Australian Health Practitioners Face New International Criminal History Check

The international criminal history of nurses, midwives and allied health professionals will go under the microscope for the first time. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has launched new safeguards to examine the international criminal records of some health practitioners.

Under the new process, an AHPRA-approved supplier will verify the criminal history of certain practitioners. Previously, health professionals were asked to declare their international criminal history but there was no external verification process. Under the National Law, the 14 National Boards are required to review the criminal history of applicants who apply for registration as health practitioners in Australia. AHPRA CEO Martin Fletcher said the new process aims to strike a balance between public safety and regulatory burden for practitioners.