FAQs to be published v0.1
FAQS
Addressing your concerns relating to the Registration of Naturopaths & Western Herbal Medicine
Practitioners…
What is statutory registration?
In 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) established a single body (AHPRA , the
Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency) to implement and oversee the National
Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS).
The objectives of the National Scheme are to:
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Help keep the public safe by ensuring that only health practitioners who a re suitably trained
and qualified to practise in a competent and ethical manner are registered
Facilitate workforce mobility for health practitioners
Facilitate provision of high quality education and training for practitioners
Facilitate the assessment of overseas qualified practitioners
Facilitate access to provided by health practitioners, and
Enable the continuous development of a flexible Australian health workforce.
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Why do Naturopaths and Western Herbal Medicine practitioners need statutory
registration?
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Naturopaths and Western Herbal Medicine Practitioners are one of the largest unregulated
health professions, and also one of the fastest growing professions (Australian Bureau of Statistics,
2008).
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In Australia, the demand for complementary and alternative medicines1 is increasing, with 1
in 6 Australians consulting with Naturopaths and Western Herbal Medicine Practitioners.
They are a significant component of Australian primary healthcare professions, and account
for up 8.7 million health consultations per year.2
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The high prevalence and primary care role of Naturopaths and Western Herbal Medicine
Practitioners in the healthcare sector urged the Victorian Government to investigate the
regulatory requirements of Naturopaths and Western Herbal Medicine Practitioners in 2003.
The report (Lin et al2005) from the formal enquiry was published in 2006, where it was
found that registration of these profession was warranted, and made a strong
CAM is defined is defined by the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine as a group of diverse
medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered to be part of conventional
medicine. Source http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam
Xue et al 2007, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Australia: A Population-based Survey, Journal of
Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2007, 13: 643-650.
recommendation that they be statutory regulated under arrangements similar to those
undertaken in the registration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
What other Health Professions are Nationally Registered?
Health Professions that are nationally regulated by a corresponding National Board include:
 Medical practitioners
 Nurses and Midwives
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners
 Chinese medicine practitioners (including acupuncturists, Chinese herbal medicine
practitioners and Chinese herbal dispensers)
 Chiropractors
 Osteopaths
 Dental practitioners (including dentists, dental hygienists, dental prosthetists & dental
therapists)
 Pharmacists
 Psychologists
 Optometrists
 Physiotherapists
 Podiatrists
 Medical radiation practitioners (including diagnostic radiographers, radiation therapists and
nuclear medicine technologists), and
 Occupational therapists
Who is responsible for making the high level decisions within a Health Profession that is
Nationally Registered?
The National Boards
In partnership with AHPRA, the National Boards for each respective Profession set the registration
standards that practitioners must meet in order to register.
Once registered, practitioners must continue to meet the standards and renew their registration
yearly with the National Board.
Who makes up the National Board of each Health Profession?
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The National Boards are made up of between half and two thirds practitioner members,
with the remainder to be made up of community members.
The Chair is to be a practitioner member.
Practitioner members must be made up of practitioners who would be eligible for
registration of the Board (for example practising or accredited Naturopaths and Western
Herbalists).
There must also be at least one member from each of the states and territories.
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With at least one of the practitioner members from rural or regional Australia.
The only requirement for community members is that they have not been or are not
currently eligible for membership of the register for that Board.
There are no geographical restrictions and members of other health professions are allowed
to apply as community members.
Although it is not a requirement, having representatives of other health professions as
community members is encouraged to promote dialogue between the Boards.