National Registration and Accreditation Scheme

[Pico]

Does anyone know what the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme is about?

I was told about it when I enquired about the physio registration in one of the states by using my NZ registration. Apparently, changes will be taken into effect on 1 July 2010. Whoever apply after this date will have to use the 'new' system.

I am still studying on the documents issued on the website of the physio board.

Anyone know if people owning the NZ registration will still be elligible to register in any state of Oz under the trans-tasman mutual recognition agreement in the new scheme?

Thanks in advance.

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[gcoe]

Hi Pico

As you come from a federal country I am sure you are also used to the machinations and political and administrative tensions between Federal governments and state governments. Australia is absolutely crazy when it comes to federalism. Reading between the lines I am sure there is a lot of negotiating and bargaining going on before the ink is completely dry on the final document. So how it will look at the end has yet to unfold.

The National Registration and Accreditation Scheme is a very long overdue move to establish unified national registration body for nine health professional groups, including physios. This should actually make things smoother for everybody as you will just need one registration for all states and territories. You are right about the dates when the scheme will be introduced but the fine details are not all known - so I suggest you just keep looking at the state board of the state you plan to work in - no doubt there will be more information as things fall into place.

As far as the trans-tasman mutual recognition - this is just about universal for all states anyway so I should imagine this will be "business as usual". The new national scheme should recognise NZ registration much as the states do. I say this with some confidence as in one of the main consultative documents (Medical Practitioners Board, Victoria) states:

6 Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition and the national scheme
It is important that the national scheme is implemented in a way that implements the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Principle with respect to the regulated health professions, that is, that a practitioner registered in an equivalent occupation in New Zealand is automatically eligible for registration in that occupation in Australia and vice versa. It is intended that existing
linkages, for example, between national accreditation bodies and the equivalent registering authorities in New Zealand be maintained and strengthened, and that existing joint standard setting and assessment processes continue.

Proposal 6.1: It is proposed that the national scheme legislation and any consequential amendments be framed in a way that allows for the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Principle, and preserves the linkages between Australian and New Zealand regulatory authorities and supports joint standard setting and accreditation.

another reason is that Australia has a well recognised shortage of physios. As NZ is a major source of physiotherapists for their market they are hardly going to make it harder for NZ registered physios to apply.