AHPRA’s new powers to issue public warnings about doctors before investigations are over “are not name and shame powers”, its general counsel has told doctors. 

Legislation passed in October gave AHPRA the authority to publicly identify health practitioners under investigation, if it thought it was necessary to protect patients from harm.

The AMA criticised the powers as “unjust and unnecessary”, arguing that doctors’ reputations could be trashed, even if warnings were taken down if complaints were not upheld.

Speaking at the 2023 Medico Legal Congress in Sydney, AHPRA general counsel Dr Jamie Orchard (PhD) said public warnings would potentially involve publishing “appropriate media releases [and posts on] social media”.