2024/25 annual summary

Optometry in 2024/25

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2024/25 annual report Download the
Board's data tables

Registration

7,340 optometrists
- Up 4.1% from 2023/24
- 0.8% of all registered health practitioners
437 first-time registrants
- 410 domestic (including new graduates)
- 27 international
0.2% identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Gender

Female	Male
60.1%	39.9%

60.1% Female
39.9% Male

Age

<255.6%
25-3438.4%
35-4420.6%
45-5416.3%
55-6412.8%
65-746.0%
75+0.4%

Regulation

41 notifications lodged with Ahpra about 35 optometrists
81 notifications about 71 optometrists made Australia-wide, including HPCA and OHO data
- 1.0% of the profession Australia-wide

Sources of notifications

80.5%
7.5%
2.6%
2.6%
2.6%

80.5% Patient, relative or member of the public
7.3% Employer
4.9% Other practitioner
4.9% Board initiated
2.4% Police, government or co-regulator

Most common types of complaints

43.9%
19.5%
7.3%
4.9%
4.9%
19.5%

43.9% Clinical care
19.5% Communication
7.3% Medication
4.9% Offence against other law
4.9% Behaviour
19.5% Other

Notifications closed

17.1%
28.6%
54.3%

35 notifications closed

17.1% Conditions imposed on registration or an undertaking accepted
28.6% Referred to another body or retained by a health complaints organisation
54.3% No further regulatory action (including where practitioner has taken steps to address)

1 immediate action taken
3 mandatory notifications received
- 1 about professional standards
- 1 about impairment
- 1 about alcohol or drugs
6 practitioners monitored for health, performance and/or conduct
1 criminal offence complaint made
1 notification decided by a tribunal
No matters decided by a panel
No appeals lodged

Stakeholder engagement

In March, the Optometry Board of Australia hosted its annual meeting of the Optometry Regulatory Reference Group in Melbourne. Attendees included key stakeholders in the optometry profession from Australia and New Zealand. Members also welcomed a guest presentation from the First Nations Eye Health Alliance.

Representatives of the Board and committees attended the Indigenous Allied Health Australia National Conference in November, and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference in May, as the Board continued to build relationships and networks.

The Board welcomed the Chair of the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board of New Zealand to its meeting in Melbourne in May. It also participated in the National Scheme Combined Meeting along with Ahpra, other National Boards, and other regulatory and accreditation stakeholders.

Policy updates

The Board, together with 12 other National Boards, published an updated Registration standard: English language skills, and progressed public consultation on the Supervised practice framework and the Registration standard: Criminal history, along with the other National Boards. The Board also undertook preliminary consultation on the Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines, as well as on Guidelines for use of scheduled medicines. We also participated in the review of the National Prescribing Competencies Framework.

The Board, with Ahpra and the other National Boards, published new guidance on meeting professional obligations when using AI in healthcare. The aim is to support practitioners to use AI safely and in the best interest of their patients.

Other news

Four Board members finished their terms in December. We extend our thanks for their valuable contributions. They are Dr Carla Abbott PhD, practitioner member from Victoria; Mr Anthony Evans and Associate Professor Rosemary Knight, both community members; and Mr Martin Robinson, practitioner member from Tasmania. We would also like to thank Professor Sharon Bentley, practitioner member from Queensland, who finished in May.

We were pleased to welcome Ms Ingrid Diep, practitioner member from the Northern Territory, and Dr Amanda Mead, community member, who were appointed to the Board in December.

In memoriam

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Mr Terence Wong, practitioner member from New South Wales. Terence was a dedicated and valued contributor to the Board’s work, known for his analytical mind, his insightful perspectives and his commitment to serving the community. His professionalism and integrity will leave a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of working with him.

Mr Stuart Aamodt, Chair

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2024/25 annual report See the complete set of
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