Australia: national health registration boards

The Council on Australian Governments has "agreed on the arrangements for a new national system for the registration of health professionals and the accreditation of their training and education programs for implementation by July 2008." The agreement  includes the establishment of nine separate national registration boards, rather than just one, as originally proposed in a 2005 report. Advantages of the new system will include national professional standards and interstate mobility for registered professionals. The new system will initially cover nine health professions: medical practitioners, nurses and midwives, pharmacists, physiotherapists, psychologists, osteopaths, chiropractors, optometrists and dentists (including dental hygienists, dental prosthetists and dental therapists).  See point No. 4: Health