On Sunday, after a long campaign, the nation’s new mandatory reporting laws finally came into force.

That fact that the news of the revamped regime, designed to encourage impaired doctors to seek help, will barely cause a ripple seems to support the perception of those who say it amounts to a change without a difference.

Treating practitioners will be required to report to AHPRA if they deem their doctor–patient is placing the public at “substantial risk of harm” or if they are suspected of having engaged in sexual misconduct (see box).  

The new laws are also intended to make it explicit that if a patient’s health issues — mental health problems or, say, drug misuse — are being appropriately managed through treatment, they will not meet the threshold for reporting.