An independent review of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) has been published, outlining a formal set of 26 recommended actions to shape the future of Australian health practitioner regulation.  

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) has welcomed this important milestone, with Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner stating the agency is well-placed to respond. 

Understanding the NRAS 

Established in 2009, the NRAS is a unified framework that ensures health practitioners across Australia meet consistent, high-quality standards. It replaced the fragmented state-by-state approach of regulating health practitioners. 

It is currently administered by Ahpra, with Untersteiner remarking it “remains committed to strengthening regulatory oversight whilst also making the system easier for practitioners and patients to navigate.” 

In 2023, concerns were raised about the inconsistent regulatory practices regulated under the NRAS. In response, former NSW Health Care Complaints Commissioner, Sue Dawson, was appointed in 2024 to lead an independent review aimed at improving regulatory outcomes and ensuring Australians continued to access safe, high-quality health care.  

The review comes at a time when Australia’s health system is grappling with significant pressures.  

“Australia’s health system is facing challenges including workforce shortages, questions around patient access and affordability, and the impact of new technologies and new business models,” Untersteiner said. 

Recommended Actions 

The Dawson review outlined key recommendations for Ahpra to implement, including: 

• A review of Ahpra’s organisational capability to ensure the agency had the right skills, roles, and tools to be a contemporary regulator of health practitioners; 

• Collaboration with other agencies to reform the complaints system to ensure it is timely and transparent; 

• Bolstering their work on proactive regulation that prevents harm. 

Rachel Phillips, co-convenor of the Forum of National Registration and Accreditation Scheme Chairs, welcomed the release of the Dawson review.  

Phillips indicated that “[f]or Ahpra to be effective, there needs to be transparency around the Scheme and the measures in place to support practitioners and protect the public.” 

Ahpra has already initiated several actions, including recently finalising a new National Scheme Strategy, releasing recent guidance on medicinal cannabis and cosmetic procedures, conducting its own end-to-end review of the notification system, and introducing Pathway Navigators to help guide consumers through the complaints process. 

“Our ongoing reform program will ensure that Ahpra continues to evolve, becoming a regulator that is more proactive and adaptable – and with public safety still our number one priority,” Untersteiner declared.