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A 2005 report by the Productivity Commission [indexed at TD/TNC 87.2256] examined 'issues impacting on the health workforce, including the supply of, and demand for, health workforce professionals'. It proposed 'solutions to ensure the continued delivery of quality healthcare over the next 10 years'. The Commission's report recommended the establishment of a single national registration and accreditation scheme to enable the Australian health workforce to deal with shortages and associated pressures; to increase its flexibility, responsiveness, sustainability and mobility; and to reduce red tape. Consequently, in March 2009 the Senate referred the design of the proposed national registration and accreditation scheme for doctors and other health workers (NRAS/the Scheme) to the Senate Community Affairs Committee (the Committee) for inquiry and report by 18 June 2009. The terms of reference for the inquiry asked the Committee to consider the design of NRAS including: the impact of the Scheme on state and territory health services; the impact of the Scheme on patient care and safety; the effect of the Scheme on standards of training and qualification of relevant health professionals; how the Scheme will affect complaints management and disciplinary processes within particular professional streams; the appropriate role, if any, in the Scheme for state and territory registration boards; and alternative models for implementation of the Scheme. This report of the inquiry makes a number of recommendations to the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council in relation to the the proposed NRAS. It includes a minority report by the Coalition senators and additional comments by the Greens senator.