Sexual misconduct complaints against health workers are rising, with the industry regulator receiving more than two reports of inappropriate behaviour per day.
Some 841 complaints were made about professionals violating boundaries in 2022/23, more than double the number received in the last financial year before the pandemic.
Medical Board of Australia member Christine Gee said there was zero tolerance for sexual misconduct and any practitioner under investigation would be suspended if there was a risk to the public.
"The whole system has been improved and strengthened," Ms Gee said.
"Any hint of departure from appropriate professional boundaries is escalated quickly."
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency received reports about 728 individuals.
Most were about doctors followed by nurses and psychologists, but the regulator also noted a steady rise in complaints against physiotherapists.
A boundary violation is defined as any behaviour blurring professional and personal relationships with patients, in addition to anything criminal, sexual or unethical.
Complaints ranged from inappropriate remarks to power imbalances, touching patients without consent and aggressive sexual criminal offending.
It received 84 fewer reports in the 12 months to June 2023 than during the previous year.
The regulator believes the overall growing number of complaints is because of a push to encourage patients to come forward.
It called on anyone with concerns about the behaviour of health workers to come forward, no matter how long ago an incident happened.
"While it’s distressing to hear about any case of sexual misconduct in the health system, it’s even more devastating if these incidents go unreported," the regulator's chief executive Martin Fletcher said.
The regulator recruited 10 extra staff to deal with the influx of complaints.
Reports are made against fewer than two per cent of Australian health practitioners each year.
