Ahpra can now issue public statements and warnings

From 15 May 2023 Ahpra and the National Boards can publicly warn about people posing a serious risk, and share information with practices.

15 May 202310 min read

From 15 May 2023, Ahpra and the National Boards gained the power to issue public statements warning the public about a serious risk posed by an individual. The power covers both registered practitioners and people who are not registered but are providing a health service, while they are under investigation or in disciplinary proceedings. It was one of 15 reforms from the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2022 that started that day.

This is not an advertising rule. But it changes what can happen, and how publicly, when something goes seriously wrong. A public statement names the person on Ahpra’s website and links from their entry on the public register. For practices, the same reforms also let Boards share information with businesses that have a practice arrangement with a practitioner. If you promote practitioners, employ them or rent them rooms, both changes are worth understanding.

Status as at October 2026: the power remains in force and Ahpra has used it, including statements published in June 2025 and December 2025. Further 2022 changes started on 1 July 2024, including interim prohibition orders against unregistered people, and more National Law changes followed in 2025 and 2026. We cover those in separate articles.

What changed

Ahpra announced on 15 May 2023 that 15 new reforms had come into effect. The Queensland legislative history for the 2022 Act shows a group of provisions commencing on 15 May 2023 by proclamation (2023 SL No. 37). Ahpra’s summary of the 2022 changes describes the public statement change as allowing Ahpra and National Boards “to issue a public statement if necessary to protect the public (provided the threshold test is met).”

Ahpra’s public statements are made under section 159Q of the National Law, which each published statement cites.

Ahpra’s announcement said the power would be used in exceptional circumstances only, with a very high legal threshold, and that most often it would be used to warn the community about dangerous unregistered individuals rather than currently registered practitioners. For registered practitioners, Ahpra said its existing immediate action powers, such as suspension or conditions on registration, are almost always effective, and a public statement would only be considered when immediate action is not enough.

Information sharing with practices and employers

The same reforms broadened information sharing. From 15 May 2023, Ahpra said National Boards can:

disclose information to an entity that has a current “practice arrangement” with a registered practitioner or unregistered person
notify former employers and associates of action being taken against a registered practitioner
disclose information to employers about unregistered practitioners.

Ahpra’s summary explains that a practice arrangement includes an employment relationship or an agreement to provide services on behalf of the entity, including in an honorary or volunteer capacity. Ahpra said this information sharing would only happen in the most extreme cases where the public is at urgent risk.

Who it applies to

The public statement power can be used about:

registered health practitioners in any of the regulated professions
people who are not registered but are providing a health service, including people whose registration has lapsed, been suspended or been cancelled, and people falsely claiming to be registered.

Ahpra’s FAQ says that if the matter involves a registered practitioner, the National Board makes the decision. In most other cases, such as when the conduct occurs while the person is unregistered, Ahpra decides.

The information-sharing powers reach further. Businesses that employ or contract practitioners, share premises with them or have other practice arrangements with them can receive information from a Board when the threshold is met.

What the rules require

The threshold

Ahpra says a public statement can only be made when Ahpra or the National Board forms a reasonable belief that the person poses a serious risk and that a statement is necessary to protect public health or safety. Its examples include a person who keeps practising while suspended, patients who may have been misdiagnosed or exposed to blood borne viruses, and an unregistered person posing as a dentist.

The FAQ lists the factors the decision maker considers:

the nature and seriousness of the person’s conduct, performance or health
the impact on the person if a statement is made, and their response, although protection of the public is paramount
the person’s reaction to any warning about the conduct
whether a state or territory health complaints entity or another body has already issued a warning
whether other regulatory action, such as immediate action, has been taken and is enough.

The process

Ahpra’s FAQ says the person receives written notice of why a statement is considered necessary and an opportunity to respond before a decision is made. Ahpra says it will try to alert the person by SMS to the written notice. The FAQ refers to a minimum 24-hour timeframe for publishing a statement after the person has had an opportunity to respond to the notice and a decision has been made.

What a statement contains

The National Law does not prescribe the wording. Ahpra says a statement sets out the provision it is made under, the background and the conduct, performance or health believed to pose a serious risk, the actions the public should take, and who to contact. Published statements so far have also encouraged people with information to contact Ahpra and reminded them of the liability protection for good-faith information under section 237 of the National Law.

Where it appears and how long it lasts

Statements are published on Ahpra’s Public statements and warnings page. For a registered practitioner, a link also appears on their entry on the public register. For a cancelled, disqualified or prohibited practitioner, the link appears on that register. A statement may be revised at any time and must be revoked if the grounds no longer exist or never existed. Revisions and revocations are published the same way.

Examples Ahpra has given

The FAQ includes three scenarios. In one, a doctor working from a home clinic with serious infection control, medication storage and record-keeping failures is suspended and a statement is issued because affected patients cannot be contacted directly. In another, a person falsely claiming to be a psychologist is prosecuted and a statement helps reach people who may have seen them. In the third, a nurse is suspended over a medication error, but a statement is not needed because the risk is isolated and the hospital can identify affected patients.

The two statements listed on Ahpra’s page as at October 2026 both concern people who were not practising lawfully at the time: one about a person suspended from practice who may have been presenting as registered, and one about a person subject to a tribunal prohibition order who may have continued to provide health services. The second statement notes that providing health services in breach of a prohibition order carries penalties of up to $60,000, three years’ imprisonment, or both, per offence.

What it means for your marketing

Website

Your practitioner profiles are a promise to patients that the people you feature are who you say they are. Check each practitioner’s registration status, profession and any conditions on the public register before you publish a profile, and recheck it periodically. Ahpra’s June 2025 statement specifically warned employers to verify the identity of applicants and staff and confirm their registration on the public register.

If a practitioner you promote becomes subject to suspension, conditions or a public statement, your website should not continue to present them as available to treat. Take down or update their profile, booking links and service pages promptly.

Google Business Profile and reviews

Practitioner-level Google profiles and directory listings can outlive a practitioner’s time at your clinic. Remove or update listings for anyone who has left or who can no longer practise. Old listings that still point patients to an unregistered person create obvious risk.

Social media

Posts, reels and ads featuring a practitioner remain visible long after they were published. Have a process to archive or remove promotional content for a practitioner who leaves or is restricted. Do not argue with or comment on a regulatory matter publicly on behalf of a practitioner. Seek advice first.

Paid ads

Ads naming individual practitioners should be paused as soon as there is any question about their ability to practise. Check ad accounts and booking platforms, not just the website.

Email and SMS

Recall and booking reminders that name a practitioner should be updated if that practitioner is no longer available.

Recruitment and onboarding

The information-sharing powers mean a Board may contact your business about a practitioner you have a practice arrangement with. Make sure there is a clear point of contact for regulator correspondence, and that the person handling it knows to involve the practice owner and your advisers.

Common mistakes we see

Never checking the public register after a practitioner is onboarded.
Leaving profiles, booking links and directory listings live for practitioners who have left.
Featuring contractors or visiting practitioners without confirming their registration and profession.
Assuming a cancelled or suspended practitioner can keep offering “wellness” or other services under a different label. Prohibition orders can cover any health service.
Responding publicly on social media to a regulatory matter without advice.

A practical checklist

Check every featured practitioner on the public register before publishing their profile.
Set a regular recheck of registration status for all practitioners you promote.
Record each practitioner’s registered name and any alternative name used in practice, and keep marketing consistent with the register.
Keep a list of every place each practitioner is promoted: website, Google, directories, social, ads, booking systems and print.
Create an offboarding step that removes or updates all of those listings.
Nominate a contact for regulator correspondence and a process for escalating it.
Check Ahpra’s Public statements and warnings page when engaging new practitioners or contractors.
Seek advice before making any public comment about a regulatory matter.

How this fits with other rules

Public statements are separate from Ahpra’s existing immediate action powers and from tribunal outcomes. In Queensland, complaints go to the Office of the Health Ombudsman, whose law was also changed to allow public statements, and Ahpra and the Ombudsman have a joint process to decide which body issues one. In New South Wales, the Health Care Complaints Commission already had a power to issue public warnings about practitioners practising there. State health complaints bodies in several states also administer the National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers for unregistered workers. Your advertising obligations under section 133 of the National Law, the Australian Consumer Law and privacy law continue to apply as usual.

Frequently asked questions

Can Ahpra name a practitioner before a tribunal has decided anything?

Yes. The power applies to people under investigation or in disciplinary proceedings, so a statement can be issued before any final finding. Ahpra says it is reserved for exceptional circumstances where there is a serious risk and a statement is necessary to protect the public.

Will a statement be issued because someone complained about our advertising?

Ahpra’s FAQ says it is not always necessary to issue a public statement about a concern, particularly if the risk is isolated or can be managed with other tools. Advertising complaints are generally managed under the advertising compliance and enforcement strategy.

Does the practitioner get a chance to respond?

Yes. Ahpra says the person receives written notice of the reasons and an opportunity to respond before a decision. The decision maker takes any submission into account.

Can a public statement be removed?

Yes. A statement may be revised at any time and must be revoked if the grounds no longer exist or never existed. Ahpra says revocation can be considered on application by the person, by another person, or on Ahpra or the Board’s own motion.

What does a “practice arrangement” mean for my clinic?

Ahpra’s summary says it includes employment and agreements for a practitioner to provide services on behalf of an entity, including honorary or volunteer roles. A Board can disclose information to such an entity when the threshold for serious risk is met.

Need a hand?

If you want a clear picture of where every practitioner is promoted across your website, listings and ads, our AHPRA compliance audit includes a practitioner profile review. Our clinic websites are built so practitioner profiles and booking links can be updated in one place.

This article is general guidance based on the published rules, not legal advice. Final responsibility for advertising sits with the registered practitioner, and complex situations may need independent legal advice.