Supervised practice

Supervised practice framework

The Supervised practice framework (the framework) for medical radiation practitioners will be in effect from 1 April 2023. This follows the Board’s recommendation and the health ministers’ decision to retire the Supervised practice registration standard on 31 March 2023.

The new framework closely mirrors many of the principles and arrangements that are familiar to medical radiation practitioners. While there will be some differences in forms and administration, supervised practice will continue in essentially the same way it has previously.

National Boards and Ahpra developed the Supervised practice framework (the framework) to create a responsive and risk-based approach to supervised practice across the National Scheme.

Download the Supervised practice framework^†

Supervised practice reassures the community and the Board that a registered health practitioner whose practice is being supervised (the supervisee) is safe and competent to practise and is not putting the public at risk.

The framework has been developed to:

give guidance when supervised practice is required to meet registration requirements, conditions or undertakings
set out core components that support high-quality, safe and effective supervised practice
support consistent processes and decision making within Ahpra
help supervisees and supervisors better understand what is expected of them
be clearer, relevant and user-friendly.

The framework outlines the principles which underpin supervised practice, the levels of supervised practice and the National Boards’ expectations of supervisees, supervisors and employers. It also explains Ahpra and the Boards’ compliance processes and gives guidance on how to effectively comply with supervised practice requirements.

^† The Supervised practice framework was updated in April 2023 to reflect the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia adopting the framework from 1 April 2023.

What you need to do

The steps to follow to comply with the Supervised practice framework (the framework) may vary depending on the purpose of the supervised practice. Below are summaries of the key steps for:

supervised practice as a registration requirement or for suitability and eligibility requirements
supervised practice following a complaint (notification).

The summaries are not a replacement for reading the framework, or relevant registration standards and guidelines published on the Board website.

Supervised practice as a registration requirement or for suitability and eligibility requirements

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The diagram below is a summary of the key steps when using the Supervised practice framework (the framework) to help you comply with the framework.

Supervised practice framework key steps – for registration, suitability and eligibility requirements

Step 1

Complete other relevant application forms if required, e.g. general registration, limited registration, provisional registration or professional development plans.
Step 2

Nominate a supervisor(s).
Step 3

Complete the supervised practice plan from your profession's Board website.

Proof of completion of orientation to the Australian healthcare system, and/or cultural safety components may also be required and can be attached to the supervised practice plan.
Step 4

Submit the signed supervised practice plan to Ahpra via the online upload portal.
Step 5

Receive approval from the National Board for the supervised practice arrangement.
Step 6

Give the employer or senior person a copy of the supervised practice arrangement and start or restart practice.
Step 7

Make sure supervised practice reports are completed by the supervisor when required and submitted to Ahpra via the online upload portal.

Proof of completion of orientation to the Australian healthcare system and or cultural safety components, may also be required and can be attached to the supervised practice report.
Step 8

On successful completion of supervised practice, the supervisee may apply to the National Board to remove notations or conditions from registration.

The application for review of conditions or undertakings is available on the Ahpra website.

Supervised practice following a complaint (notification)

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The diagram below is a summary of the key steps when using the framework to help you comply with the framework.

Supervised practice framework key steps – following a complaint (notification)

Step 1

Receive notice from the National Board of conditions on your registration or acceptance of an undertaking requiring you to carry out supervised practice approved by the Board.
Step 2

Nominate a supervisor(s). Information on how to do this is available on the Ahpra website.
Step 3

Complete the forms required from the Ahpra website.
Step 4

Submit signed forms to Ahpra via the online upload portal.
Step 5

Receive approval from the National Board for the supervised practice arrangement.
Step 6

Give the employer or senior person a copy of the supervised practice arrangement and start or restart practice.
Step 7

Make sure supervised practice reports are completed by the supervisor when required and submitted to Ahpra via the online upload portal.
Step 8

Supervised practice is required until a decision is made by the relevant National Board to change or remove the requirement.

The supervisee may apply for a review of conditions or undertakings by completing the application form available on the Ahpra website.

This following information has been developed to help you understand and apply the framework.

Document	PDF	Accessible format	Date of effect
Supervised practice plan template * Please ensure you download this form to your computer first, then fill it using Adobe Acrobat / Reader.	PDF (1.1MB)		1 April 2023
Attachment for Supervised practice plan – Professional capabilities for medical radiation practitioner – diagnostic radiography		Word version (105 KB,DOCX)	1 April 2023
Attachment for Supervised practice plan – Professional capabilities for medical radiation practitioner – radiation therapy		Word version (104 KB,DOCX)	1 April 2023
Attachment for Supervised practice plan – Professional capabilities for medical radiation practitioner – nuclear medicine technology		Word version (103 KB,DOCX)	1 April 2023
Supervised practice report template * Please ensure you download this form to your computer first, then fill it using Adobe Acrobat / Reader.	PDF (1.06MB)		1 April 2023
Supervised practice guidelines – adoption of framework	PDF (158 KB)	Word version (95.4 KB,DOCX)	1 April 2023

Change in circumstances

Proposed changes to an approved supervised practice arrangement should be submitted to the Board for approval in writing. The forms you are required to complete will depend on the purpose of supervised practice and what the change of circumstance is, for example if it is a change in supervisor, practice or employment location.

If you have limited registration and are completing supervised practice and are seeking a change to the approved supervised practice arrangement you should complete a request for changes in circumstances form on the Board website.

If you are completing supervised practice following a complaint (notification) and are seeking a change to the approved supervised practice arrangement you may be required to make an application for a review of the conditions or undertakings. More information is available on the Ahpra website.

Other proposed changes may require completion of a new Supervised practice plan.

Transition arrangements for moving to the Supervised practice framework

Practitioners’ supervision arrangements that were approved by the Board before 1 April 2023 will continue unchanged from that date. A new supervised practice plan or other supporting documents will not need to be submitted unless the practitioner is requesting a change to their current arrangement. However, from 1 April 2023, practitioners will need to use the new reporting template.

All supervised practice arrangements approved by the Board from 1 April 2023 will need to meet the requirements of the Supervised practice framework, and practitioners and their supervisors will be expected to use the supporting documents.

Retired versions

The standards and guidelines that have been retired are provided below

Document name	PDF	Accessible format	Retired from
Supervised Practice Registration Standard	PDF (49.2KB)	Word version (481KB,DOCX)	31 March 2023
Supervised practice guidelines	PDF (83.2KB)	Word version (106KB,DOCX)	31 March 2023
Provisional registration guidelines	PDF (43.8KB)	Word version (88.7KB,DOCX)	31 March 2023
Supervised practice program guide	PDF (191KB)	Word version (488KB,DOCX)	31 March 2023