Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Highlights
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Highlights

Annual report 2022/23

A growing workforce
2022/23 highlights

877,119
registered health practitioners

2.9% more than last year

3.3
registered health practitioners for every 100 Australians

Number of practitioners per 100 people

Bar graph for the five reporting years between 2018/19 and 2022/23, showing the number of practitioners per 100 people in Australia. The graph starts at 2.9 practitioners per 100 people in 2018/19 and increases at a steady rate of 0.1 people each year. In 2022/23 there were 3.3 practitioners per 100 people.

10,813

health practitioners identify as

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

183,900
health students

We placed more senior Ahpra staff on the frontline assessing applications at their earliest stage to ensure complete applications and reduce delays

14.3%
more applications for registration than last year

  • 96,136 applications finalised
  • 42,565 from new graduates

92.5%
more new overseas-qualified practitioners

  • 147.6% more nurses and midwives
  • 41.1% more medical practitioners
  • 50.3% more allied health practitioners

800,943
practitioner renewals

  • 35,865 (4.7%) more than last year

A predominantly female workforce

Bar graph for the five reporting years between 2018/19 and 2022/23, showing the proportions of female and male health practitioners in Australia. The numbers of both female and male practitioners get bigger each year, from almost 560,000 females in 2018/19 to more than 660,000 females in 2022/23. And from almost 185,000 males in 2018/19 to more than 200,000 males in 2022/23.

Practitioners can also be registered as neither female nor male, though these numbers are too low to be represented in the figure.

More Australian and internationally trained practitioners have sought to work in the nation’s health systems than ever before - we responded to get them practising safely, sooner

 

A safer workforce
2022/23 highlights

Notifications

17,096 notifications were made about 13,584 practitioners nationally

  • 1.5% of all registered health practitioners had a notification
  • 9,706 notifications about 7,970 practitioners dealt with by Ahpra
  • The most common concern was clinical care

Ahpra can use its own and external data to identify potential risks and emerging issues – having an evidence-based approach provides a solid basis for informed regulatory decision-making and proactive management of risk

Cosmetic surgery

315 calls to cosmetic surgery hotline

157 cosmetic surgery concerns actioned

69 cosmetic surgery audits for advertising compliance

  • 65 cases of non-compliance

Major reforms have increased the safeguards for those considering cosmetic surgery, as well as clearer guidelines for medical practitioners performing and advertising cosmetic services

Compliance

4,759 cases involving 4,750 practitioners monitored by Ahpra at 30 June

  • 1,342 cases were about health, performance and/or conduct
  • 380 advertising complaints assessed

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation

Eight Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were appointed to Boards and committees, bringing the current total to 33

Nine Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff members were hired at Ahpra, bringing the total to 15

Cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples was enshrined as a new objective and guiding principle in the National Law

Legal action

Matters involving 129 practitioners (relating to 200 notifications) finalised at tribunal

  • 98.0% resulted in disciplinary action
  • disqualification periods up to 25 years imposed

140 appeals finalised

442 criminal complaints received

  • 75.1% about title protection

In May, Ahpra completed its 100th criminal prosecution

Accreditation

 

More than 802 approved programs of study delivered by more than 130 education providers

 
Download the
2022/23 annual report Download the supplementary
data tables Download the
report appendices
 
 
Page reviewed 9/11/2023
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