AHPRA returns over 40,000 health practitioners to the temporary pandemic response sub-register to support our critical health workforce during the emergency

As health services prepare for the expected surge in demand resulting from COVID-19, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and National Boards have announced a new pandemic sub-register to fast track the return to the workforce of experienced and qualified health practitioners.

Following the request from Australia’s Health Ministers to enable more health practitioners to quickly return to practice, Ahpra, the Medical Board of Australia, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the Pharmacy Board of Australia will establish a short-term pandemic response sub-register for the next 12 months.

This sub-register will enable doctors, nurses, midwives and pharmacists who previously held general or specialist registration and left the Register of practitioners or moved to non-practising registration in the past three years to return to practice. Only those who are properly qualified, competent and suitable will be returned to the register.

AHPRA will be contacting over 40,000 practitioners who meet these criteria to alert them that they will be added to this new sub-register.