New laws targeting health practitioners who harass AHPRA complainants are likely after the failed attempt by a GP to murder a pharmacist who had reported him to the watchdog.        

The National Health Practitioner Ombudsman and Privacy Commissioner was brought in last year in to examine the case of Dr Brian Holder, who was convicted of attempting to kill pharmacist Kelly Akehurst in 2018.

Ms Akehurst had initially reported Dr Holder to AHPRA after becoming concerned he was inappropriately prescribing benzodiazepine to eight Indigenous women.

At the time she was told by the agency that disclosing her name would expedite the referral as it would “carry more weight”.