Practitioners placed on the 2020 pandemic response sub-register can now opt to extend their temporary registration before it expires to keep supporting the COVID-19 response.
In April 2021, Ahpra and National Boards established a temporary pandemic response sub-register, for up to 12 months, to help fast-track the return of experienced and qualified health practitioners to the workforce.
Last April, the sub-register was extended a further year to allow nurses, midwives, doctors, pharmacists and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners to help with the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. The register was then broadened in September to allow thousands of health practitioners to practise in any area supporting the COVID-19 response.
About 23,000 practitioners are registered on the 2020 pandemic response sub-register until 5 April 2022. Practitioners such as nurses and midwives can now opt to extend their registration to 21 September 2022, or apply to transition to the main register for ongoing registration. Practitioners who do not contact Ahpra before their registration expires will no longer hold registration under the program.
Practitioners must advise Ahpra before 5 April if they want to:
- Opt in so their temporary registration is extended until 21 September 2022
- Formally apply for registration on the main register using a transition pathway
- Alternatively, practitioners who do not want to join the surge workforce can do nothing and allow their registration to expire
Practitioners who opt to extend their temporary registration will be registered to practise to the full scope of their registration. Practitioners who choose to transition from the temporary 2020 sub-register to the main register can keep practising if they make an application using the transition pathway, with their registration limited to practice for the COVID-19 response until they are advised of the outcome of their application.
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