2014/15 National Scheme annual report launched

06 Nov 2015

The 2014/15 National Scheme annual report, including a report from the Board, has been published.

The 2014/15 annual report: AHPRA and 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 2015.

There are now more than 637,218 health practitioners registered to practise in Australia, from 14 different professions, representing overall growth of 2.9% over the past year.

Psychology Board of Australia Chair Professor Brin Grenyer said getting safe and effective regulation remained the focus for National Boards.

‘As National Boards we strive to be a driving force for positive change and leadership in public safety and facilitating access to health services,’ Professor Grenyer said.

‘Our efforts continue to identify a range of activities to improve and modernise our national registration and accreditation scheme. This report helps to inform the public and health practitioners how we meet our objectives and responsibilities on their behalf,’ he said.

‘Information about each of these registered health practitioners is easily available to the community through the national online register,’ said Martin Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer of AHPRA.

‘Maintaining an up to date national register is one of the most important ways in which we protect the public.’

For the psychology profession, the report reveals that:

• 32,766 practitioners were registered at the end of June 2015, an increase of 3.3 per cent from the previous year 
• 276 notifications (concerns/complaints) were received about psychologists (excluding NSW where there is a co-regulatory system)¹ 
• 313 notifications about psychologists were closed by 30 June 2015 
• of the 313 cases closed under the National Scheme, the Psychology Board of Australia determined: 
  • to take no further action or that the case was to be handled by the relevant health complaints entity in the relevant state or territory in 207 cases 
  • that conditions be imposed on a practitioner’s registration in 40 cases, 
  • in 40 cases cautions would be issued, and 
  • 11 cases resulted in cancellation or suspension of a practitioner’s registration. 
• the Board carried out a review of its supervisor training program and this indicated that the program has been working well 
• a large number of participants completed the supervisor training program and the National Psychology Exam (NPE), and 
• the Board worked to strengthen ties with international regulators by attending the 5th ASEAN Regional Union of Psychological Societies (ARUPS) Congress and by hosting a roundtable discussion with the ARUPS council and the New Zealand Psychologists Board. 

The 2014/15 Annual Report includes a detailed report - including data - for the Psychology Board of Australia.

A media release about the report - with data across professions and jurisdictions - is published on the AHPRA website.

A report, which presents the data specific to psychology practice, will be published on the Board’s website before the end of the calendar year.

For more information

• Go to the AHPRA Annual Report 2014/15
• Read the National Scheme media release 
• 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

Download a PDF of this Media release - 2014/15 National Scheme annual report launched - 6 November 2015 (211 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.