An Ahpra investigation has no fixed length. Ahpra's own pages give three markers. For the first stage, assessment, Ahpra says: "In most cases, we try to finish the assessment process within 60 days and most notifications are closed within 90 days." For the whole process, its page for practitioners says: "Most notifications are closed within nine months of receipt, with approximately 40% closed within one month." And for the small share of matters that go to a panel or tribunal, around 3%, Ahpra says they "can take up to a few years to be finalised, depending on the timetable of the tribunal". So the honest answer is: if your matter closes at assessment, expect weeks to three months; if it is referred for investigation, expect months, and in a complex matter more than nine months; if it goes to a tribunal, expect years. Ahpra's 2024/25 annual report adds that "81.1% of all notifications were closed within six months of receipt", and that matters open for 12 months or more made up 20.0% of the open notifications at 30 June 2025.
This guide sets out what each stage is for, the timeframe Ahpra gives for it, what makes a matter take longer, how you are kept informed, and what you can do while you wait. If you want the stages themselves in more detail, read the Ahpra investigation process explained. If you are waiting on an outcome and want to use the time, Dealing with a Complaint or Investigation Professionally (A$200 (A$140 with Bulk Buy 10), 2 CPD hours) covers what the Board looks for in a response and how to write one that shows insight.
The stages, and the time Ahpra gives for each
Ahpra's published timeframes are not deadlines set in the National Law. They are what Ahpra says it tries to do. The table below puts the stages next to the figures Ahpra publishes for them.
| Stage | What happens | Timeframe Ahpra gives |
|---|---|---|
| Receipt and first review | Ahpra decides whether it is the right body to look at the concern, contacts the notifier, and may close a concern that does not need further consideration or refer it elsewhere. | Within about one week of receipt, on Ahpra's "What to expect" page. "Approximately 40% [of notifications are] closed within one month." |
| Assessment | Ahpra gathers information, speaks to the notifier and to you, carries out a risk assessment and reports to the National Board. The Board decides to close the matter, take action such as a caution, an undertaking or conditions, refer it for investigation, or refer you for a health or performance assessment. | "In most cases, we try to finish the assessment process within 60 days." "Most notifications are closed within 90 days." |
| Investigation | An investigator is appointed. They gather records, statements and expert opinions, hold a case discussion with you, and write a confidential report for the Board, which then decides the outcome. | No set period. "The National Law requires that investigations happen in a timely way." "The length of the investigation may depend on the complexity of the matter." |
| The whole process | From the day Ahpra receives the concern to the day the Board's decision is made and explained to you. | "Most notifications are closed within nine months of receipt." "Some notifications can take longer than nine months to complete, based on the nature and complexity of the concerns being investigated." |
| Panel or tribunal | Around 3% of notifications are referred to a panel or a tribunal, which hears the matter and decides. | These "can take up to a few years to be finalised, depending on the timetable of the tribunal". |
One point of language matters here. Ahpra uses "notification" for every concern it receives, and "investigation" for the formal stage that follows assessment when the Board decides the risk needs a closer look. Practitioners can say "investigation" from the first letter, whatever stage the letter names. If your letter says the matter is at assessment, the 60-day and 90-day figures are the ones to watch. If it says the Board has decided to investigate, the nine-month figure is the better guide, and complex matters run past it.
What the figures mean for your own matter
The figures are averages across every profession and every kind of concern. They do not predict your matter. Two things matter.
- The figures point to closure without regulatory action. Ahpra's 2024/25 annual report records 13,327 notifications received and 12,086 closed in the year, with "81.1% of all notifications were closed within six months of receipt". Ahpra's "What to expect" page says regulatory action is taken in 10 to 15% of cases. The rest close with no further action, including matters where the risk was low or had already been managed by the practitioner or the workplace.
- A long matter is not, by itself, a sign of a bad outcome. Ahpra says plainly that length depends on complexity and on how long it takes to gather information. Expert reports, records from several employers, a notifier who is slow to respond, or a matter that overlaps with a court or coronial process all add time without changing what the Board will decide.
What makes an Ahpra investigation take longer
Ahpra names complexity and information-gathering as the two drivers. In practice these break down into a short list.
- Expert opinion. Ahpra says investigations check your practice against the Board's standards, codes and guidelines, with help from clinical advisors. Waiting for an independent expert report is one reason a file waits.
- Records from third parties. Hospital records, practice software exports, pharmacy dispensing histories and employer files each take their own time to arrive.
- Several concerns about one practitioner. Ahpra investigates where there is "a series of concerns that may form a pattern of behaviour". A pattern takes longer to establish than a single event.
- Your own response. Ahpra asks for information and offers a case discussion. A response that arrives late, or that answers a different question from the one asked, leads to a further request and another wait.
- A referral onward. A health assessment, a performance assessment, a panel or a tribunal each run on their own timetable. Ahpra's figure of "a few years" for a tribunal matter is the longest timeframe it publishes.
- Immediate action. If the Board proposes immediate action at any stage, Ahpra says you are advised in writing and given an opportunity to respond before any action is taken. That step runs beside the main investigation, which continues after it. Ahpra took immediate action in 554 cases in 2024/25. The National Health Practitioner Ombudsman has said that where immediate action has been taken, investigations should be finalised as promptly as possible.
How Ahpra keeps you informed
Ahpra's commitments on contact are specific, and you can hold it to them.
- "An Ahpra officer will contact you by phone and then follow up in writing" when a concern is raised about you, unless contact could prejudice an investigation or put someone at risk.
- "You will be assigned an Ahpra case officer", and Ahpra encourages you to contact them with questions.
- During an investigation, the investigator "will speak to you at key stages of the investigation".
- "In longer notifications, we update you at least every three months."
- At the end, Ahpra calls you and the notifier to explain the Board's decision and the reasons, then confirms it in writing.
If three months pass without an update, email or phone your case officer and ask, in one line, which stage the matter is at and what Ahpra is waiting for. Keep a dated note of every contact. If you cannot get an answer, your indemnity insurer or professional association can raise it for you. The National Health Practitioner Ombudsman receives complaints about Ahpra's handling of notifications, including delay; in 2021–22, 22% of the issues raised with it about notifications concerned delay.
What to do while you wait
The waiting is hard, and it is the part of the process you have the most control over. Ahpra says: "We consider any steps taken by you or your workplace to strengthen your practice." Its assessment page asks you to describe what has changed since the event and what you, or your workplace, have done or are willing to do to reduce future risk. The time between letters is when that evidence is built.
- Answer every request on time and to the question asked. If you need more time, ask for it in writing before the date, with a reason.
- Use the case discussion. Ahpra's investigation page says it is not compulsory, and that you may bring a representative from your indemnifier or professional association. It is your chance to explain the context the file does not show.
- Do a course on the subject of the concern, and write a reflection on it. A dated certificate shows when you acted; the reflection shows what you understood. Our guide on how to write a reflection for Ahpra sets out a structure that answers what Ahpra asks for.
- Collect the evidence of change. A supervisor's letter, an audit of your records since the event, a new consent template, a chaperone policy, or a change to how you prescribe: each is a dated document the Board can weigh.
- Look after yourself. Ahpra's own page lists support services for practitioners and a webinar series for people with an open notification. Your indemnity insurer's helpline is open to you throughout.
Where the concern is about conduct, the fit is Dealing with a Complaint or Investigation Professionally, with the course on the subject of the concern from the courses page for your profession. The same course can be recorded as CPD against your Board's standard where it is relevant to your practice, so the hours are not lost whatever the outcome.
What happens when the investigation ends
The investigator's report goes to the Board and is not released to you or to the notifier. The Board then decides: no further action; action to protect the public, such as a caution, an undertaking or conditions; or referral to a health or performance assessment, a panel or a tribunal. Ahpra calls you to explain the decision and the reasons, then writes. Our guide to Ahpra investigation outcomes and what each means takes each outcome in turn, and conditions on Ahpra registration explains what a condition requires of you and how it is reviewed.
Sources and further reading
- Ahpra: How long does the notification process take?
- Ahpra: Has a concern been raised about you? What to expect
- Ahpra: Assessing notifications
- Ahpra: Investigating practitioners
- Ahpra: Notifications, frequently asked questions
- Ahpra and National Boards annual report 2024/25: Notifications
- National Health Practitioner Ombudsman: Systemic issue, delay in the notification process
Frequently asked questions
How long does an Ahpra investigation take?
There is no fixed length. Ahpra says it tries to finish assessment within 60 days, that "most notifications are closed within 90 days", and that "most notifications are closed within nine months of receipt, with approximately 40% closed within one month". Matters referred to a panel or tribunal, around 3%, can take up to a few years. Complex matters run past nine months.
Why is Ahpra taking so long with my matter?
Ahpra says the length depends on the complexity of the matter and how long it takes to gather information. Expert opinions, records from employers and other third parties, several concerns about one practitioner, and a referral to a health or performance assessment, a panel or a tribunal each add time. Ask your case officer which stage the matter is at and what Ahpra is waiting for.
How often does Ahpra have to update me?
Ahpra says: "In longer notifications, we update you at least every three months." You are assigned a case officer you can contact at any time, and during an investigation the investigator speaks to you at key stages. If three months pass with no contact, ask in writing.
Does a long investigation mean a worse outcome?
No. Ahpra says length depends on complexity and information-gathering, not on the likely result. Ahpra's "What to expect" page says regulatory action is taken in 10 to 15% of cases, and its 2024/25 annual report says 81.1% of notifications were closed within six months of receipt.
What can I do while I wait for Ahpra's decision?
Answer every request on time, use the case discussion, and build dated evidence of change: a course on the subject of the concern with a written reflection, a supervisor's letter, an audit of your records, or a changed policy. Ahpra says it considers any steps taken by you or your workplace to strengthen your practice.
This article is published by Healthcare Ethics Australia for general information. It is not legal advice and does not replace advice from your indemnity insurer, professional association or a lawyer about your own matter.