The registration fee for optometry will remain frozen at AU$300 for 2017/18. The National Boards and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) set fees for the country’s fourteen registered health professions. In addition to optometry, there has been no increase in fees for the Chinese Medicine, Chiropractic, Medical Radiation Practice, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Osteopathy, Physiotherapy and Podiatry Boards.
AHPRA Chief Executive Officer, Martin Fletcher, said the fees reflect the shared commitment of National Boards and AHPRA to prudent financial management.
“The National Boards and AHPRA have set fees that allow us to carry out our regulatory responsibilities in the most efficient and effective ways possible,” said Mr. Fletcher.
“Through our work we aim to support the continued development of a safe and mobile registered workforce accessible to the whole Australian community.”
In most cases, the annual fees will apply from 15 September 2017. The fees schedule for each profession will be published on National Board websites, including the fee arrangements for practitioners whose principal place of practice is New South Wales. Any variation to the fees payable by NSW practitioners will be announced by the Health Professional Councils Authority (HPCA) in NSW and detailed in the published fee schedule.
The fees set by each National Board vary to reflect the cost of regulating each profession under the National Law, as follows:
• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has increased by $30. The registration fee will be $150.
• The Chinese Medicine Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been frozen at $579.
• The Chiropractic Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been frozen at $566.
• The Dental Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been set at $647 for dentists and specialists, $575 for dental prosthetists and $319 for dental hygienists and therapists. This limits the increase to indexation of 3.0 per cent.
• The Medical Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been set at $742. This limits the increase to indexation of 2.5 per cent.
• The Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been frozen at $180.
• The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been set at $155.
• The Occupational Therapy Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been frozen at $110.
• The Optometry Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been frozen at $300.
• The Osteopathy Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been frozen at $376.
• The Pharmacy Board of Australia general registration fee for 2017/2018 has been set at $336, limiting the increase to indexation of 2.5 per cent.
• The Physiotherapy Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been frozen at $110.
• The Podiatry Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been frozen at $378.
• The Psychology Board of Australia registration fee for 2017/2018 has been set at $462, limiting the increase to indexation of 3.0 per cent.
