ORDERS & WARNINGS
These orders can prohibit part, or all, of a health service for a set period of time or permanently. Find out more about orders and warnings.
What are these orders and warnings?
Orders can prohibit a health practitioner or organisation from providing health services.
These orders can prohibit part, or all, of a health service for a set period of time or permanently. Interim orders of up to 12 weeks can also be made.
Orders are only made against general health service providers, meaning those not regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and only if the Commissioner believes they've breached the general code of conduct and pose an unacceptable risk to the public.
Prohibition orders issued in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia are prosecutable across all these states.
What is a Prohibition order?
A Prohibition Order bans a general health service provider from providing all or part of a health service permanently or for the period specified by the Commissioner. The conditions are specified by the Commissioner in each Prohibition Order.
The Commissioner can make a Prohibition Order if the Commissioner has conducted an investigation, is satisfied that a general health service provider has contravened a relevant code of conduct and that the order is necessary to avoid a serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of the public.
If the Commissioner makes a Prohibition Order, a copy will be published on our website and in the Government Gazette.
A person on whom a Prohibition Order has been imposed must comply with the terms of the order - a failure to do so is an offence under the Health Complaints Act 2016.
What is a Public warning?
The Commissioner can publish a public health warning statement if she believes it is necessary to avoid a serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of the public. The statement names the health service provider and includes relevant details necessary to warn the public of the risk posed.