Options for regulation of unregistered health practitioners Decision Regulation Impact Statement

* Current arrangements. Although SA has enacted a negative licensing scheme similar to NSW which commenced operation in March 2013.

Appendix 6

Profile of selected professional associations for unregistered health professions

6.1 Professional associations with membership greater than 4,000 – information from websites

	Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)	Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS)	Australian Natural Therapists Association (ANTA)	Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA)	National Herbalists Association Australia (NHAA)	Speech Pathology Australia (SPA)
1. How many members?	6000 nationwide 10 branches	11,200	5900	> 4500	Not stated on web-site.	Not stated on web-site.
2. What are the membership fees?	$620 ($580 early bird option)	Accredited member $214.50 Associate member $110 Student member $77	$165.00 pa	$553.64 (for more than 20 hours full time per week)	Full member $250 Full ATSI member $65 Companion member /Herb Grower $160 Student member $65 Corporate member $3,000	Practising $467.50 Non-practising $324.50 F/T Post-grad student $242.50 Re-entry $324.50 Student $96.80 Alumnus $110.00
3. Is constitution or articles of association accessible on the website?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
4. What is the stated purpose of the organisation?	To promote the profession of social work by enhancing the public and professional recognition and identity of social work through the establishment , monitoring and improvement of practice and ethical standards.	To promote and represent professional practitioners of natural medicine who are encouraged to pursue the highest ideals of professionalism in their natural medicine practice and education.	Promotes the health and safety of consumers of traditional medicine and natural therapy health services and possesses the infrastructure, systems, policies and procedures which enables the association to encompass all aspects of the profession.	DAA is the peak body of dietetic and nutrition professionals providing strategic leadership in food and nutrition through empowerment, advocacy, education, accreditation and communication.	To service and support our membership and promote and protect the profession and practice of herbal medicine.	National peak body for the speech pathology profession in Australia striving for excellence and recognition for the profession and representing the interests of members and their clients with communication and swallowing difficulties.
5. What is the make up of the board? Are there any non-practitioner members?	No National Board of President, 2 Vice Presidents and 6 directors. Also has branch management Committees at State and territory levels and specific committees, and practice and working groups.	No 18 directors including a President, 2 Vice Presidents and Treasurer. Also a number of honorary positions including State & Territory and Head of Department representatives.	Information is not on the website – Annual Report not on Website.	No National Board of president, vice-president and 7 directors. Also has branch committees. No non-practitioner members.	Not stated on webpage but directors can be found in Annual report. Webpage provides link to ARONAH (national register) which does detail board makeup and it has 3 non-practitioner members.	No President, 2 Vice presidents and 6 councillors.
6. Is the complaints process documented and accessible on the website? Is it clear how to make a complaint?	Yes Yes	Yes Yes	Yes Yes	Yes Yes	No – complaints to be handled by ARONAH but not yet fully operational.	Yes. Provides email to national office or Senior Advisor Professional Issues who will ring back.
7. Is there a searchable list of members on the website?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
8. Are there any continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for members?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes – Accredited Practising Dietitians Program (ADP)	Yes	Yes for those wanting to be Certified Practising Speech Pathologists. Not required for other categories.
9. Are members required to hold professional indemnity insurance (PII)?	Yes – part of membership fee	PII required for members with health funds provider status. Applications for PII sent after membership accepted.	Yes – part of membership fee	Yes – part of membership fee	Yes min. of $2m for full practitioner members.	Appears to be not compulsory, however there is a preferred insurer with reduced rates for members and a range of covers depending on practice requirements.
11. Are there any practice guidelines on the website?	Yes – Code of Ethics, National Bulletin, Journal, CPD Program/Event	Code of conduct on website and professional conduct listed within membership application form.	Yes – ANTA’s Scope and Standards of Practice	DAA Endorsed Practice Guidelines and Recommendations; National Competency Standards; Journal	Yes but member access only.	Yes but can only be accessed by members. Some flyers for the public.
12. Are annual reports published on the website, and if so, is complaints data published?	Yes but only through the members login	Listed on website but link not operating. Membership form states that complaints data is part of annual report.	Unable to find Annual Report on Website	Yes through their media section	Yes but these are annual financial reports. No complaints data.	No
13. Are there any paid staff? If so, how many?	Yes – 31 across 10 branches and national offices	Yes, 9 fulltime and 2 part-time.	Yes 6–8 (estimate)	Yes – at least 10	Not stated on web-site.	Yes. 6 F/T, 6 P/T and I external

6.2 Professional associations with membership less than 4,000 – information from websites

	Organisation
	Australian Sonographers Association	Reiki Australia	Australian & New Zealand College of Perfusionists	Association of Massage Therapists	Reflexology Association of Australia	Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association
1. How many members?	3000	Unknown	Unknown	1500	Unknown	300
2. What are the membership fees?	Membership without insurance: $385	Lay member – $60 Practitioner member – $115 Master – $115 Combined Master/Practitioner – $170 Reiki friend – $60	Fellow – $305 Clinical trainee – $225 Sustaining member – $255 Overseas member – $235 Corporate member – $450	General member – $165 Senior level 1 – $210 Senior level 2 – $240 Student – $50	General member – $240 Student – free	General member – $478.50 Student member – $110
3. Is constitution or articles of association accessible on the website?	Yes	No	Yes – in ‘members only’ section	Yes	No	Yes
4. What is the stated purpose of the organisation?	To exclusively consider the issues confronting and challenging sonographers in the modern environment To pursue high standards within the practice of medical sonography	To be a trusted resource for the personal, professional and community expression of Reiki, embracing students, masters, teachers and treatment practitioners.	To provide a means of communication between clinical perfusionists To provide a regulatory body to uphold the standards of perfusion To obtain official recognition and acceptance as qualified practising clinical perfusionists	Massage Therapy is recognised as a distinct profession The Australian public recognises the benefits of Massage Therapy and has the information, knowledge and resources to choose a professional therapist The Australian government recognises Massage Therapy as a legitimate health service Practitioners of Massage Therapy are adequately skilled and well-educated Practitioners of Massage Therapy are supported in clinical practice The practice of Massage Therapy in Australia is supported by a sustainable model for governance and regulation.	To develop and promote an awareness and understanding of reflexology within the Australian community To represent the interests of the reflexology profession within the public and political arena To establish and maintain uniformity and high standards of training within Australia To maintain a high level of professional practice To serve and protect the needs of all members within the national structure To act as a central information and resource body for all members To act as an advisory body within the jurisdiction of the national body To promote co-operation with international reflexology bodies To establish and maintain relevant national databases of practitioners To provide ongoing professional development for members and a supportive network for reflexologists To promote research and development which support reflexology	AOPA aims to promote the training, education and professional status of orthotists and prosthetists throughout Australia.
5. What is the make up of the board? Are there any non-practitioner members?	Unclear	A five member board of directors.	A five member board	A Board of Directors and a number of committees: Discipline Finance Education and Research Ethics Strategic Planning	Has a Board of Directors, and has branch committees in each State. All positions are honorary.	12 members: one from each Section, being the President or Vice President of each Section, plus the President, 2 Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, and Registrar.
6. Is the complaints process documented/accessible on the website? Is it clear how to make a complaint?	Yes, very clear. Includes an online complaints form.	Yes – clear and easily accessible	Yes – referred to in the Regulations pdf. There is also a ‘Perfusion Incident Reporting System’ for incidents and accidents.	Yes. Easily accessible and includes a downloadable complaints policy	No	Yes, although it’s quite difficult to find on the website. The complaints procedure forms part of the ‘Rules and Statement of Purpose’ document, which is in itself quite hard to find.
7. Is there a searchable list of members on the website?	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
8. Are there any continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for members?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
9. Are members required to hold professional indemnity insurance (PII)?	No but strongly recommended. Can be included in membership, varying fees apply depending on type of employment (eg. self-employed).	Yes. Reiki Australia is accredited with OAMPS Insurance Brokers Ltd and insurance information is provided on the website	No	Strongly recommended but not required. Insurance information provided.	No	No, although AOPA has a partnership with Guild Insurance Ltd to provide (voluntary) insurance to AOPA members.
11. Are there any practice guidelines on the website?	Yes – code of professional conduct	Yes – code of ethics and code of professional conduct for practitioners	Yes –code of ethics and code of practice, which are also contained in the Regulations PDF.	Yes – brief Code of Ethics available on website.	Code of Ethics easily accessible	Yes – contained in the ‘AOPA guidelines’ and ‘Competency Standards’.
12. Are annual reports published on the website, and if so, is complaints data published?	Yes. No complaints data published.	No	No	Yes. No complaints data published.	No	No
13. Are there any paid staff? If so, how many?	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Company secretary remunerated on a part-time basis	Unknown	Unknown