The national system of chaperones for doctors who are accused of violating sexual boundaries is not working and needs to be reviewed, Victoria's Health Minister Jill Hennessy says.

Forty-six medical practitioners across Australia have chaperone restrictions on their registration because of complaints made against them about a boundary violation.

The Medical Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) said the restrictions were generally interim measures imposed where there were allegations of serious sexual misconduct.

Ms Hennessy said the chaperone system had clearly not worked "in a very tragic set of circumstances".

The allegations involved Dr Andrew Churchyard, a Victorian neurologist who was accused of molesting a number of patients before taking his own life last year.

Patient Tom Monagle told 774 ABC Melbourne he had been groped twice and was told to go to police rather than have the complaint lodged through the regulator AHPRA.

"I don't really have any confidence had we not gone in to contact police ourselves that much would've been done about what was happening," he said.

Ms Hennessy said she believed there was "clear evidence" the system had not worked.

"I think we're entitled to say to the national regulator of doctors that patient safety has been compromised and that perhaps chaperones should not be used going into the future," she said.

Patient's interests must come first

The Medical Board and AHPRA said in a statement the chaperone guidelines were "legally enforceable and actively monitored".

"Chaperone restrictions are designed to manage risk to the public when there is insufficient evidence for the board to take stronger action such as suspending the practitioner," the regulators said in a statement.

"Clearly visible signage stating a chaperone may be required must be displayed by employers whenever a health practitioner has chaperoning restrictions on their registration."

Ms Hennessy said she had proposed a suite of legislative reforms that would be considered at the next national meeting of health ministers in October.

"Fundamentally doctors are regulated at a national level and I think we've got to give national reform an opportunity to fulfil its promise and its purpose," she said.

"I do think that it's got to put the interests of patient safety ahead of the interests of doctors."