Physiotherapists play an important role in the healthcare workforce across Australia and, as demand for care increases, health services have been encouraging practitioners to return to practice.

Over the past few challenging years for physiotherapists and other essential health professionals, the Physiotherapy Board of Australia has offered flexible arrangements for continuing professional development, which is a key requirement to ensure patient safety.

Physiotherapists need to ensure that they are meeting their continuing professional development obligations under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law as enacted in each state and territory.

Practitioners who are returning after some time away from practising or who have been in a non-clinical role need to meet the Board’s recency of practice standard.

To ensure public safety, the Board must be assured of physiotherapists’ competency to practise.

To meet the Board’s recency of practice standard, you must have carried out:

• 450 hours of practice during the three-year period immediately prior to the start of the registration period or
• 150 hours in the previous registration year.

The registration renewal date for physiotherapists with either general or non-practising registration is 30 November each year.

Click here to check your registration details and expiry date on the national register of practitioners.

The recency of practice standard applies to all registered physiotherapists, except those with student registration or non-practising registration.

The Board may consider additional requirements and may place conditions on registration, including supervision, for a physiotherapist who does not meet the recency of practice requirements.

The onus is on the physiotherapist who is applying to provide information to support the application for registration and, if relevant, to find a suitable supervisor.

Physiotherapists can engage in paid work while on a supervised practice plan.

When the Board considers an application for registration and the applicant has not met the recency of practice standard, the Board will consider the case individually and take into account a range of information, including:

• the physiotherapist’s registration and practice history
• their length of time away from practice
• the nature and scope of their practice prior to the break
• any continuing professional development or education done or professional contact maintained during the break from practice
• their intended field of practice, including the role and position proposed and any continuing professional development or education proposed in relation to it
• the level of risk associated with the proposed return to practice.

The Board requires physiotherapists returning to practice to have a plan for re-entry to the profession.

This is to protect the public by ensuring that registered physiotherapists have appropriate supports in place for safe practice.

The plan for re-entry to practice will be different for each applicant.

It must be tailored to the physiotherapist’s particular circumstances and individual learning needs.

The best way to maintain recency of practice is to plan in advance for extended periods of leave and to stay up to date and connected to the profession while on longer-term leave, including professional development opportunities and other practice activities.

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Click here for guidance and tips to help you understand and meet your obligations and here for information on the Board’s Registration Standards.