Optometry Board of Australia Chair Colin Waldron 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 Waldron 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 Optometry 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 (243 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.