AHPRA fees could lead to ‘unfair financial outcomes’

GPs could be suffering ‘unfair financial outcomes’ when it comes to their Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) fees, according to a new investigation.
 
The National Health Practitioner Ombudsman (NHPO) released a report on Thursday which found the way fees are charged can negatively impact those registering outside of their profession’s standard registration cycle.
 
The inquiry was launched after three health practitioners complained in 2022, believing it was unfair they were required to pay a registration fee twice within three months.
 
This occurs as each National Board requires practitioners to pay their registration renewal on a set date each year, and so if a medical practitioner pays a registration fee in July, for example, they would be required to pay a registration renewal fee again by 30 September of the same year.
 
The Ombudsman is now calling for change, saying it is ‘inherently unfair’ that practitioners are required to pay an ‘annual’ registration fee if they are not practising and not being regulated for the full 12-month period.
 
‘Concerningly, some complainants have suggested that the charging model could disincentivise health practitioners from immediately entering or returning to the workforce when it is possible for them to do so,’ the investigation concluded.
 
‘AHPRA’s rigid application of the current charging model has led to inequitable or unreasonable outcomes for some practitioners.’
 
The NHPO has now called on AHPRA and the National Boards to consider the findings of its inquiry, as well as investigating all registration types and professions, and appropriate mechanisms to waive or reimburse fees in certain circumstances.
 
Secondly, it wants a review and update to public-facing information about the charging model, including registration forms, to ensure information is accurate.
 
‘It is necessary for AHPRA and the National Boards to charge registration fees and this is enabled by the relevant law,’ said Ombudsman, Richelle McCausland.
 
‘But the way fees are charged must be fair.
 
‘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.’
 
In the years since the investigation began, AHPRA has introduced a 30% rebate on annual registration fees for practitioners who take parental leave or other protected leave.
 
Last year, AHPRA also announced it would conduct a pro rata review, which is due for consideration in November 2025 with recommendations aimed to come into effect on 1 July 2026.
 
Responding to the report, AHPRA accepted the NHPO’s suggestions and said it is committed to ‘ensuring that the charging model is fair, transparent, and responsive to practitioner needs’.
 
It also acknowledged the concerns raised regarding the financial impact of the current charging model.
 
‘We accept the finding that public-facing information about the charging model has, at times, lacked clarity and consistency,’ AHPRA said.
 
‘Work is already underway to improve the accuracy and accessibility of information on our website and in registration forms. We are also reviewing how we communicate the relationship between fees, cost recovery, and the National Law.
 
‘We acknowledge the need to address a range of individual practitioner circumstances. While our current policies provide some support, we agree that these may not adequately address all scenarios identified in the report.’
 
The Ombudsman found that practitioners taking or returning from parental leave, registering for the first time, or changing registration types appeared to be more negatively affected by the way fees are charged.
 
The NHPO added that its investigation also highlighted inconsistencies and inaccuracies in publicly available information about how fees are charged.
 
Registering to the Medical Board of Australia increased to $1058 for 2025–26 – the most expensive of the boards.
 
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AHPRA Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency cost-of-living registration