The regulator is acting on a 2023 recommendation to learn from the experiences of practitioners who have been on the receiving end of a notification.
Applications are open to join AHPRA’s inaugural “incidents of distress” organisational review group as the regulator continues responding to research which linked its process to 16 suicide deaths.
The panel, to be known as “Organisational Review Group – Incidents of distress”, will lead the high-level organisational review of incidents relating to suicide among practitioners and notifiers, as well as consider insights and feedback from affected families.
Both patient advocates and registered health practitioners with lived experience of AHPRA’s regulatory processes will be represented.
“The purpose is not to review regulatory decisions, made through established frameworks and outside the scope of these reviews,” the official position description reads.
“The review process also doesn’t seek to change what Ahpra does to fulfil our core purpose of protecting the public.
“Instead, it contributes to identifying how we can bring compassion into the work that we do, to minimise future distress.”
It will meet online for approximately two hours once every six months.
The creation of a group to review serious incidents was recommended by AHPRA’s expert advisory group on minimising practitioner distress in 2023 and was meant to have been implemented by June 2025.
Most practitioners will likely be more familiar with an earlier phase of the expert advisory group’s work: the self-harm and suicide study published in September 2023.
Researchers linked with the advisory group identified 20 separate cases of suicide or self-harm among practitioners who had recently been subject to an AHPRA investigation over a four-year period.
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Of these 20 incidents, 12 were confirmed deaths by suicide and another four were deemed as likely suicide.
None of the health practitioners were investigated for complaints relating to their clinical performance – all 20 had come to AHPRA’s attention due to a potential health impairment or breach of professional conduct.
AHPRA only took action in 12 of the cases.
Two of the key factors which contributed to greater distress among practitioners were communication issues with AHPRA – e.g., phone calls and emails going unanswered – and the length of time taken to close the complaint.
For some practitioners, the investigative process dragged out over years.
As part of its response to the research, AHPRA’s expert advisory group also recommended it publish lessons and opportunities for improvement each year.
If this article caused distress or if you are prompted to reach out for support, these services are available:
Doctors4doctors crisis support hotline: 1300 374 377
Doctors4doctors online resources
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36
