The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency does not require doctors to practise under the name that they are registered under

Morton, Katinka; Lester, Grant

doi:10.5694/mja2.12038

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Ethics and law

To the Editor: Within our clinical practice, we sought to establish the qualifications of a medical practitioner. In doing so, we discovered that medical practitioners are not required to practise under the name that they are listed under on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Register of Practitioners. A practitioner may register under one name, then practise under another. We see this as problematic for patients and inconsistent with the function of the register.

1 Community Forensic Mental Health Service, Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, Melbourne, VIC
2 Frankland Centre, State Forensic Mental Health Service, Perth, WA.

Correspondence: drkatinkamorton@gmail.com

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Top tips: using the register. AHPRA; 2016. https://www.ahpra.gov.au/registration/registers-of-practitioners/tips-for-using-the-public-register.aspx (viewed Sept 2018).
2. Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009. http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/qld/consol_act/hprnla2009428 (viewed Sept 2018).
3. Council of Australian Governments Health Council. Regulation of Australia's health professions: keeping the National Law up to date and fit for purpose. A consultation paper. Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council; 2018. https://www.coaghealthcouncil.gov.au/Portals/0/Regulation%20of%20Australias%20health%20professions_Keeping%20the%20National%20Law%20up%20to%20date%20and%20fit%20for%20purpose%20FINAL.pdf (viewed Sept 2018).

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The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency does not require doctors to practise under the name that they are registered under

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