After a notification, Ahpra and your National Board can ask for a reflection at two points: in your written response to the notification, and in a reflective practice report after a course that a condition on your registration requires. For the report, Ahpra's information sheet sets out four steps, about 200 to 250 words each: describe what happened and the course you completed; your response and feelings; your evaluation of what you learned; and your conclusions and the changes you have made. The reflection in your response can follow the same order in a shorter form. In both, the Board is looking for evidence that you understand the concern and have changed your practice, not for an apology alone.
If a concern has been raised about your practice, Reflection for Fitness to Practise covers how to write a reflection that can be read against the concern and your records. It is A$200 (A$140 with Bulk Buy 10) for 2 CPD hours, self-paced, with a dated certificate on completion.
For what happens to a notification stage by stage, read the Ahpra investigation process explained. For what the Board means by insight, read what Ahpra means by insight and remediation.
The two reflections Ahpra and the Boards ask for
- A reflective statement in your response to the notification. MDA National says a response is generally sought at the outset, and describes "a considered and reflective response" as the best opportunity to defend your performance or conduct. Your indemnity insurer should read it before you send it.
- A reflective practice report under a condition. A condition on your registration can require you to complete a course and then give the Board a reflective practice report. Ahpra publishes an information sheet on how to write it.
The reflective practice report: the four steps
Ahpra's reflective reports information sheet bases its structure on Gibbs' reflective cycle and recommends about 200 to 250 words for each step. There is no strict word limit, and the sheet says its format is not the only acceptable one.
| Step | What to cover |
|---|---|
| 1. Description | First, what happened, set out objectively: when, where, who was involved (without identifying anyone), what you did, what others did, the outcome, and the effect on you and others. Second, the course you completed and its main lessons. |
| 2. Feelings and response | Your response to the original situation, to the Board's conditions and to the course: what you thought and felt before, during and immediately after the course, and how you see it now in relation to the concern. |
| 3. Evaluation and analysis | Whether the course helped you and why: the most valuable part, what was new to you, and how it relates to what happened. Name the features of the situation that mattered most. |
| 4. Conclusion and change | What you would do differently, how you would respond if you saw a colleague practise in the same way, the skills you still need to develop, and the steps you have taken or will take to improve. |
The sheet also suggests referring to the registration standards, codes and guidelines that apply to your practice. An action plan is not required, but the sheet says one can help: concrete steps with a timeline, which can also form part of your continuing professional development plan.
The reflection in your response to the notification
Your response comes before any condition is imposed, so it reflects on the events and on what you have done since. A useful order is the same four steps in a shorter form:
- What happened, described accurately and with the clinical records to support it.
- What you understand now about why the concern was raised, including how the events looked to the patient or colleague involved.
- What you have learned, linked to the code or standard that applies to your profession.
- What you have changed, with evidence: a course completed, an audit of your records, a change to how you document consent, supervision or mentoring you have arranged.
In a case MDA National published in 2026, a general practitioner described the changes he had made to how he recorded shared decisions and the time he allowed for complex patients, and sent the certificates for the training he had completed with his written response.
Mistakes that weaken a reflection
- Feelings without analysis. Describing how upsetting the notification has been, with no account of what you have learned from the events.
- Course content instead of your own practice. Repeating what the course taught, with no link to what happened and to how you work now.
- Blame or argument. Criticising the notifier or colleagues. Where the facts are disputed, your insurer will advise on how to set that out separately.
- Promises without evidence. Saying you will change without saying how, by when, and how the Board will be able to see it.
- Identifying details. Naming a patient or colleague. Describe people by their role.
Where a course fits
A course gives your reflection something concrete to evaluate in step 3 and evidence to point to in step 4. The Reflection for Fitness to Practise course takes you through writing a reflection for a notification, and the Insight for Fitness to Practise course covers what the Board means by insight. Alongside them, a course on the subject of the concern, such as professional boundaries or documentation, gives the reflection its subject matter.
Sources and further reading
- Ahpra: Reflective reports information sheet
- Dental Board of Australia: Guidance on reflective practice reports (2021)
- MDA National: Receiving a notification (2026)
Frequently asked questions
How long should a reflective practice report be?
Ahpra's information sheet recommends about 200 to 250 words for each of its four steps, so about 800 to 1,000 words in all. There is no strict word limit.
Do I have to use the four-step format?
Not necessarily. Ahpra's information sheet says its format is not the only acceptable one, but the wording of your condition decides what is needed. The sheet is endorsed by every National Board except the Medical Board of Australia, so a doctor should check the wording of the condition and ask the case officer what the Medical Board expects.
Is an action plan required?
No, but the information sheet says one can help: concrete steps with a timeline, which can also form part of your continuing professional development plan.
Should my reflection name the patient or colleague involved?
No. Describe what happened and who was involved without identifying anyone, by role only.
When do I write the report, before or after the course?
After. The report describes the course you completed and what you learned from it. The reflection in your response to the notification comes earlier and covers the events and what you have done since.
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.