Date: February 2024
The RACGP has provided a submission on proposed reforms to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law regarding the management of professional misconduct and strengthening protections for notifiers.
One of the proposed reforms is to expand information available on the national public register where health practitioners have engaged in sexual misconduct, sexual boundary violations and/or criminal sexual offences. The RACGP’s submission notes it is important to strike the right balance between patient and community protection, and natural and procedural justice for health professionals. While patients must have the opportunity to make an informed choice about which health professionals they consult, it may be appropriate to place an expiry date on conditions so they do not remain on the register permanently.
The submission also supports a nationally consistent requirement for practitioners to seek a reinstatement order from a tribunal before applying for re-registration. Our members did not support non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in the context of a sexual boundary violation or sexual misconduct, and the submission noted an NDA should not preclude a notification to Ahpra, National Boards or another regulatory body.
Read the submission
RACGP submission - Management of professional misconduct and strengthening protections for notif (PDF)