Control review functions you run and know where responsibility sits
Ahpra advertising guidelines Review functions, stated plainly and cited to the edition held, with the evidence an auditor or the regulator asks for, the common gaps, and a free worksheet to fill in.
Advertising guidelines Review functions
Ahpra and the National Boards
Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service, December 2020 edition, effective 14 December 2020
6 October 2026, Ahpra advertising guidelines page read 6 October 2026: still the current edition
Anyone advertising a regulated health service, including a practice owner who is not registered, for occupational therapy, physiotherapy and psychology services.
The printed edition predates the higher penalties for advertising offences: up to 60,000 dollars for an individual and 120,000 dollars for a body corporate, in every jurisdiction from 1 July 2024. The guidelines will be updated when next reviewed.
The advertiser, meaning whoever controls the site or review function, is responsible for testimonials in advertising: the clinic for its own website and business social media (reviews may need to be switched off where they cannot be edited), and the platform owner for third-party booking or review sites the clinic does not control. Patients remain free to post reviews on independent platforms and an advertiser need not chase removal of them, but engaging with reviews on a third-party site can itself use a testimonial.
- Inventory of every site and social account the clinic controls with the status of its review function
- Rules for staff replying to third-party reviews
- Business social page with reviews switched on and clinical comments showing
- Staff thanking a reviewer for a clinical outcome on a booking site
| Ref | Held (yes, partly, no, not applicable) | Where it is kept | Owner | Last reviewed | Next review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Review functions |
Completing this worksheet records what your practice holds and where. It does not make a practice compliant or ready for audit, and it is not legal advice.
Related requirements
Ahpra advertising guidelines
- Checking advertisingCheck all advertising regularly and read it for overall impression
- Specialist titlesUse specialist and endorsement titles only when held
- QualificationsDescribe qualifications, experience and memberships accurately
- Specialist wordingAvoid 'specialist' wording without specialist registration and do not overstate a specialty
- Position titlesUse employment position titles only within their employment context
- TestimonialsDo not use testimonials or purported testimonials in advertising
- MisleadingDo not publish false, misleading or deceptive advertising
- Title descriptorsAdd descriptive terms to a protected title only where they do not overstate skill or imply a specialty
- Every page of this instrument
The same topic in other instruments (advertising)
- National Law s 113Protected titles only for persons registered in the profession
- National Law s 115Specialist titles only for specialist registrants
- National Law s 116No claims to be a registered health practitioner by unregistered persons
- National Law s 117No claims of registration in a profession or division not held
- Ahpra shared Code of conduct 8.5Advertising
- Psychology Board Code of conduct 8.7Advertising
See every requirement for your practiceSee the specimen practice