National Professional Standards approved

The Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council announced today (5 April) that it has approved national health practitioner registration standards recommended by the ten National Boards established under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.

The following mandatory registration standards applicable to all registered health professions have been adopted:

• Criminal history
• Continuing Professional Development
• English language
• Recency of Practice
• Professional Indemnity Insurance

Additional dentally specific standards have also been adopted in the following areas:

• Area of Practice endorsement (conscious sedation)
• Specialist registration

Notably, Ministers decided to defer consideration of the Dental Board of Australia's scope of practice standard until their next scheduled meeting to allow for further consideration.

The approved registration standards will come into force with the full commencement of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme on 1 July 2010.

In the meantime, the approved registration standards for dental practitioners can be accessed at the Dental Board of Australia website.