December 2024

Issue 39 - December 2024

From the Chair
Board news
Students and graduates
- Graduating soon? Apply for registration now!
What’s new?
Stay in touch with the Board

From the Chair

Welcome to the final newsletter of 2024!

A big congratulations to all the students who have recently completed their final clinical placements and exams. We are looking forward to having you join us as registered medical radiation practitioners. For more information on how to register as a practitioner, see the ‘Students and Graduates’ section below.

A reminder for those of you renewing your registration – the late period closes on 31 December. Read more below.

Before signing off for the year, the Board and I want to acknowledge the important work of all registered medical radiation practitioners. Thank you for your contribution to the care and safety of patients over the past 12 months.

And to those who will be giving up time with their own families over the Christmas period to provide care for patients and communities, a very big thank you.

Season’s greetings and best wishes for 2025.

Cara Miller
Chair, Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia

Board news

Using generic logins and protecting patient privacy

Almost all computerised patient information systems (local storage or cloud-based systems) used by healthcare providers and organisations have a gateway control that ensures only authorised persons can access patient’s health and personal information. Gateway controls also allow review and audit of what patient information was accessed, when and by whom.

A generic login (or multi-user account) allows multiple users to access a wide range of patient information without identifying which practitioner accessed the information, or their authority or reasons for doing so. Generic logins pose a risk to patient safety because of a lack of individual authentication, an increased risk of unauthorised access and a lack of accountability as well as increasing the risk to organisational security.

Your obligations

The Professional capabilities for medical radiation practice require all MRPs to practice ethically, access patient information appropriately and to manage patient information safely.

Individual access to patient information systems is the best and most appropriate method to manage the risk to you as a practicing MRP. Individual access protects against unauthorised access of private and confidential health records and provides a platform for effective audit. This also ensures patient records remain confidential and the integrity of the data remains intact in accordance with section 8.3 of the Board’s Code of conduct.

While it is the Board’s recommendation that individual logins to be used, we recognise that switching between individual login accounts within a busy department with multiple login points can cause delays and be impractical.

When generic logins are used, we recommend that practitioners include the following details within each set of patient records (if it is not already captured in the system) to ensure appropriate user access/authentication, accountability and audit requirements are met:

name of the MRP
the time and date of the access
details of any examination or procedure provided by the practitioner or the purpose of access.

Research into AI accountability in medical radiation practice

Research into medical radiation practice helps to build and enhance the profession’s base of knowledge and expertise. The Board is supportive of research projects that are relevant to medical radiation practice and our role in regulating the profession and workforce arrangements.

The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is conducting an anonymous online survey as part of a research project to understand how professionals in medical imaging, radiation therapy and ultrasound view the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in their work.

This survey aims to find if use of AI changes who is considered responsible for the outcomes of medical decisions. The insights from this research will help develop better training and policies, ensuring that AI is used in a way that supports healthcare professionals and keeps patient safety at the forefront.

Survey participation is completely voluntary and will take about 10 minutes to complete. If you’d like to have your say, take the anonymous survey now. The survey closes on 31 December 2024.

More information on the study can be found on the QUT website.

Any questions can be directed to Associate Professor Christopher Edwards (c8.edwards@qut.edu.au) or Mr Crispen Chamunyonga (crispen.chamunyonga@qut.edu.au).

Ethical approval was provided by Queensland University of Technology (QUT) [HREC8810].

‘Teaching on the Run’ supervisor training returns in 2025

Teaching on the Run (TOTR) is a national program for medical radiation practitioners that helps improve the quality of the teaching, assessment and supervision of healthcare practitioners and students. It is suitable for all levels of qualified practitioners.

The Board is currently finalising the dates and education topics for 2025 and we encourage you to keep an eye on our Training webpage to ensure you don’t miss out.

The TOTR facilitators are also excited to announce that in 2025 they will be launching and delivering a new training program, Mentoring on the Run (MOTR) on behalf of the Board.

The MOTR program will consist of four modules, with the option of either in-person or online delivery:

Module 1: Being a mentor
Module 2: The mentoring process
Module 3: Communicating for success
Module 4: From good to great.

More information on MOTR will be available early in the new year on the Board's Training webpage.

National Board celebrates practitioners on World Radiography Day

The Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia celebrated medical radiation practitioners for the essential role they play in our healthcare system as part of this year's World Radiography Day.
World Radiography Day is celebrated on 8 November each year, marking the anniversary of the discovery of x-radiation by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895.

Australia’s 20,074 registered medical radiation practitioners provide vital health services to patients across the country every day. This year’s theme, ‘an essential part of your health journey’, highlights the profession’s important role in patient care, with imaging the most widely requested diagnostic tool in medicine, after pathology.

The Board is currently reviewing the Professional capabilities for medical radiation practice, and there will be an opportunity for practitioners to have their say and provide feedback in 2025.

The professional capabilities recognise the profession's contribution to modern healthcare and help to ensure the workforce is ready for and adaptable to technological change, while continuing to provide safe, contemporary medial radiation services.

To read more about the current professional capabilities and to watch the supporting videos go to the Professional capabilities webpage.

Latest workforce data released

The Board’s quarterly registration data to 30 September 2024 has been published. At this date, there were 20,074 registered medical radiation practitioners, of whom 19,582 have general registration. This figure includes 15,820 diagnostic radiographers, 2,911 radiation therapists and 1,327 nuclear medicine technologists.

There are 130 practitioners who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (0.6 per cent). This is the first year that we have been able to report on these statistics.

For more data, including registration by principal place of practice, gender and age, visit our Statistics page to read the report.

Haven’t renewed your registration yet? The late period closes on 31 December

Medical radiation practitioners have until 31 December to renew their general or non-practising registration. Late fees will now be applied to the cost of your registration renewal.

Your reminder email from Ahpra contains your link to online renewal.

You can read the renewal FAQs on the Ahpra website for tips on logging in and for more information about renewal, read the Board’s news item.

Now is also a good time to check the following:

The contact details you have provided to Ahpra, including email – ensuring your contact details are p-to-date and correct will ensure you don’t miss any future correspondence, such as registration renewal reminders.
Professional indemnity insurance (PII) – MRPs who undertake any form of practice must have appropriate PII in place. For more information on the requirements, visit the Board's Registration standards webpage or the Ahpra website.

Students and graduates

Graduating soon? Apply for registration now!

If you’re studying to become a medical radiation practitioner and will be finishing your course shortly, you can apply for registration now.

Getting your application in early helps avoid any delays and helps get you into the workforce sooner. If you apply before you finish your study, we can start assessing your application while we wait for your graduate results.

Before you can start working as medical radiation practitioner you have to be registered with the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (the Board).

Easy steps to apply online

Create your account using the online services portal and complete your application.
Upload your documents and pay the required fees. Check that you have provided all required documents to prove you’ve met the registration standards, including certified copies of your photo ID.
Wait for your education provider to provide your graduate results to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).

Tips to get you started

Watch our video to help get your application right: Applying for graduate registration.
Remember to use a contact email address that is not your university email address. Providing an email address that is not linked to your university will ensure you don’t miss any important reminders or information from Ahpra as you will eventually lose access to your university email account.
Visit the Graduate registration page of the Ahpra website for helpful advice, tips for avoiding common causes of delay and downloadable information flyers.

Support for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander graduates

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement and Support team (the support team) is here to assist you through the registration process.

It is staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and provides a one-on-one service ranging from helpful tips for navigating the registration process to regular phone contact, and advice on disclosures made on registration applications (for example, about impairments) that may require consideration by the Board.

The support team is committed to assisting you to get registered promptly so you can start making vital contributions to safe healthcare and to your communities. If, after reading the handy hints below, you would still like help with your application for registration, please email the support team at mobengagementsupport@ahpra.gov.au.

What’s new?

3G network closure and emergency devices – talk to consumers about this change

As of 28 October 2024, Telstra and Optus closed their 3G networks. Devices that depend on the 3G network will no longer work.

Devices including in-home personal emergency alarms, insulin pumps and pacemakers that rely on the 3G network for voice calls won’t be able to make Triple Zero (000) calls when the network is shut down.

People who use these devices will need to contact their service provider to see if their device is affected

It is estimated that approximately 200,000 people who use these devices do not know that they rely on the 3G network to work. We are asking practitioners to talk to potentially affected consumers about the change and what they need to do to stay safe and connected

More information is available in ‘3G is closing: check your tech’ on the AMTA website.

This is a community service announcement. Further enquiries should be directed to the service provider.

The National Scheme’s annual report shows progress in addressing workforce needs

Addressing workforce needs by getting more health practitioners safely registered faster and responding to new risks from emerging models of care are the highlights of the 2023/24 Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) annual report.

At 30 June this year, there were 920,535 registered health practitioners in Australia, a 4.9 per cent increase on the previous year. This means there are now 3.4 registered health practitioners for every 100 Australians. This is the first time the number of registered practitioners has exceeded 900,000, and 96.9 per cent of these practitioners hold practising registration.

In an exciting milestone for the profession, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners registered with Ahpra has since hit 1,000 for the first time.

Improvements to Ahpra’s registration processes have almost halved the time to finalise international applications, cutting the previous 60-day average to just 33 days. There was strong growth in the number of internationally qualified health practitioners with 48.4 per cent more new overseas practitioners gaining registration than in the previous financial year.

Maintaining a balance between access to needed healthcare and the risk posed by some emerging models of care is a key priority for Ahpra, amid the acceleration of telehealth, online prescribing and direct-to-consumer health services. New models of care in areas such as medicinal cannabis and vaping have led Ahpra to develop cross-regulatory solutions with other regulators, such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration, to take a system-wide approach to patient safety.

Learn more about the Board’s work and data on our Annual report page or read the news item.

Joint statement on family violence released by regulators

Australia’s health practitioner regulators are united in their view that family violence is unacceptable. This term includes family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV). The joint media statement on family violence sets out our unified commitment to prioritise tackling family violence, and our expectations about health practitioner behaviour.

Health practitioners are often the first point of contact for people experiencing family violence. They have a vital role to play in the early detection, support, referral and specialised treatment of those experiencing family violence.

Health practitioners’ conduct must reflect the trust and confidence that the public place in them for safe healthcare. When we become aware of health practitioners perpetrating family violence, they may face regulatory action.

The joint statement is a collaboration between Ahpra, the National Boards, the Office of the Health Ombudsman, the Health Professional Councils Authority, NSW Councils and the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission.

The joint statement, and an Easy Read version, are available on the Ahpra website at Health practitioner regulators united: family violence is unacceptable.

The joint statement is being released during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This starts on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends on 10 December, Human Rights Day – highlighting that violence against women is a breach of human rights worldwide.

Stay in touch with the Board

Visit the Medical Radiation Practice Board website for news about the profession, information on the National Scheme and for registration standards, codes, guidelines, policies and fact sheets.
Lodge an online enquiry form.
For registration enquiries call 1300 419 495 (from within Australia) or +61 3 9125 3010 (for overseas callers).
Address mail correspondence to Cara Miller, Chair, Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia, GPO Box 9958, Melbourne VIC 3000.