From one year to the next, the goal of the Physiotherapy Board of Australia remains constant – to protect the public by ensuring that all physiotherapists in Australia are suitably trained, qualified and safe to practise. 

This can mean setting standards for the profession that all physiotherapists must meet in order to be registered. 

It can also mean publishing codes and guidelines to help physiotherapists meet those standards so they can practise safely and professionally. 

And it means intervening when necessary, if there is a risk to public safety. Alongside Ahpra, the Board is working to become a more proactive regulator, aiming to respond to emerging issues and health sector trends before they become active risks. 

However, we still rely strongly on notifications from members of the public and others to inform our regulatory actions. For this reason, a key focus for the Board in 2026 is to increase awareness and understanding of our role among the general public. 

If people don’t know where and how to raise a concern about their health practitioner’s care or conduct, then unsafe practices and behaviour can’t be addressed. 

One of the ways we are doing this is through a review of the information available on the Board’s website. We want to make sure that everyone – the public and practitioners – is able to find the information they need quickly and easily and that people are clear about their rights and obligations. 

Another way we protect public safety is by ensuring that everyone who is registered to practise as a physiotherapist in Australia meets the standards of training, education and experience we expect. 

As such, we are reviewing the process for people seeking general registration as a physiotherapist in Australia via the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition agreement with New Zealand. 

All practitioners who seek registration through this pathway must demonstrate the necessary skills and experience to practise safely in Australia, at the same level as requirements for all other physiotherapists currently registered or seeking registration. 

This review is ongoing and further information will be shared when available. 

You can also reach out to the Board with any feedback using the online enquiry form on the Ahpra website. The Board supports sustainable growth in the physiotherapist workforce. 

Last year the total number of physiotherapists registered in Australia passed 50,000 for the first time – an important milestone in improving access to safe, high quality care across the country. 

The introduction of the Australian Physiotherapy Entry Pathway by the Australian Physiotherapy Council (APC) in 2025 is an example of the Board supporting better access to physiotherapy services. 

In line with recommendations from the Kruk review on increasing access to care by improving pathways for international health practitioners to practise in Australia, this provides a more streamlined entry pathway to Australia for overseas physiotherapists. 

The APC also assesses physiotherapists who are trained and registered in approved countries via the Express FLYR pathway and FLYR pathway. 

The Express FLYR pathway removes the need for further written and practical assessments and doesn’t require applicants to travel for face-to-face workshops. 

Assessments under the Express FLYR pathway can be completed in as little as three weeks. All overseas physiotherapists are required to complete cultural safety training provided by the APC before being eligible to apply for registration. 

The ability to provide culturally safe care is essential for all health professionals, including physiotherapists. 

The Board is working to ensure that all physiotherapists in Australia are able to incorporate cultural safety into their practice. 

It is now a core component of accreditation standards for the profession and these standards are being incorporated into education and training programs for both new and experienced physiotherapists. 

In addition to improving the supply of appropriately qualified physiotherapists in Australia, the Board is working to understand how existing physiotherapists can be better supported to stay and thrive in the profession. 

We recently conducted a workforce retention and attrition survey, taking a detailed look at the issues affecting Australian physiotherapists and how these are influencing people to join, stay in or leave the profession. 

The survey results will be shared on the Physiotherapy Board of Australia website and will guide further Board and broader sector initiatives to ensure that Australia has a sustainable, resilient and supported physiotherapy workforce in the future. 

Another ongoing, high priority initiative for the Board is exploring a proposal for physiotherapists who complete a Board-approved program of study to be endorsed to prescribe medicines. 

There are many steps involved and more information will be shared with the profession throughout the year. 

This list of priorities is far from exhaustive and if the past few years have shown us anything, it is that things can and do change rapidly in health and regulation. 

But with a clear focus on improving safety, quality and access to care, the Board is confident that we will be able to meet whatever changes, challenges and opportunities come our way.