Chinese Medicine Board of Australia - Ten years of Chinese medicine practitioners in the National Scheme
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Ten years of Chinese medicine practitioners in the National Scheme

01 Jul 2022

Today marks 10 years since the establishment of the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (the Board) and Chinese medicine becoming a nationally registered health profession.

 
Key points
  • 1 July marks 10 years since the Chinese medicine profession became a nationally registered health profession under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (the National Scheme).
  • The number of registered practitioners has grown from 3804 to 4795 in that time.
  • Key highlights from the decade include national capability standards and set guidelines around the use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

 

Ten years ago, a total of 3804 Chinese medicine practitioners were registered with the newly established Board and registered to practise across Australia. As at March 2022, the number of registered practitioners has grown to 4795. 

National registration allows practitioners to work anywhere in Australia. Practitioners only need to apply for initial registration once and must renew their registration every year to stay registered.

Before joining the National Scheme in 2012, Chinese medicine was only regulated in Victoria. Practitioners in all other states and territories were not required to be registered at all.

State or territory-based regulation meant different standards and guidelines for practitioners working across Australia.

National regulation means all practitioners are now on an online public register which enables consumers to check that their practitioner is registered, having met mandatory registration standards and other requirements.

All Chinese medicine practitioners’ regulatory history is now managed by a single entity, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), which works in partnership with the Board to protect the public.

Board Chair, Adjunct Professor Danforn Lim, acknowledges all the work of those who have helped support the Chinese medicine profession to become nationally regulated.

‘The work of the inaugural Board Chair, Distinguished Professor Charlie Xue, the National Board members, the executive officers and the Ahpra staff in the last decade getting the profession to this point is commendable. Gratitude for the past and hope for the future.

‘National registration is vital to improve and ensure public and community safety. It supports the delivery of a competent healthcare system in Australia.

‘While Chinese medicine was an established profession in Australia before joining the National Scheme, it is now part of the regulated multi-disciplinary health practitioners team working together to deliver integrated patient care in the community,’ Professor Lim said.

Significant areas of growth for the Board and profession have been:

  • establishment of professional capability standards
  • strengthening the guidance around acupuncture
  • national guidelines on the safe use of Chinese herbal medicines
  • further integration of the profession in the broader health system.

Further information

Contact us

  • For media enquiries, phone (03) 8708 9200. 
  • For registration enquiries, please phone 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 9285 3010 (overseas callers).
 
 
Page reviewed 1/07/2022
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