Health Policy

The Albanese government is stepping up policy actions aimed at making general practice more bulk billed. It has introduced incentive payments to practices that fully bulk bill and has used targeted le...

GP training numbers are up at least 20% this year, yet the GP supervisor workforce remains under supported. A rare joint statement from the National Council of Primary Care Doctors urges governments t...

The Australian National Audit Office is examining whether the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s use of AI to manage health provider non-compliance is effective. The ANAO has asked four gov...

Cleanbill released a geographic breakdown of self-reported bulk-billing data gathered between November and mid-December 2025, in the weeks after universal bulk billing became a requirement under the b...

AMA NSW has presented to the NSW Youth Justice Inquiry, calling for a needs-based support model and a whole-of-government approach to curb youth contact with the justice system. The submission highlig...

The Albanese government is rolling out reforms designed to improve the integrity and sustainability of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and protect participants from harm. Yet the prote...

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration has moved to remove Andrographis paniculata from the list of permitted ingredients in listed medicines after a pattern of anaphylaxis reports. Andrographis...

In Canberra on 16 and 17 June health industry leaders gather for a prevention workshop and summit to define where the system sits on prevention and how to plan for it. Accenture Health will facilitate...

Australian clinicians have access to the country’s first dedicated clinical practice guidelines for identifying and treating children and teenagers in acute mental health distress. The guideline was d...

From 1 April 2026 the National Health Service made it mandatory for GPs to obtain advice from a consultant or senior clinician before referring patients to hospital specialists. The Advice and Guidanc...

The Northern Territory Government is advancing a plan announced in 2024 to let trained pharmacists autonomously prescribe for 21 conditions. As the expansion progresses, GPs in the NT are being consul...

Western Australia has expanded its state funded infant RSV immunisation program to offer free nirsevimab to all babies born between 1 October 2025 and 31 March 2026. The decision, announced by the WA...

A proposed $100 million Arthritis and Musculoskeletal disease research mission would be funded from existing MRFF resources. The plan argues a dedicated AMSK MRFF Mission would improve outcomes for Au...

Australian clinicians are being invited to share real world experiences with self collection cervical screening as researchers assess whether more flexible access models could raise participation and...

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has launched a public consultation on changes to how sunscreen is regulated, with responses due by 23 May. The proposal covers improving SPF testing reliability, e...

At the Australian Financial Review healthcare summit in Sydney, Dr Nick Coatsworth challenged simple budget splits and highlighted the NDIS as a major, growing funding item. He floated moving some NDI...

Following serious allegations about a Victorian gynaecologist, a new support package widens the role of general practitioners in care navigation. The Federal Government announced a 7.45 million packag...

Private health premiums rose 4.4 per cent on 1 April, matching the 4.4 per cent rise in the medical hospital services category of the ABS CPI. This occurs as the health system remains tilted toward ex...

Australia's Commonwealth government has announced a $7.45 million funding package for Victoria to strengthen pelvic pain care in general practice. Part of the money will back Primary Health Networks t...

An international alliance led by AUSactive, the World Obesity Federation and Exercise New Zealand released a joint position statement urging governments to subsidise and align lifestyle interventions...