New laws will allow Australia’s health regulator to name and shame doctors who are under investigation for misconduct, yet experts warn it will be used sparingly.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency is expected to gain the ability to make public statements about individuals who present “an immediate and serious risk to public safety”.

Australian Patients Association Acting Director David Clarke told Millsy and Karl on 6PR Breakfast the laws are aimed at practitioners who are well known for their detrimental effects to the medical system.

“They’re only really talking about doing something like this in the most extreme of circumstances, so it’s not actually a register that’s going to pick up somebody on a bad day,” Mr Clarke said.

Press PLAY to hear more on the crackdown on dodgy doctors