Media release

27 Aug 2014

The National Boards have announced registration fees for their professions for 2014/15.

National Boards set fees for 2014/15

National Boards have announced practitioner registration fees for 2014/15, including six Boards that have reduced their fees, two which have frozen their fees and six which have limited their fee increases to the national consumer price index (CPI).

The Medical Radiation Practice, Nursing and Midwifery, Occupational Therapy, Osteopathy, Optometry and Physiotherapy Boards have reduced their fees.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Practice and Pharmacy Boards have frozen their fees.

The Chinese Medicine, Chiropractic, Dental, Medical, Podiatry and Psychology Boards have limited their fee increases to the national CPI.

The National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (National Scheme) is funded by practitioners’ registration fees and there is no cross subsidisation between professions.

AHPRA CEO, Martin Fletcher, said the fees set by all the National Boards are in line with the guiding principles of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme, which include that it should operate in an efficient, effective and fair way, and that the fees should be reasonable.

’The National Scheme has been in place for four years now, and we have more information available about the actual cost of regulating each profession under the National Law,’ Mr Fletcher said.

‘However, we have continued to see an increase in notifications (complaints) over the past year. It is always difficult to predict the number, complexity and cost of these cases, so managing notifications is a major cost for National Boards. This means National Boards will continue to keep fee levels under close review to ensure careful financial management,’ he said

The Health Profession Agreements between AHPRA and each Board will be published later in the year. These agreements set out the partnership between the National Boards and AHPRA, and the services AHPRA will provide in supporting the Boards to regulate their professions. More detailed information about each Board’s financial operations is also published in the Annual Report which will be released in November 2014.

In most cases, the annual fees will apply from 9 September 2014. At this time, the fees schedule for each profession will be published on the respective National Board’s website, including the fee arrangements for practitioners whose principal place of practice is NSW. Variation to the fees payable by NSW practitioners will be announced by the Health Professional Councils Authority in NSW and detailed in the fee schedule.

The fees set by each National Board vary to reflect the actual cost of regulating each profession under the National Law, as follows.

• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Health Practice Board of Australia has frozen its registration fee for 2014-2015 at $100. The annual renewal fee will cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Health Practice Board of Australia has received funding support from governments.
• The Chinese Medicine Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2014-2015 at $579, limiting the increase to the national CPI. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Chiropractic Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2014-2015 at $545, limiting the increase to the national CPI. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Dental Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2014-2015 at $603 for dentists and specialists, $536 for dental prosthetists and $298 for dental hygienists and therapists. This limits the increase to the national CPI. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Medical Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2014-2015 at $715, limiting the increase to the national CPI. The annual renewal fee will apply from 1 August 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2015.
• The Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia has reduced its registration fee for 2014-2015 to $250. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia has reduced its registration fee for 2014-2015 to $150. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014. It will apply to the next registration renewal period for nurses and midwives due by 31 May 2015.
• The Occupational Therapy Board of Australia has reduced its registration fee for 2014-2015 to $160. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Osteopathy Board of Australia has reduced its registration fee for 2014-2015 to $416. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Optometry Board of Australia has reduced its registration fee for 2014-2015 to $365. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Pharmacy Board of Australia has frozen its registration fee for 2014-2015 at $317. The annual renewal fee will cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Physiotherapy Board of Australia has reduced its registration fee for 2014-2015 to $159. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Podiatry Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2014-201 at $388, limiting the increase to the national CPI. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
• The Psychology Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2014-2015 at $431, limiting the increase to the national CPI. The annual renewal fee will apply from 9 September 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.

Practitioners in NSW

In NSW, health practitioners pay the national registration renewal fee set by their National Boards. The Health Professionals Council for each profession in NSW is responsible for setting the notifications/complaints element of the registration fee payable by NSW practitioners. Fees for practitioners with a principal place of practice of NSW may vary.

For more information

• For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 8708 9001 (overseas callers)
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200

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