Medical radiation practice marks 10 years in the National Scheme

01 Jul 2022

Today marks 10 years of national registration of the medical radiation practice profession under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (the National Scheme).

Ten years ago, a total of 13,121 medical radiation practitioners were registered to practise across Australia. As at March 2022, the profession has grown to 18,487 registered practitioners. 

National registration allows medical radiation 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 the National Scheme started in 2010, practitioners had to have separate registration for each state or territory where they practised. The exception was medical radiation practitioners based in New South Wales and South Australia who were not required to be registered. State- or territory-based regulation also meant different standards and guidelines for practitioners working across Australia. 

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

A medical radiation practitioner’s regulatory history is now also managed by a single entity, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), which works in partnership with the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (the Board) to protect the public.

Board Chair, Cara Miller, acknowledged the work of former and current board members over the past decade to support a safe, professional medical radiation practice workforce.

‘Joining the National Scheme was significant for the profession as it means that no matter where they work, practitioners must meet the same national standards. This has helped to build increased trust and confidence in the profession.

‘Practitioners have a professional obligation to know and meet the professional capabilities and standards for medical radiation practice. The professional capabilities, established in 2013 and revised in 2020, recognise the various roles that a medical radiation practitioner undertakes in practice and support them in providing safe care to all parts of our community,’ Ms Miller said.

Significant events since the national regulation of medical radiation practice have been:

• appointing the Medical Radiation Practice Accreditation Committee
• establishing the Professional capabilities for medical radiation practice
• establishing a robust framework for assessing internationally qualified practitioners
• developing an exam to test the skills and knowledge of applicants for registration, and
• collaborating with New Zealand and other international regulators about standards for practice. 

New South Wales based practitioner board member, Tony Buxton, supported the move to national regulation 10 years ago. 

‘This was such an important step to ensure national standards of practice for the profession and that a practitioner keeps up with advances in practice through mandatory continuing professional development.

‘Importantly, qualified graduates are entering the workforce with a clear understanding of what is expected of the profession thanks to the development of the professional capabilities and the public can be confident that a medical radiation practitioner has met the national standards required to practise,’ Mr Buxton said.  

Further information

• Annual report 2012/13
• Board statistics 

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).