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

Sexual Boundaries and Preventing Sexual Misconduct in Australian Healthcare

Recognising Grooming, Protecting Patients and Responding to Concerns

  • About 3 hours
  • 20 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

Sexual misconduct by a health practitioner causes deep and lasting harm, and it rarely begins with an obvious violation. This three-hour course explains the standards that apply, the warning signs that come first and the safeguards that protect patients, colleagues and practitioners.

The course begins with power, trust and the therapeutic relationship, the standards that apply to you, what counts as sexual misconduct and the harm it causes. It then covers crossings and violations, warning signs, risk factors, self-disclosure, gifts and blurred roles.

A section on grooming explains what it looks like in health care, common behaviours, children and families, and digital contact. Intimate and close-contact care is covered in detail: what makes an examination intimate, consent before and during, privacy and conduct, observers and support persons. Relationship lessons cover current patients, former patients, people close to a patient and what to do when attraction arises.

Later sections deal with harassment of colleagues and students, sexualised patient behaviour, conduct outside practice, responding to disclosures and complaints, mandatory notifications, organisational responsibilities, how regulators handle sexual misconduct, the 2026 reforms to the public register and reinstatement, what to do if you are the subject of an allegation, and building personal and team safeguards.

What you will learn

  • Explain why responsibility for sexual boundaries rests with the practitioner and why consent from a patient is no defence
  • Locate the National Law provisions, codes and guidance on sexual boundaries
  • Catch early signs of boundary erosion in your own behaviour
  • Spot grooming behaviour, whether it targets a patient, their family, staff or the organisation itself
  • Carry out intimate and close-contact care with consent, dignity and appropriate observers
  • Judge the risk in a relationship with a former patient, or with someone close to a current patient, before it starts
  • Respond safely to harassment of colleagues and to sexualised behaviour by patients
  • Respond to a disclosure in a trauma-informed way and meet your notification duties

Who this course is for

  • Registered practitioners in every profession
  • Practitioners who perform intimate examinations or close-contact care
  • Practice owners, managers and clinical leaders
  • Supervisors and educators
  • Practitioners reflecting on a boundary concern with advice from their adviser

How the course works

  1. Enrol online and the course appears under My Courses in your Probity Courses account, ready to open on a computer, tablet or phone.

  2. Work through 8 sections and 31 short lessons in order, at your own pace. Your place is saved in the browser you use, so you can stop and come back.

  3. Use the key points, scenarios and reflection prompts in each section, and write your own notes as you go; they stay with your course pack.

  4. Finish with a 20-question final assessment. You need 16 correct answers (80%) to pass, and you can retake it after a short pause if needed.

  5. Write your reflective account, submit the short feedback form and your completion is recorded. Download a certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 3 hours); record the time you actually spend.

Course content

9 sections · About 3 hours · 20-question final assessment

1Why Sexual Boundaries Matter4 lessons
  • Power, Trust and the Therapeutic Relationship
  • The Standards That Apply to You
  • What Counts as Sexual Misconduct
  • The Harm Caused by Sexual Misconduct
2Boundary Crossings, Violations and Warning Signs4 lessons
  • Crossings and Violations
  • Warning Signs in Your Own Behaviour
  • Risk Factors: Practitioner, Patient and Setting
  • Self-Disclosure, Gifts and Blurred Roles
3Recognising Grooming4 lessons
  • What Grooming Looks Like in Health Care
  • Common Grooming Behaviours
  • Children, Young People and Families
  • Digital Contact and Online Grooming
4Intimate and Close-Contact Care Done Safely4 lessons
  • What Makes an Examination or Procedure Intimate
  • Consent Before and During Intimate Care
  • Privacy, Dignity and Professional Conduct During Examinations
  • Observers, Support Persons and Profession-Specific Practice
5Relationships with Patients, Former Patients and Those Close to Them4 lessons
  • Current Patients: A Clear Line
  • Former Patients
  • People Close to a Patient
  • When Attraction Arises
6Sexual Harassment, Colleagues and Conduct Outside Practice3 lessons
  • Sexual Harassment of Colleagues and Students
  • When Patients Behave Sexually Towards Practitioners
  • Conduct Outside Practice
7Responding to Concerns4 lessons
  • When a Patient Discloses or Complains
  • Mandatory Notifications About Sexual Misconduct
  • Other Reporting Pathways and Organisational Responsibilities
  • Supporting People Affected
8Regulatory Consequences and Prevention4 lessons
  • How Regulators Handle Sexual Misconduct
  • Recent Reforms: Transparency and Protection
  • If You Are the Subject of an Allegation
  • Building Personal and Team Safeguards
9Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (20 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 3 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

What changed in 2026 about sexual misconduct findings?

From 10 April 2026, amendments to the National Law require tribunal findings of professional misconduct involving sexual misconduct to be recorded on the public register, with limited exceptions, and introduced national reinstatement order requirements. The course explains the practical effect.

Is a relationship with a former patient always prohibited?

Not always, but it can be a serious breach depending on factors such as the nature of the care, how long ago it ended and the patient's vulnerability. Some professions and settings, such as mental health, carry much stricter expectations.

Do I have to notify Ahpra about a colleague's sexual misconduct?

Yes, once you reasonably believe a colleague has engaged in sexual misconduct connected with their practice, a mandatory notification is required. Treating practitioners face a different test. The course works through the threshold and the exceptions.

Is this course suitable if I have been asked to complete education on boundaries?

It covers the standards in depth. If the requirement comes from a condition or undertaking, confirm with Ahpra or the Board that a specific course will be accepted before relying on it.

Can I count this course towards my CPD?

That is your call under your Board's CPD standard: you choose activities that match your scope and the learning needs in your plan. If this course fits, file the certificate of completion, record the time you actually spend and note one change you will make in practice.

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