Podcast: Building trust in regulators

19 May 2020

Ahpra Taking care podcast: Professor Valerie Braithwaite on the importance of trust.

In the latest episode of the Taking care podcast, host Susan Biggar talks to Professor Valerie Braithwaite about trust, what happens when it is lost and how organisations, especially regulators, can become more trustworthy.

Professor Valerie Braithwaite is a professor in the School of Regulation and Global Governance at the Australian National University. Her research explores the importance of trust in public and private institutions.

This episode of Taking care, a podcast by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), was recorded in February 2020, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 hit Australia. Professor’s Braithwaite’s reflections and insights on trust are even more relevant today in this unprecedented context.

She explains the complexities of trust for and with a regulator but also the simplicity of trust in these relationships.

‘Regulators need to bring the community in. Conflict resolution and discussion are really important at a community level. The community can be involved, even lead, some of those conversations. What’s critical for trust is that when people are distressed and upset, there’s someone to talk to immediately. Sometimes we just need someone to listen to us,’ Professor Braithwaite said.

Professor Braithwaite has found that if the public sees the regulator as bringing benefits and delivering more fairness to the system, then they feel a moral obligation to accept that regulation and cooperate with the regulator. We hear how this can manifest in behaviours, or ‘postures’ and that trust is complex, but incredibly important to effective regulation.

Download and listen to the latest Ahpra Taking care podcast episode today. Ahpra releases a new episode every fortnight, discussing current topics and the latest issues affecting safe healthcare in Australia. You can also listen and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and by searching ‘Taking Care’ in your podcast player.

For more information

• If you have questions or feedback about the podcast, email communications@ahpra.gov.au
  For media enquiries, phone 03 8708 9200.
  For registration enquiries, please phone 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 8708 9009 (overseas callers).