In AHPRA’s latest annual report, most notifications against doctors were closed without regulatory action.
Over the year, AHPRA received 12,698 notifications about registered health practitioners and closed 13,171 – more than in any year since the national registration and accreditation scheme commenced in 2010.
Overall, there were 1085 more notifications resolved than the previous year, an almost 9% improvement – the highest number of resolved cases in any year.
However, there were 629 fewer notifications overall – a 4.7% decrease from the previous year.
Almost two thirds of notifications (64%) were closed within six months of receipt, and the number of matters that remained open for 12 months or more fell by almost a quarter (21.2%).
However, referrals of practitioners to a tribunal over their clinical performance, professional conduct, or other issues – the most serious category of matters – rose 53.6% on the previous year, the highest level since 2013-14.
AHPRA CEO Justin Untersteiner said a major focus over the previous year was to ensure the National Scheme Strategy 2031, launched in March, would remain effective in a changing environment.
“This year we completed more notifications than at any time in the National Scheme’s history, while reducing the number of long-running matters. That means earlier answers for patients and practitioners, and a regulatory system better able to focus on the risks that can cause the greatest harm,” he said.
Related
What about medical practitioners?
More than 7000 notifications were lodged with AHPRA about 4873 medical practitioners in 2025-26.
When data from the HPACA and OHO were included, there were 12,994 notifications about 9241 medical practitioners.
Patients, their relatives, or members of the public lodged 83% of complaints, with other practitioners a distant second at 7.7%.
Nearly half (48.2%) concerned the practitioner’s clinical care, while just over one in 10 (10.1%) concerned communication. Another 17.6% were lodged for unspecified reasons.
Of the 7247 notifications closed in 2025-26, 2087 were carried over from the previous year. Most (80.4%) ended without further regulatory action, including cases where the practitioner took steps to address the concern.
Serious outcomes were rare. Just 49 notifications (0.7%) led to a doctor being suspended, cancelled, or disqualified from renewal, and about 120 cases (1.2%) resulted in a caution, reprimand, or fine.
Almost 70 notifications were decided by a tribunal, and doctors accounted for almost a quarter (23.4%) of AHPRA’s most serious notifications.
“Public confidence depends on regulation being effective, fair and transparent. We will continue to improve transparency, act proportionately on serious risks and work across the health system to prevent harm earlier,” AHPRA’s CEO said.
Read the full report here.
