On 18 May 2026, the Government introduced the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Amendment Bill. The Bill amends the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.
The Amendment Bill seeks to ensure health workforce regulation aligns with patient needs and health system priorities.
Proposed changes
Key changes proposed are:
- increased powers for the Minister of Health to direct workforce regulators, to ensure they are making decisions that benefit patients and the health system
- greater transparency and accountability of regulators, including new planning and reporting requirements
- setting up a streamlined process for reviewing decisions made by regulators about a practitioner’s registration.
Background
In 2023, the Ministry of Health began a review of health workforce regulation, including the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. This work is in line with the focus on workforce as a priority area, as reflected in the Government Policy Statement on Health 2024–27.
As part of this work, the Ministry began engaging with responsible authorities, professional associations, and other health sector stakeholders.
On 28 March 2025, the Ministry of Health published a discussion document titled Putting Patients First: Modernising health workforce regulation. Public consultation was open till 30 April 2025.
About the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
- The law behind health workforce regulation (the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003) is now more than 20 years old.
- New Zealand has 18 health regulators, known as responsible authorities.
- Each regulator is responsible for regulating different professions (such as nurses, doctors, or midwives).
- Some health professions, like counsellors, speech-language therapists, and audiologists, are either self-regulated or not regulated.
- Not all health professions are regulated under the Act, but this does not mean a profession lacks professional standards.
- All health professionals providing health and disability services, whether from regulated or self-regulated professions, are subject to the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights.
