Do not encourage indiscriminate or unnecessary use of services
Ahpra advertising guidelines Unnecessary use, 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 Unnecessary use
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.
Advertising must not directly or indirectly encourage indiscriminate or unnecessary use of a regulated health service. It may be unlawful where it creates urgency tied to health suffering without clinical basis, using phrases such as don't delay or time is running out, encourages regular appointments or contracting for future services without clinical indication, or uses prizes, discounts or gifts that would draw people regardless of clinical need, such as entry into a draw for a car on each cosmetic injection visit.
- Campaign review checklist covering urgency language, recall and prepaid plans, and incentive value
- Clinical indication policy for recall and package offers
- Prize draw entry for every cosmetic procedure booked
- Prepaid treatment plan promoted with no clinical assessment
| Ref | Held (yes, partly, no, not applicable) | Where it is kept | Owner | Last reviewed | Next review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnecessary use |
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
- Title descriptorsAdd descriptive terms to a protected title only where they do not overstate skill or imply a specialty
- TestimonialsDo not use testimonials or purported testimonials in advertising
- Specialist wordingAvoid 'specialist' wording without specialist registration and do not overstate a specialty
- Specialist titlesUse specialist and endorsement titles only when held
- Review functionsControl review functions you run and know where responsibility sits
- Checking advertisingCheck all advertising regularly and read it for overall impression
- QualificationsDescribe qualifications, experience and memberships accurately
- Position titlesUse employment position titles only within their employment context
- 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