AHPRA Struggles to Keep Up as Complaints Increase
13 Nov 2025
A recent report from AHPRA’s Regulatory Performance Committee shows a 19% increase in notifications in 2024–25, placing significant strain on the regulator.
While AHPRA reported its fastest-ever average completion time for notifications, this was mostly due to quicker resolutions of low-risk cases. Complaints that have been open for more than a year — known as aged notifications — grew by 30.7%, and the total number of open notifications increased by 26.7%, adding 1,186 active cases.
AHPRA confirmed it closed 12,157 notifications in 2024–25, with 5% of these older than a year. The regulator said the rise in complaints is linked to more practitioners, improvements to the notifications process, and greater public awareness of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
To address the issue, AHPRA is reviewing the notifications system and developing a National Scheme Strategy to make investigations faster, fairer, and more transparent. The agency is also responding to recommendations from last year’s “Transforming Health Professions Regulation in Australia” report, which suggested a single point of entry for complaints and faster handling of serious cases.
The RACGP has repeatedly called for reforms, emphasising that complaints processes should protect patient safety without causing unnecessary stress or harm to practitioners, particularly when complaints are ultimately dismissed.
Source: RACGP newsGP | AHPRA Regulatory Performance Committee Annual Report
