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04 Jun 2013
AHPRA's new statutory offences unit has been pursuing organisations and individuals who may have infringed the advertising provisions of the National Law.
AHPRA - Media release - 3 June 2013 (105 KB,PDF)
AHPRA has established a statutory offences unit, which has been pursuing organisations and individuals who may have infringed the provisions of the National Law in their advertising of regulated health services, across all the regulated professions.
AHPRA has been working with the ACCC and TGA to establish the most appropriate regulator for the area that we have control over, specifically regulated health services.
Generally speaking, AHPRA writes to individuals or organisations in the first instance to identify the aspects of their advertising that may be infringing of section 133 of the National Law and encourages them to address the problem. Most people have been very compliant and keen to learn about the National Law and ensure that they comply with it in their advertising.
AHPRA has written to many online advertisers who are advertising health services using testimonials, and found a great shift away from this type of advertising when people learn about the requirements of the National Law.
There have been examples of direct mail advertising where members of the public are sent information and encouraged to make appointments for things that they may not necessarily need. AHPRA has been dealing with these service providers to encourage them to change their advertising to be consistent with the National Law.
For more information, please refer to the Guidelines for advertising of regulated health services (490 KB,PDF), which are published on the Board’s website.
The Board’s advertising guidelines are being reviewed this year as part of a scheduled review of standards, codes and guidelines across all the professions. The Board will publish more information about this in coming months.