Taking care podcast episode: A new look at mandatory notifications

03 Mar 2020

Ahpra has released its latest episode in the Taking care podcast series, which offers professional and consumer perspectives on current issues and common questions about public safety in health care.

In early March 2020, amendments to the legislation on mandatory notifications came into effect, presenting an important opportunity for discussion about the impact of these changes on public safety and registered health practitioners.

In this episode of Taking care, hosts Susan Biggar and Tash Miles speak to Dr Andy Tagg, an emergency medicine physician, Dr Caroline Johnson, a GP and registrar support and progress coordinator, and Ms Kaye Frankcom, a clinical and counselling psychologist.

Listen to them discuss what mandatory notifications mean for treating practitioners and their practitioner-patients. Most importantly, the guests emphasise the importance of all practitioners seeking help without fear of being reported, especially as the new amendments raise the threshold for when a mandatory notification is needed.

Ms Kate Frankcom said, ‘It is not just protecting the public, but it also protecting your colleague from a future disaster.'

‘The bar for mandatory notifications is pretty high and I’m there to make sure they never get to the point where there would need to be a mandatory notification.’ Ms Frankcom said.

Download and listen to the latest Ahpra Taking care podcast episode today.

Find out more about safe healthcare in Australia by downloading our podcasts about:

• Ahpra CEO Martin Fletcher: Ahpra’s role in the health system.
• A conversation with author and medical researcher Kate Richards: a patient and practitioner perspective.
• The practitioner experience of a notification, a conversation with Dr Anne Tonkin.
• Safe, competent and ethical health practitioners: a public perspective.
• Vexatious notifications: a practitioner perspective.

Subscribe to Ahpra’s ‘Taking care’ podcast channel for access to interesting conversations about the latest issues affecting safe health care in Australia. New episodes released fortnightly. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the ‘Taking care’ show page on Whooshka.

Feedback or comments about the ‘Taking care’ podcast channel, or any of the downloadable episodes, are welcome via email at communications@ahpra.gov.au. Email the team if you are interested in hosting the podcast on your website or social media.