National Health Practitioner Ombudsman’s investigation finds how health practitioner registration fees are charged can lead to unfair financial outcomes for some practitioners

National Health Practitioner Ombudsman’s investigation finds how health practitioner registration fees are charged can lead to unfair financial outcomes for some practitioners

Today the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman, Richelle McCausland, published her findings and suggestions for improvement following an investigation into the charging model for health practitioner registration fees. The report can be accessed here.

The Ombudsman’s investigation found that the way registration fees are charged can lead to unfair financial outcomes for practitioners registering outside of their profession’s standard registration cycle. 

The catalyst for the investigation was the Ombudsman receiving complaints from 3 health practitioners stating it was unfair that they were required to pay a registration fee to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) twice within 3 months. This is a situation practitioners can face due to the requirement for practitioners to pay their registration renewal on a set date each year. For example, a medical practitioner who paid an application fee and a registration fee in July would be required to pay a registration renewal fee by 30 September of the same year (totalling around $3,600 in fees within a 3-month period). 

The Ombudsman found that practitioners taking or returning from parental leave, applicants registering for the first time and practitioners changing registration types appeared to be more negatively affected by the way fees are charged. 

The investigation also highlighted inconsistencies and inaccuracies in publicly available information about how fees are charged. Notably, Ahpra’s website previously inaccurately stated that the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law does not allow for fees to be pro-rated or make provision to partially refund fees. The Ombudsman welcomed Ahpra’s removal of this information during the investigation.

The Ombudsman also recognised positive developments Ahpra announced during the investigation, including the introduction of a 30% rebate on annual registration fees for practitioners who take parental leave or other protected leave from 1 July 2025, and the commencement of a wider review of its pro rata fees strategy. 

Ahpra has accepted the Ombudsman’s suggestions for improvement. Ahpra’s response is available as an attachment to the report.

The Health Chief Executives Forum has noted the report.

Quotes from the Ombudsman

“Health practitioners are facing financial and cost-of-living pressures like many community members, and they need to have confidence that the registration fees they are charged are fair and reasonable,” said the Ombudsman.

“I welcome Ahpra’s acceptance of my suggestions for improvement, and the steps it has already taken to address issues identified by my investigation.”

“It is necessary for Ahpra and the National Boards to charge registration fees and this is enabled by the relevant law. But the way fees are charged must be fair,” said the Ombudsman.

Suggestion for improvement 1

Ahpra and the National Boards’ Pro Rata Fee Review should consider, alongside the findings of this investigation:

• all registration types and professions to ensure that any recommendations support transparency, consistency and fair outcomes for practitioners

• appropriate mechanisms to waive or reimburse fees in certain circumstances

• how Ahpra and the National Boards should publish further information, in line with the requirements of a Cost Recovery Implementation Statement, that document the cost of its regulatory activities, and how the charging model enables cost recovery of regulatory activities.

Suggestion for improvement 2

Ahpra and the National Boards should review and update public facing information about the charging model, including registration forms, to ensure information is accurate across registration types and professions. 

For more information, please contact our media team at media@nhpo.gov.au.