In short
A notification about a doctor is managed jointly by the Medical Board of Australia and Ahpra. Your conduct is measured against Good Medical Practice, the code of conduct for doctors. Ahpra assesses the concern against the risk to the public, usually within around 60 days, and presents a report to the Board, which makes the decision. Crucially, the Board weighs your own responses, reflections and actions, so how you engage matters. Most notifications end with no further action.
How does the Medical Board handle a notification about a doctor?
It is a joint responsibility: Ahpra gathers the information and assesses the risk, and the Medical Board of Australia makes the decision.
When a concern is raised about a doctor, Ahpra reviews it against the risk to the public and, where it proceeds, prepares a report for the Board. That report is prepared for the Board and is not released to you or to the person who raised the concern. All decisions are made by the Board or its delegates. If you want the national picture first, our guide to what an AHPRA notification is explains the wider system.
The doctor's notification journey
- Good Medical Practice sets the standardYour conduct is judged against the code that applies to every registered doctor.
- A concern is raisedA patient, colleague, employer or member of the public makes a notification.
- Ahpra assesses the riskAhpra reviews the concern, aiming to finish the assessment in around 60 days, then reports to the Board.
- The Medical Board decidesThe Board or its delegates choose the response that matches the risk.
- An outcome followsFrom no further action through to referral to a tribunal for the most serious matters.
What standard is a doctor's conduct measured against?
Good Medical Practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia, which every registered doctor is expected to meet.
Good Medical Practice is the yardstick the Board uses to assess a doctor's professional conduct in a notification. Where your practice varies significantly from the code, you will be asked to explain and justify your decisions and actions. Serious or repeated departures are the ones likely to lead to regulatory action. Understanding exactly which parts of the code your matter touches is the starting point for any strong response.
Conduct, performance or health: which stream is your matter?
Every notification about a doctor is looked at through one of three lenses, and the stream shapes the pathway your matter follows.
A conduct concern is about behaviour that departs from Good Medical Practice, such as boundary issues, dishonesty, poor communication, inadequate documentation, or a breach of professional standards. A performance concern is about the clinical quality or safety of your work, for example whether your care met the standard reasonably expected of a doctor in your field. A health concern is about an impairment, such as an illness or a substance issue, that may be affecting your capacity to practise safely.
The distinction matters because the response differs. Performance concerns may lead to a performance assessment and a focus on education and supervision. Health concerns are handled supportively wherever possible, with the aim of keeping you practising safely rather than punishing you, and a well managed condition is generally no barrier to continuing to work. Identifying which stream your notification sits in tells you what kind of evidence and remediation will carry the most weight.
What does a significant departure from Good Medical Practice mean?
It means conduct or performance that falls well short of the code, or repeated shortfalls that together are serious, rather than a single minor slip.
Good Medical Practice sets the expected standard, and the Board is concerned with departures that are significant, or that recur. A one-off, minor issue that was handled well at the time is very different from a serious lapse, or from a pattern that shows an ongoing risk. Where your practice has varied significantly from the code, you will be asked to explain and justify what you did and why. This is not a trap. It is your opportunity to show that you understand the standard, can account for your decisions, and have addressed anything that fell short.
At assessment
What the Medical Board weighs
- The events or circumstances described in the notification.
- Your practice setting, including whether you work in isolation or with vulnerable patients.
- The nature of your practice and the standards or guidelines that cover it.
- Your regulatory history, if any.
- Your own responses, reflections and actions in relation to the concern.
- The support and risk mitigation offered or taken by your workplace.
That fifth point is the one within your control. The Board expressly considers your responses, reflections and actions, which is why a considered response that shows insight and evidenced change can shape where your matter lands.
What outcomes can a doctor face?
The full range, from no further action at the lightest end to conditions or, for the most serious matters, referral to a tribunal.
Most notifications about doctors close with no further action. Where the Board decides something is needed, it chooses the least restrictive response that manages the risk, from a caution or conditions through to suspension or cancellation by a tribunal. Our guide to notification outcomes sets out the full ladder, and where there is a serious risk the Board can also take immediate action at any stage.
How can a doctor respond well?
Engage early, map the concern to Good Medical Practice, and show insight and evidenced change, because the Board weighs exactly that.
Since the Board considers your responses, reflections and actions, the way you engage is not a formality. Prepare a clear reflective statement that ties the concern to the relevant parts of the code, and back it with real remediation. For conduct, boundary or immediate action matters, take advice from your indemnity insurer or a lawyer before you respond.
What does a strong doctor's response look like?
It maps the concern to Good Medical Practice, shows honest reflection, and evidences real change, in the doctor's own words.
The most persuasive responses do three things. They identify precisely which parts of the code the concern touches. They reflect honestly on what happened and why it mattered to the patient. And they point to concrete, dated remediation that reduces the risk of it recurring. Here is a short, illustrative example of the shape that takes.
Illustrative example
The concern: A doctor did not adequately document a medication change, and the gap was raised in a notification.
Mapping to the code: The doctor identifies the documentation and continuity-of-care expectations in Good Medical Practice that the lapse touched.
Reflection: They set out, honestly, how the omission could have affected safe care, without minimising or shifting blame.
Remediation: They complete targeted CPD on documentation, adopt a structured note-taking routine, and attach a short audit of later records showing the change has held.
This is only illustrative, and every matter is different, but it shows why the parts of the process within your control, your reflection and your remediation, are worth real effort. They speak directly to the factors the Board weighs.
For doctors
Courses for the Medical Board
Structured CPD written for doctors and mapped to Good Medical Practice, to help you respond to a notification and evidence your reflection. Independent CPD you can use as evidence of remediation.
Professionalism and Professional Standards for Doctors
- Written to Good Medical Practice
- Address professional standards concerns directly
- Evidence your understanding for the Board
Ethics and Ethical Standards for Doctors
- Ground your response in medical ethics
- Map decisions to the code of conduct
- Show the reasoning a Board looks for
How to Deal With a Notification or Investigation
- Understand each stage of the Board's process
- Know what to do, and what to avoid, early
- Respond calmly and well prepared
Module on Reflection
- Write the reflective account the Board weighs
- Show insight, not just intentions
- Prepare a statement you can submit
See the full range of ethics and professionalism CPD for doctors.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Who decides a notification about a doctor?
The Medical Board of Australia, or its delegates, makes the decision. Ahpra gathers information and assesses the risk, then presents a report to the Board. That report is prepared for the Board and is not released to the doctor.
What standard is my conduct judged against?
Good Medical Practice, the code of conduct for doctors in Australia. Where your practice varies significantly from the code, you will be asked to explain and justify your decisions, and serious or repeated departures can lead to action.
How long does the Medical Board take?
Ahpra aims to complete the assessment stage within around 60 days in most cases. More complex matters, investigations, and referrals to a panel or tribunal take considerably longer to resolve.
Does the Board consider my response?
Yes. At assessment the Board expressly weighs your own responses, reflections and actions, along with your practice setting and history. This is the part within your control, so a considered, evidenced response matters.
Can I keep working as a doctor during a notification?
Usually yes. Most doctors keep working while a notification is assessed. Your registration is only restricted if the Board takes immediate action, used in a small number of higher risk matters after a show cause process.
Will I see Ahpra's report to the Board?
No. Ahpra's assessment report is prepared for the Board and is not released to the doctor or the notifier. Your written response and evidence are your main opportunity to put your position clearly on the record.
Do I need a lawyer for a Medical Board notification?
For conduct, boundary, dishonesty or immediate action matters, take advice before responding. Your indemnity insurer will usually appoint a lawyer, and their medico-legal line is included in your cover. Contact them early.
Does CPD help with a Medical Board notification?
It can. Targeted CPD mapped to Good Medical Practice gives dated evidence of insight and remediation, which the Board weighs. It never guarantees an outcome, but it shows you have understood the concern and acted.
What is the difference between a conduct and a performance notification?
A conduct concern is about behaviour that departs from Good Medical Practice, such as boundaries or documentation. A performance concern is about the clinical quality or safety of your work. The stream shapes the pathway and the response.
What happens if my notification involves my health?
Health matters are handled supportively wherever possible, with the aim of keeping you practising safely. A well managed condition, with your treating practitioner involved, is generally no barrier to continuing to work.
Dr Richard
Course Facilitator
A practising clinician with over 21 years of experience and postgraduate training in healthcare law and ethics, so every course reflects both clinical reality and Australian regulatory standards.
Written and reviewed by Dr Richard. Last reviewed . Read full profile
AHPRA Courses is an independent training provider. Our courses are structured CPD that practitioners can use as evidence of remediation. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Ahpra, the Medical Board of Australia, or any other regulator. Courses provide evidence of remediation and do not determine the outcome of any matter. This article is general information, not legal advice. If you have received a notification, seek advice from your professional indemnity insurer or a health law solicitor.