Ethics and professionalism CPD for health practitioners in Australia [email protected]
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Online course · Australia

Probity and Financial Integrity for Health Practitioners

Honesty in Records, Billing, Declarations and Conflicts of Interest

  • About 2 hours
  • 15 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

Regulators treat dishonesty more seriously than most clinical errors, because it goes to whether a practitioner can be trusted at all. This course covers probity across records, certificates, billing, declarations and financial dealings, and the systems that make honesty the easy option.

The course opens with what probity means, where the obligation comes from, how probity problems develop and why dishonesty is treated so seriously. It then covers honesty in records, reports for insurers, employers, courts and funders, certificates and signatures, research and academic integrity, references and CVs.

Honest billing lessons cover principles of claiming, transparent fees, when billing practices become dishonest and correcting errors. Declarations lessons cover registration declarations, notice of certain events, employers, credentialing and insurers, and honesty after a mistake.

Later sections address conflicts of interest, referral benefits and pecuniary interests under the National Law, Ahpra's 2026 interim guidance on commercial conflicts, managing unavoidable conflicts, industry and sponsorship, gifts and bequests from patients, financial abuse, probity systems and speaking up.

What you will learn

  • Explain what probity means in practice and why a single dishonest act can outweigh years of good care
  • Know the National Law and code provisions on honesty, referral benefits and financial interests
  • Write notes, reports and certificates that say only what you know to be true
  • Bill every funder accurately, from Medicare and health funds to the NDIS, DVA and workers' compensation
  • Answer every declaration on a form, application or renewal truthfully
  • Tell patients about financial interests and manage conflicts under the September 2026 interim guidance
  • Decline or manage gifts, bequests and money offers from patients
  • Set up systems that make honest practice routine, and raise probity concerns about others

Who this course is for

  • Registered practitioners in every profession
  • Practitioners who bill Medicare, private insurers, the NDIS, DVA or workers' compensation
  • Practitioners who write reports, certificates or references
  • Practice owners and managers
  • Practitioners reflecting on a probity concern

How the course works

  1. Once you enrol, open the course from My Courses whenever it suits you. It runs in your browser on desktop or mobile, with nothing to install.

  2. Read 26 lessons grouped into 6 sections. Each lesson unlocks when you finish the one before, and your progress is kept in your browser between visits.

  3. Pause on the worked scenarios and reflection prompts. Anything you type is kept in your course pack, which you can download in Word format or print to PDF.

  4. Complete the final assessment of 15 scenario-based questions with a pass mark of 80% (12 of 15). Retakes are allowed.

  5. After the reflective account and feedback, the course is marked complete in your account and your certificate of completion becomes available. It states the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); log the time you actually spend.

Course content

7 sections · About 2 hours · 15-question final assessment

1Probity and Why Regulators Treat Dishonesty Seriously4 lessons
  • What Probity Means
  • Where the Obligation Comes From
  • How Probity Problems Develop
  • Why Dishonesty Is Treated So Seriously
2Honesty in Records, Reports and Certificates5 lessons
  • Records as Statements of Fact
  • Reports for Insurers, Employers, Courts and Funders
  • Certificates, Forms and Signatures
  • Research, Teaching and Academic Integrity
  • References, CVs and Describing Yourself
3Honest Billing, Fees and Claims4 lessons
  • Principles of Honest Claiming
  • Transparent Fees and Financial Consent
  • When Billing Practices Become Dishonest
  • Correcting Errors and Repaying Money
4Honest Declarations to Regulators, Employers and Others4 lessons
  • Registration Declarations
  • Notice of Certain Events
  • Employers, Credentialing and Insurers
  • Honesty When You Have Made a Mistake
5Conflicts of Interest5 lessons
  • Recognising Conflicts of Interest
  • Referral Benefits, Pecuniary Interests and the National Law
  • Ahpra's 2026 Interim Guidance on Commercial Conflicts
  • Managing a Conflict You Cannot Avoid
  • Industry, Gifts and Sponsorship
6Financial Dealings With Patients and a Culture of Integrity4 lessons
  • Gifts, Bequests and Financial Involvement With Patients
  • Recognising Financial Vulnerability and Abuse
  • Systems That Support Probity
  • Speaking Up About Probity Concerns
7Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (15 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

What is Ahpra's 2026 interim guidance on conflicts of interest?

In September 2026 Ahpra and the National Boards issued interim guidance on managing financial and commercial conflicts of interest, putting patients first and requiring disclosure to each patient. The course explains how to apply it.

Is a backdated certificate a probity issue?

Yes. Certificates and reports are statements of fact, and backdating or overstating them is dishonest. The course explains common pressures and how to respond.

Does the course cover NDIS and workers' compensation claims?

Yes. Each major funder is covered: Medicare, private health insurers, the NDIS, DVA and workers' compensation schemes, with examples of where claims go wrong.

What should I do if I find I have overclaimed?

Correct the error promptly, seek advice and consider voluntary repayment. The course explains how to correct errors honestly.

How should I record this course in my CPD log?

Log the date, the course name and the time you actually spend; the certificate shows only the estimated learning time. Add two or three lines on what you will do differently, and file the certificate next to your reflective account.

Who runs this course?

Probity Courses, an education provider with no affiliation to Ahpra, the National Boards or any regulator. Your Board's own codes and guidelines always take precedence over course material.

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