The ophthalmic sector is welcoming moves by Ahpra to review its notifications process and the sometimes-serious impacts on practitioners, with one body saying it is “long overdue”.
Both the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (ASO) and Optometry Australia (OA) have come out in support of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra)’s call for people to join its Organisational Review Group – Incidents of Distress.
A 2023 Ahpra report revealed that 16 health practitioners across the National Scheme had taken their lives between January 2018 and December 2021 while involved in regulatory processes, with a further four practitioners attempting suicide or self-harming.
The regulator is seeking registered practitioners with lived experience of its regulatory processes and consumers or patient advocates to help the review.
That group will lead a high-level review of serious incidents, including suicide, of practitioners and notifiers to find improvements in Ahpra’s systems and processes that may minimise distress and harm in the future.
ASO president Dr Peter Sumich said his organisation “cautiously welcomes” the move, which was long overdue.
“For years, the ASO has raised concerns about the psychological toll of protracted investigations, poor communication, and the publication of ‘under investigation’ notations against doctors before any finding of wrongdoing,” he said.
An ASO wellbeing survey of members in 2024 found more than one in two members had lost a colleague unexpectedly to suicide.
“The regulatory environment is one of the few contributors to practitioner distress entirely within government’s power to fix,” Dr Sumich said.
“Doctor wellbeing and patient safety are not competing interests – they are the same interest. Safe practice begins with well practitioners.”
He said the ASO was “ready to work constructively toward real, measurable change”.
The organisation urged Ahpra and the group it was forming to prioritise enforceable timeframes for the notifications process, transparent communication, reform of the public register, proportionate triage of low-merit complaints, and confidential support pathways for practitioners under notification.
OA chief clinical officer Luke Arundel said his organisation was hoping the group would focus on minimising “vexatious, inappropriate or trivial complaints from progressing unnecessarily”.
“Approximately 85% of notifications result in no further action, yet still cause significant stress.”
OA also believed that reducing timeframes for complaint handling was essential.
“A thorough review of cases where practitioners experienced severe harm, including suicide, is vital to identify opportunities for systemic improvement and prevention.”
Arundel said the body was “acutely aware” of the distress practitioners can experience under the notifications regime.
“While we are unable to provide specific examples due to confidentiality, we can confirm that the process is highly stressful for practitioners involved,” he said.
“Although optometry has a lower-than-average notification rate compared to other professions, optometrists have an estimated one in three chance of receiving an Ahpra notification during their career.
“Accordingly, we have consistently advocated to Ahpra for ongoing improvements to the process.”
As part of its own response when members encountered complaints, OA helps with premium professional indemnity insurance.
Members also had access to the “largest in-house specialist medico-legal team of any medical defence organisation in Australia”, Arundel said.
“We have also expanded our Optometrist Advisor Help Desk service – and require all frontline staff handling these enquiries to undertake mental health first aid training – developed specific CPD to assist members with common complaint areas, and developed a host of mental health resources, including free counselling sessions.
He said OA encouraged members to apply for the review group through its communication channels.
“We will continue to engage with Ahpra and its advisory groups to strengthen support mechanisms for practitioners and improve the overall experience of the notifications process.”
Applications for positions in the group closed on 3 May 2026.
