This is an urgent call to action for all psychologists concerned about Medicare and the implications of the National Registration scheme. I have just received advice that there is an open senate inquiry into the impact of the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA), that closes on 14 April 2011 - just a week away. The terms of reference for this senate inquiry directly refer to the impact of the national registration scheme on our profession and the client groups we serve. This is exactly the opportunity we have been waiting for, to inform the decision makers about how this scheme affects psychology as a profession, so I ask all of you to make a submission and do it soon!

The terms of reference for the Senate Inquiry are as follows:

• Capacity and ability of AHPRA to implement and administer the national registration of health practitioners;
• Performance of AHPRA in administering the registration of health practitioners;
• Impact of AHPRA processes and administration on health practitioners, patients, hospitals and service providers;
• Implications of any maladministration of the registration process for Medicare benefits and private health insurance claims;
• Legal liability and risk for health practitioners, hospitals and service providers resulting from any implications of the revised registration process;
• Liability for financial and economic loss incurred by health practitioners, patients and service providers resulting from any implications of the revised registration process;
• Response times to individual registration enquiries;
• AHPRA’s complaints handling processes;
• Budget and financial viability of AHPRA; and
• Any other related matters.

The Committee states their preference to receive submissions online as an attached document by accessing the committee website (click here) and selecting the Upload Submission Online link.

Submissions can also be emailed as an attachment to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mailed to the address below:

PO Box 6100, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600

You may wish to voice your position on Medicare and how the national registration scheme has already affected your work and the lives of the clients you see. It is probably worth mentioning how you see the impact of the scheme into the future if we maintain the the current stance.

Specifically on Medicare issue, you might remind the Committee that the Psychology Board of Australia originally announced that it saw itself as being the regulator for Medicare providers in psychology, which is now apparently not the case. I know that many of you out there looked to this with a sense of hope, as I did, thinking that perhaps the Medicare Problem would surely be better handled by an impartial body. On this point, the Committee might also be reminded of the fact that one of the promises of the national registration scheme was that it would reduce duplication and needless paperwork that create barriers for both practitioners and consumers in the health system. It is worth explaining to them, in practical terms, how the scheme looks right now and the fact that we have more duplication than ever with the current system for credentialling Medicare providers in our field. They may need to be made aware that many psychologists still have no idea how they are meant to maintain their provider status, so consequently we may lose quite a number of Medicare providers come July.

For the moment, I am on holiday (I am literally writing this from the coin-slot operated PC at the hotel right now), but when I get back I will be writing my own submission. PLEASE do not miss this opportunity to speak up and be heard! This senate inquiry is critical and the decision makers need to hear from all of you. And now for me, it's back to my family. Take care all.

Comments (2)

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Ben

April 11, 2011

203.59.85.54

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Hello Terry,
The Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) is the board that now regulates our profession on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). If you go to the PBA website (http://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/) then you will see the links back to AHPRA in the top left corner of the page. Probably the best place to find out about the role of AHPRA is directly from their web-page about 'What We Do' (http://www.ahpra.gov.au/About-...We-Do.aspx). In short though, AHPRA is the broader body that oversees all of the health sector registration boards in Australia, including the Psychology Board of Australia.
My position on this current issue is that all CPD should be handled by the same impartial body - the Psychology Board of Australia. The reason being that psychologists are already required to log their CPD with the PBA and they have access to all of the contact details to make sure we are all properly informed. The APS only has contact details for their members and many psychologists choose not to associate with that group, particularly in Western Australia where you and I both are. So far there has been no communication about this with psychologists who are not members of the APS, which could see those psychologists being struck from the Medicare provider list in July. Personally, I do not think that this is fair on them or their clients.
As for state issues, I am glad we have a national registration system now. It is a shame though that specialist registration was replaced with endorsement when the scheme rolled out. I think that this makes it harder to identify people who have advanced training, like neuropsychology, psychotherapy with complex cases, developmental disorders, etc.

Terry Olesen

April 07, 2011

124.168.254.77

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Hi Ben, got to read your blog bit on AHPRA. So far I've had liitle/no interaction with AHRPA just PBA.
Yes, I thought PBA was to be our regulatory authority; I am now getting qualified to be endoursed by them (as a counselling psychologist).
In principle I am all for natinal registration. We cannot have six states and a territory all with different mechanisms. It becomes horrible if you move interstate. And consumers get different levels of safety/risk if all states go their own way.
Your right, there should not be duplication.
Can you please clarify the actual role of AHPRA?
The APS wdbsite keeps referring to the PBA --and not AHPRA. why do you keep referring to AHPRA wehn PBA receives and handles complaints? Who is doing what exactly? Please clarify.
I wont write to the commissin until I know better who is doing what. Right now I am under the undestanding my CPD points get reviewed by both APS and PBA.
If neither PBA nor AHPRA should be doing certification/regulation than what body should be doing it, and why?
Your thoughts are appreciated as you obvsiously are moved by this issue. What is your main gripe though: that we should just have each state go their own way? Why?
Kind regards
Terry Olesen (reg. Psychologist Nedlands WA)

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