Held annually on 14 October, Allied Health Professions Day recognises the diverse professionals who support Australians’ health and wellbeing across communities and care settings. This year’s theme, ‘Allied health: For everyone, everywhere’, highlights the importance of equitable access to healthcare, regardless of where people live or their circumstances.
Australia is one of the most litigious countries in the world. With optometry’s widening scope of practice, complex patients and time pressures, Optometry Australia takes PII protection very seriously. Membership with Optometry Australia means you are automatically covered under our premium Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).
Australian optometry has earned international recognition, with three Australian researchers receiving major awards at the American Academy of Optometry’s 2026 Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California, on 2 October. This recognition highlights the significant contribution Australian optometrists are making to eye health research and innovation on the global stage.
Optometry Australia is preparing a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into access to and affordability of medical specialists, highlighting opportunities for optometrists to help improve access to eye care for patients.
New interim guidance from Ahpra reinforces the importance of independent clinical judgement and warns employers about commercial pressures that may compromise patient care. The guidance is particularly relevant to optometrists working in environments where commercial or financial incentives may intersect with clinical decision-making.
Being a member of Optometry Australia matters because advocacy is stronger when the profession stands together. The united Optometry Australia will advocate more powerfully, respond more effectively and pursue changes that individual practitioners cannot achieve alone.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and the National Boards are seeking feedback from registered practitioners to help inform the scope and priorities of the review. Ahpra has asked professional associations, including Optometry Australia, to help raise awareness of the consultation among registered practitioners.
Optometry Australia has confirmed its Board Office Bearers and the terms of office for its elected Directors after transitioning to a national organisation. With strong representation from across the profession, the Board brings together a breadth of experience, perspectives and commitment to supporting the future of optometry.
Under the new requirements, people aged 16 years and over who cannot hold a driver licence because of a medical condition or disability may be eligible for an E-Mobility Driver Licence Exemption. As AHPRA-registered health practitioners, optometrists may be asked to complete the E-Mobility Driver Licence Exemption form (F5464) where the reason a patient cannot hold a driver licence falls within their professional scope of practice.
Getting billing right is critical to professional practice. Whether you’re an employee, contractor, locum or practice owner, you need to understand your responsibilities when claiming from Medicare, DVA or private health insurers.
In the spirit of reconciliation Optometry Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
