Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Restriction: Complete supervised practice for suitability and eligibility
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Restriction: Complete supervised practice for suitability and eligibility

National Restrictions Library 2.0: This restriction applies to restictions imposed or accepted from 16 September 2024. For restrictions imposed or accepted before this date please see the National Restrictions Library 1.0.

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Restriction description

These conditions apply to a practitioner’s suitability and eligibility for their practice. These conditions do not apply to pharmacy, psychology and limited registration for international medical graduates.

A practitioner with this restriction must not practise until we publish approved practice locations. Before approving practice locations, we check that the practitioner has systems to ensure safe practice.

Further, a practitioner with this restriction must not practise without supervision. The supervisor must be another registered health practitioner and have the training, experience or qualifications needed to provide the required supervision.

Supervision involves overseeing some or all of the practitioner’s practice to ensure that they are practising safely.

This type of restriction usually applies to practitioners who apply for registration but don’t meet the standard for recency of practice. Rather than refusing the application, we require the practitioner to only practise under supervision.

Practitioners must give us a supervised practice plan outlining:

  • what level of supervision the supervisor will provide
  • where the practitioner will practise
  • how the practitioner will meet each supervision requirement. 

The level of supervision needed will change during the supervision. Initially, the practitioner will need direct supervision. As the supervisor assesses the practitioner’s competence, the level of supervision will change to indirect and then remote supervision.

The public register will identify the approved places of practice.

We monitor compliance by checking that:

  • the practitioner meets all required timeframes
  • the supervisor supervises as required
  • the supervisor does not have any concerns about the practitioner’s health, conduct or performance.

Full text of restriction

Excluding pharmacy, psychology and limited registration for international medical graduates (including re-entry to practice)

  1. From #start date#, the practitioner must not practise other than in accordance with an approved supervised practice arrangement including under the supervision of another #registered health practitioner/profession# #.
    #a supervised practice arrangement was approved on #date#/ No supervised practice arrangement/ #.
  2. From #start date#, the practitioner must not practise other than at the following approved practice location(s):
    No practice locations have been approved / The following practice have been approved #approved practice locations# effective on #date#.
  3. The practitioner must:
    1. comply with the Supervised practice framework in force at the date these conditions are imposed and then as updated from time to time
    2. provide acknowledgement, that they have read and understood the requirements of this condition within #timeframe# of the # start date# or as otherwise required
    3. only practise in accordance with the approved supervised practice arrangement. 
    4. cease practice on or after #start date# if no supervised practice arrangement is approved, the approval of a supervised practice arrangement is not published above, or if they are unable to practise according to the approved supervised practice arrangement. 

For the purposes of this condition, 'practise' and the level of supervision are defined in the Supervised practice framework.

You will receive a monitoring plan that details contact information, due dates, and the information you will need to provide to show that you are complying with your restrictions.

Forms

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Where can you seek further information about your restrictions?

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Please contact your case officer for more information. 

For general information see our Frequently asked questions about Monitoring and compliance page

If you have not yet received contact details for your case officer, please email your enquiry.

Where can you go to for support?

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We are here to support and guide you through your compliance. 

The contact details for your case officer are included on all our correspondence with you.

We also encourage you to use independent support services, including those provided on our Practitioner support services page.

You can also contact your legal representative or professional union to support you.

What if your proposed supervised practice arrangement is not approved?

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Generally, we will provide a further opportunity to nominate a different supervision arrangement, or to address any shortfalls in the nomination. 

If you do not have an approved supervised practice arrangement, and/or the approval date has not been published on the public register you must cease practise and must not recommence practise until such times as the approval of a supervisor has been published on the public register.

What do you need to submit with your supervised practice plan?

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  • Signed and dated curriculum vitae from all supervisors (Section B, Q3)
  • Signed letter of offer and official position description for the proposed role (Section D, Q10)
  • Completed standards for practice template (Section G, Q18)

What if your supervisor approved as part of your supervised practice arrangement is no longer available?

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You will be required to nominate a new supervised practice arrangement. If you have an alternate supervisor also approved, you will be able to continue to practise while your new nomination is assessed. If you have no available alternate supervisors, you must cease practise and must not recommence practise until such times as the approval of a new supervisor has been published on the public register.

Your circumstances have changed, what should you do?

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Contact us as soon as possible using the details provided in your monitoring plan.  

You may be able to apply for a change in your restrictions, or an extension of the date of commencement of the requirement for supervision. Circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Can you start practising before your nomination is considered?

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You must not commence practise or recommence practise until after we have assessed and approved a supervised practice arrangement and the approval has been published on the public register. 

We will consider any practise in these circumstances a breach of the restrictions and may take further regulatory action, even if your nominated supervisor is subsequently approved.

How do you know when you have met the requirements of the restrictions?

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This depends on your circumstances. 

Sometimes the supervised practice arrangement we have approved will include information on the amount of supervision (number of hours) required to complete the period of supervised practice. You will need to complete the duration included in your approved supervised practice arrangement. Once you have completed the required duration, you may apply to have your restriction removed. 

In other cases, you will be required to pass an exam or qualify for general registration. 

If you are unsure whether you should request a review of the requirement to be supervised, you should contact your case officer or monitoring team. 

You must continue to only practise in accordance with the approved supervised practice plan until you are advised otherwise.

What if there is a medical emergency?

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You must notify your case officer of any incident where, due to a medical emergency, you are unable to comply with the condition requiring supervised practice. We will assess whether the circumstances were such that compliance with the condition would affect your ability to provide care that would have a direct benefit to a patient in a medical emergency.

A medical emergency is defined as an event where it is not possible or reasonable to have a patient with a serious or life-threatening condition seen by another practitioner or transferred to the nearest hospital.

We will treat any failure to notify of non-compliance in the circumstances of a medical emergency as a breach of the condition and may take further action in relation to a breach of conditions.

Your circumstances have changed, and you can’t complete the requirements, what should you do?

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You must contact your Ahpra case officer or team as soon as possible if you have had a change of circumstances or are unable to comply with the requirements for any reason. See your monitoring plan for contact information.

 
View the
National Restrictions Library 2.0 View all
Ahpra Protocols
 
 
Page reviewed 13/09/2024
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