This consultation paper has been developed for the purpose of further consultation and feedback to inform Health Ministers’ response to the final report of the Independent Review of Accreditation Systems (ASR) within the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) for health professions.

Health Ministers released the report Australia’s health workforce: strengthening the education foundation on 12 October 2018. At that time, Health Ministers agreed to the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC) undertaking further analysis of the recommendations proposed by the final report and the development of a project plan for implementation. CHC also agreed that further stakeholder consultation will occur on the costs, benefits and risks of implementing the recommendations and the proposed governance models.

This consultation paper is to be read in conjunction with the final report. The report’s recommendations are at Appendix 1.

Responses have been invited from selected organisations representing: professional associations, NRAS accreditation authorities, NRAS boards, medical colleges, education providers and other relevant bodies.

This consultation does not seek to re-prosecute all the issues dealt with in the final report. The ASR has already done this comprehensively. Rather, stakeholders are invited to consider the issues requested by Health Ministers, that is, the costs, benefits and risks of implementing the recommendations.

Since completion of the ASR, NRAS entities including AHPRA, national boards and accreditation authorities have progressed changes in the area of accreditation. The response to the final report will capture these changes where they are relevant to the recommendations. Further information on progress already made against the recommendations is included later in this paper (see pp.10-11).