Health practitioners
Health practitioners include chiropractors, dental practitioners, dental technicians, dental prosthetics, medical practitioners, medical radiation technologists, occupational therapists, optometrists, osteopaths, pharmacists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists and speech pathologists.
The health practitioner industry is regulated by 12 health practitioner registration boards (board) and professional conduct review panels (panel).
QCAT conducts disciplinary proceedings against health practitioners and is able to:
Disciplinary proceedings
QCAT conducts disciplinary proceedings against health practitioners after the complaint has been investigated and referred by a board. Only a board can apply to commence disciplinary proceedings against a health practitioner in QCAT.
If QCAT finds that grounds for discipline are established the tribunal may:
- issue an advice, caution or reprimand to the health practitioner
- impose conditions on the health practitioner’s registration
- approve an undertaking entered into with the health practitioner’s agreement, between the practitioner and the practitioner’s board, about the practitioner’s professional conduct or practice
- require the health practitioner to give an undertaking including a financial assurance
- order the health practitioner to attend further health assessments
- suspend the health practitioner’s registration for a stated time
- impose conditions under which the health practitioner may practise after the end of a suspension period
- cancel the health practitioner’s registration
- where the health practitioner’s registration is cancelled, impose conditions under which the health practitioner may reapply for registration and set conditions which must be imposed on any future registration
- require the health practitioner to pay a fine
- order the health practitioner to do anything else the tribunal considers appropriate
- order the health practitioner to stop doing anything else the tribunal considers inappropriate.
Review a QCAT decision relating to disciplinary proceedings
QCAT is able to review disciplinary decisions made by QCAT including decisions:
- that the health practitioner is impaired
- ordering the health practitioner to attend further health assessments
- imposing conditions on the health practitioner’s registration
- setting conditions on the health practitioner’s registration after a suspension period
- ordering the health practitioner to do anything else the tribunal considers appropriate
- ordering the health practitioner to stop doing anything else the tribunal considers inappropriate.
Apply for a review of a QCAT disciplinary decision.
Review a board’s decision relating to disciplinary proceedings
QCAT is able to review disciplinary decisions made by a board including decisions:
- determining a health practitioner is impaired
- ordering a health practitioner to attend further health assessments
- suspending, cancelling or imposing conditions on a health practitioner’s registration
- recording details of conditions or an undertaking made by a health practitioner in the board’s register
- setting the period after which a health practitioner may ask for another health assessment.
Apply for a review of a board’s disciplinary decision.
Review a board’s decision relating to registration or supervisory matters
QCAT is able to review decisions made by a board relating to registration and whether a person is suitable to supervise probationary registrants or a particular registrant.
Apply for a review of a board’s registration or supervisory decision.
Review a panel’s decision
QCAT is able to review decisions made by a panel including decisions:
- determining whether grounds for disciplinary action exist against a health practitioner
- taking disciplinary action against a health practitioner
- the period in which a health practitioner may not apply for a review of the decision
- recording a health practitioner has been given advice, a caution or a reprimand and the period for which it is to be recorded
- recording details of conditions or an undertaking made by a health practitioner
- removing or changing conditions on a health practitioner’s registration
- removing conditions on a health practitioner’s registration and replacing these with another action a panel may decide.
Apply for a review of the panel's decision.