Joint Statement on Family Violence

Health practitioner regulators have released a Joint Statement on family violence. A brief overview is provided below and we encourage you all to go the Ahpra website and read more about it. 

Australia’s health practitioner regulators have worked in collaboration to develop a Joint Statement that sends a strong message that family violence is unacceptable.

The Joint Statement, and an Easy Read version, are available here.

The Joint Statement on Family Violence by Regulators of Health Practitioners sets out our unified commitment to prioritise family violence, and our expectations regarding health practitioner behaviour.

Health practitioners are often the first point of contact for people experiencing family violence. They have a vital role to play in the early detection, support, referral and delivery of specialised treatment of those experiencing family violence.

Health practitioners’ conduct must reflect the trust and confidence that the public place in them for safe healthcare. When we become aware of health practitioners perpetrating family violence, they may face regulatory action.

The Joint Statement is a collaboration between Ahpra, National Boards, the Office of the Health Ombudsman, the Health Professional Councils Authority, NSW Councils and the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission.

We would like to thank members of the National Lived Experience Advisory Council for Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence for providing us with very valuable feedback about this Joint Position on Family Violence.

The Joint Statement has been released during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender- Based Violence. It commences on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends on 10 December, Human Rights Day – highlighting that violence against women is a breach of human rights worldwide.