AHPRA apologises after mass email exposed doctors' identities

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency sent a bulk invitation to an addiction-focused webinar that revealed the email addresses of 136 health professionals, prompting apologies and a privacy complaint.

AHPRA mailed a July 29 invitation titled "Upcoming webinar on Addiction and recovery" to 136 health workers, inadvertently showing every recipient's address. The invitation targeted clinicians under investigation for substance-related health notifications, offering a forum to discuss experiences and ask anonymous questions. After the error was discovered, AHPRA instructed recipients to erase the email, apologized directly and notified the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman.

Recipients from hospitals in Melbourne, Sydney and regional locations reacted with strong criticism, citing privacy violations and potential defamation. Former regulator David Gardner described the breach as extraordinary and warned it could discourage practitioners from accessing treatment. AHPRA's national manager of regulatory experience, Susan Biggar, communicated the deletion request to the affected parties.