About our Council and members
Our role as a health regulator
We manage concerns about how physiotherapists behave, their professional performance, or whether their health is affecting patient care.
We work closely with the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) to regulate registered practitioners. Both regulators are entrusted with protecting the public, but we have different powers under the law.
The HCCC can conduct investigations and prosecute practitioners. The Council helps them meet the standards needed to practise safely, and this can include placing restrictions, or conditions, on their registration.
We have emergency interim powers to suspend or restrict practitioners if we think there is an immediate public safety risk – or if we need to act in the public interest. But our role is to protect patients rather than punish practitioners.
How our Council is formed
The Physiotherapy Council is one of 15 Health Professional Councils in NSW. We have 6 practitioner members, one legal member and 3 community members.
Practitioners and members of the community apply in response to public advertisements calling for expressions of interest. Professional associations also nominate practitioners to our Council.
The NSW Minister for Health nominates both practitioner and community members based on the skills, experience and knowledge needed for the role.
Current members of the Physiotherapy Council
President and practitioner
Mr Toni Andary
Deputy president and practitioner
Associate Professor Susan Coulson
Practitioner members
Ms Wendy Annable
Mr David Cross
Ms Kerry West
Dr Serena Hong
Community members
Ms Ellen O’Brien
Mr Luke Williamson
Ms Peta Drake
Legal member
Ms Kimia Randall
How we work with the Health Professional Councils Authority
The HPCA manages the Council’s day-to-day business, from initial complaints assessment to complaint case management, and monitoring practitioners with conditions on their registration.
We work closely with our HPCA executive officer and their team, and other staff members across the HPCA, who provide legal, financial and other corporate advice.
Their work is important to our role as the regulatory decision maker. We have different, but complementary, responsibilities.