The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and the National Boards want optometrists, ophthalmologists and other registered health professionals to comment on its new plan determining how it handles practitioners with a criminal history.
In late 2023, as part of the regulator’s work to improve public safety in health regulation, a consultation covered various reforms, including a series of questions about the current version of the criminal history standard.
Ahpra said criminal history checks ensure to the public that only those suitable and safe to practise are registered practitioners in Australia. All registered practitioners must meet this standard to practise in Australia.
After consideration of all feedback, the regulator developed a draft criminal history registration standard. The major changes include:
- Making it clear a practitioner cannot have a criminal history incompatible with registration.
- More information on the purpose and the requirements of the criminal history registration standard and providing examples of how the standard works.
- Separating the consideration of nature and gravity, or seriousness, of a criminal offence. This change reflects feedback received that while the nature of some offences may be seen as ‘minor’ within the criminal justice system, these offences have a greater impact when considered in the context of regulated health practice.
- Adding a new consideration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences of inequity and racism, and the disproportionate impact these experiences may have on an individual’s criminal history.
“We want to hear from you on how we have responded to feedback, the draft changes we have made to the criminal history standard, and the other material we have developed to explain how the standard is applied,” Ahpra stated.
The consultation will be open until 30 July 2024. More information can be found here.
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