Media release

01 Nov 2013

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

• 30,561 psychologists were registered at the end of June 2013, an increase of 4.9 per cent since national registration data was first published in June 2011 
• 471 notifications (concerns/complaints) were received about psychologists and of these 151 were lodged in NSW where there is a co-regulatory system¹ 
• 407 notifications were closed by the end of June 2013, including 264 managed outside of NSW 
• of the 264 notifications closed under the National Scheme, the Psychology Board of Australia determined:
  • to take no further action in 194 cases 
  • that the case was to be retained and managed by the health complaints entity in the relevant state or territory in nine cases 
  • that two cases should be referred to another body 
  • to accept the surrendered registration of one practitioner 
  • that conditions be imposed on a psychologist’s registration in 20 cases 
  • to accept an undertaking by the practitioner to improve their conduct in five cases 
  • to issue a caution in 28 cases, 
  • and to reprimand in five cases.
• the Board developed and published four new policies and started a review of the profession’s standards, codes and guidelines, and 
• the Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Psychologists Board to facilitate mutual recognition of the regulatory environment of Australia and New Zealand.

Psychology Board of Australia Chair, Professor Brin Grenyer, said effective and proportionate regulation was the constant goal of all National Boards.

‘This annual report explains the work the Psychology Board does in partnership with AHPRA. Decisions of Boards strive to achieve the right balance between public safety and facilitating improvement in psychologist's practice through remedial action and protective measures such as professional development,’ Professor Grenyer said.

The annual report is published on the AHPRA website under Legislation and publications.

It 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.

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 (240 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.