Practical guides for Australian healthcare practices
NDIS, Medicare, RACGP accreditation, awards and pay, privacy and cyber security. Written for practice managers and practice owners who need real answers, not legal jargon.
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AI Privacy for Healthcare: 2026 OAIC Compliance Guide
AI scribes, diagnostic tools, and ChatGPT in Australian healthcare: what OAIC and the Privacy Act 1988 require, APP 8 cross-border rules, the new RACGP 6th edition F11 artificial intelligence criteria, and the December 2026 automated decision-making disclosure deadline.
26
AUG
Securing the NDIS Bill Is Now Law: What Commences 27 August 2026 and Every Date to 2030
The Securing the NDIS Bill received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026 as Act No. 66 of 2026. Seven parts commence 27 August 2026. Every dated commencement to 2030.
RACGP 6th Edition Released: What Changes and What to Do Now
The RACGP released the Standards for general practices (6th edition) on 26 August 2026. Here is what is in it, what your practice is still assessed against, and the preparation worth doing before the ACSQHC sets the transition arrangements.
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NDIS & Disability
24 guidesRegistration, Practice Standards, audits, pricing and the NDIS Commission.
Securing the NDIS Bill Is Now Law: What Commences 27 August 2026 and Every Date to 2030
The Securing the NDIS Bill received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026 as Act No. 66 of 2026. Seven parts commence 27 August 2026. Every dated commencement to 2030.
NDIS Audit Guide 2026: Pathways, Mid-Term Audits and the Checklist
NDIS audit checklist and pathway guide: which audit your registration groups trigger, what Stage 1 and Stage 2 assess, and the evidence auditors ask for.
NDIS SIL Mandatory Registration: What Has to Happen Before 1 October 2026
NDIS SIL mandatory registration: apply under the new 0138 group by 1 October 2026 and you can keep delivering while the audit runs. Here is the process.
22 NDIS Support Items Stop Working on 30 September 2026
22 NDIS support items are retired on 30 September 2026, including two nursing items and the plan manager setup fee. The full list, and what replaces each.
NDIS Billing for Allied Health: What You Can Charge in 2026-27
NDIS non-face-to-face billing rules for allied health in 2026-27. What OTs, physios, speech pathologists and psychologists can legally claim, which line item to use, and what gets providers in trouble.
Who Can Claim Each NDIS Therapy Rate in 2026-27 (and What Auditors Check)
The NDIS therapy rate you can charge depends on a professional body membership, not a degree. Here is the credential that gates each line item, and what happens when one lapses.
NDIS 10% Price Cut for Unregistered Providers: What 1 January 2027 Actually Means
The NDIA recommended cutting community participation prices 10% for unregistered providers from 1 January 2027. It is not in the Pricing Schedule. Here is what is real.
NDIS Claiming Rules 2026-27: What the Pricing Schedule Left Out
NDIS claiming rules 2026-27: prices and the Support Catalogue are published, but the PAPL rules document for travel, non-face-to-face and cancellations is not.
NDIS Changes on 1 October 2026: The Deadlines That Bite
NDIS changes on 1 October 2026: the SIL and platform registration deadline, the 30 September portal lockout, and where the budget resets actually stand.
5 Reasons NDIS Providers Get Banned in 2026 (and How to Avoid Each One)
The five recurring grounds behind NDIS Commission banning orders, the 2026 Fraud Fusion Taskforce cases that show the pattern, and the control that protects a compliant provider against each one.
NDIS Pricing 2026-27: What Changes on 1 July for Providers
NDIS price guide 2026-27, effective 1 July: psychology up, dietetics and exercise physiology cut, new therapy line items, 4.8% support worker rise.
Updating NDIS Service Agreements for the 1 July 2026 Price Changes
NDIS service agreement requirements for 2026: the mandatory inclusions every provider needs and how to update agreements before the 1 July price changes.
NDIS Changes 1 July 2026: What Providers Must Know
NDIS changes on 1 July 2026: mandatory SIL and platform registration, a new SIL Practice Standards module, the published 2026-27 prices, and a provider checklist.
Thriving Kids 1 October 2026: Early Childhood and Allied Health Impact
From 1 October 2026, Thriving Kids replaces the NDIS access pathway for many children 8 and under. What paediatric allied health providers must do now.
NDIS Support Coordination 2026: The Mandatory Registration Pause
Mandatory registration for standard support coordinators (group 0106) has been paused while the government designs a commissioned model starting July 2028. Specialist support coordinators (group 0132) remain subject to existing certification requirements. All support coordinators, registered or not, still face Code of Conduct penalties up to $91,000 per breach.
NDIS Practice Standards 2026: Modules by Registration Group
Which NDIS Practice Standards modules apply to you: the Verification Module, the four Core Module divisions, and Specialist Modules by registration group.
NDIS Registration Groups Explained: All 36, Audit Type, Mandatory Status
There are 36 NDIS registration groups across 7 categories. Eight trigger a certification audit; the rest use verification. From 1 July 2026, SIL providers must be registered or face criminal charges. Allied health, plan managers and standard support coordinators use the lighter verification pathway.
NDIS Unregistered Providers 2026: The Compliance Obligations You Still Have
Being unregistered with the NDIS does not mean being unregulated. Code of Conduct breaches carry civil penalties up to $91,000 per incident, the NDIS Amendment Act 2025 created new criminal offences applying to unregistered providers, and the Commission named unregistered enforcement a 2025-26 priority.
NDIS Worker Screening: What Providers Must Do After the Clearance Arrives
A worker's NDIS clearance is the start of your obligation, not the end. Checks from February 2021 are expiring now, SIL mandatory registration arrives 1 July 2026, and the NDIS Commission's 2025-26 priorities name worker monitoring as a compliance target.
NDIS New Framework Planning 2026: What Allied Health Providers Need to Know
From 1 July 2026, NDIA staff using the I-CAN v6 tool replace allied health reports as the primary evidence source for most adult NDIS plans. Here is what OTs, physios, and speech pathologists need to know before the rollout begins.
NDIS Restrictive Practices Compliance 2026: Provider Guide
Regulated restrictive practices are the NDIS Commission's number one regulatory priority for 2025-26, with enforcement actions up 214% year on year. This guide covers the five types of regulated restrictive practices, behaviour support plan requirements, state authorisation obligations, and what every implementing provider must have in place.
NDIS Amendment Bill 2025: Criminal Penalties, SIL, July 2026 Deadline
The NDIS Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025 passed Parliament on 31 March 2026. Criminal penalties, mandatory SIL registration, and expanded banning powers are now law. Here's what changes and what to do next.
NDIS Fraud 2026: $86M Blocked, 2,500 Providers Disrupted
NDIS Fraud Fusion Taskforce stats for 2026: $86M blocked, 635 active investigations, 2,500 providers disrupted, 20,000 high-risk claims reviewed monthly. What compliant providers must do now.
NDIS Provider Registration and Compliance: Healthcare Practice Guide
A practical guide to NDIS registration, audit types, and ongoing compliance for Australian healthcare providers, including GP practices, allied health, and dental clinics.
Medicare & Billing
12 guidesMBS items, bulk billing, DVA fees, PSR audits and the incentive programs.
Medicare Assignment of Benefit 2026: Verbal Consent Until 30 June 2027
Medicare assignment of benefit changes 2026: verbal bulk billing consent is now law until 30 June 2027. The record wording, forms, dates and what ends.
Medicare 80/20 Rule 2026: What Counts After the 13 August Change
The Medicare 80/20 rule changed on 13 August 2026. DVA-funded attendances now count toward the prescribed pattern, and the MBS item lists were refreshed.
DVA Fee Schedule 2026: Every Discipline and What Changed on 1 July
DVA fee schedule 2026: 20 dental and allied health schedules plus medical services took effect 1 July 2026. What changed, and how to check an item.
Medicare Integrity Crackdown 2026: What the Budget Means for Practices
The 2026-27 Budget put $146.8m into Medicare integrity and fraud detection from 1 July 2026. Here is what the crackdown targets and what practices must do.
Medicare Changes 1 July 2026: What GPs and Practices Must Know
Medicare changes on 1 July 2026: 2.6% MBS indexation, digital bulk billing consent, the My Health Record upload mandate, and a practice readiness checklist.
PSR Compliance 2026: Care Plan Template Risk and Six-Figure Repayments
What the PSR is targeting in 2026: non-individualised care plan templates, the 80/20 and 30/20 rules, and the six-figure repayments GPs are agreeing to.
ePIP Compliance 2026: Shared Health Summaries and Non-Compliance Letters
ePIP compliance hinges on uploading shared health summaries for 0.5% of your SWPE each quarter. Miss the target and the department claws back the payment.
Better Access 2026: GP Compliance After the November 2025 MHTP Overhaul
Twelve MBS items for mental health treatment plan reviews and consultations were removed from 1 November 2025. Practices still using old workflows or failing the new MyMedicare and telehealth clinical relationship rules face audit risk in 2026.
MBS March 2026: Patient-End Support, ECG 11714, Health Assessments
Three MBS changes took effect 1 March 2026: new Patient-End Support items for GPs attending specialist video consults, ECG item 11714 restored with a documentation requirement, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments freed from age-based clinical activity restrictions.
Telehealth Medicare Billing 2026: New MBS Items, 80/20 Rule, MyMedicare
Telehealth Medicare billing rules for 2026: 23 new MBS items, MyMedicare 12-month rule exemption, the 80/20 and 30/20 rules, and $1.7M in recent PSR repayments. Compliance guide for GPs.
Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP) Compliance Guide
BBPIP compliance demands every eligible service be bulk billed for every eligible patient. Here's what your practice needs to track each quarter to qualify and avoid clawback.
MyMedicare Compliance Obligations for Registered Practices in 2026
MyMedicare registration unlocks chronic condition items, telehealth access, and BBPIP eligibility, but only if your practice meets the accreditation, enrolment, and record-keeping obligations.
RACGP & Accreditation
8 guidesRACGP Standards, the 6th Edition migration, CQI activities and surveyor evidence.
RACGP 6th Edition Released: What Changes and What to Do Now
The RACGP released the Standards for general practices (6th edition) on 26 August 2026. Here is what is in it, what your practice is still assessed against, and the preparation worth doing before the ACSQHC sets the transition arrangements.
RACGP 6th Edition Standards: The Five Standards and What Is New
What is inside the RACGP Standards for general practices (6th edition), released 26 August 2026: the five standards, all 35 criteria sets, which criteria are new, and how required and aspirational criteria now work.
Significant Event Analysis in General Practice: RACGP Step-by-Step Guide
Significant event analysis is a mandatory clinical governance activity under RACGP accreditation, and a valid CQI evidence type under the RACGP Standards. Most practices log incidents but never complete the structured review the Standards actually require.
Informed Consent Documentation in Australian Healthcare (2026)
Rogers v Whitaker requires disclosure of all material risks before any procedure. AHPRA's Shared Code of Conduct and RACGP Criterion C1.3 specify exactly what must be documented. Consent record gaps are a leading driver of medico-legal claims and AHPRA notifications.
Patient Complaint Handling in General Practice: RACGP Requirements
RACGP Criterion QI1.2 requires every accredited GP practice to maintain a documented complaint system and a complaints register as evidence. Unresolved complaints can escalate to state Health Complaints Commissioners or AHPRA. This guide covers what your system must include and how each pathway works.
Clinical Audits for RACGP Accreditation: A Step-by-Step Guide
An incomplete audit cycle is one of the most common reasons GP practices receive conditional RACGP accreditation. Under Criteria QI1.1 and QI1.3 of the RACGP Standards, practices must maintain ongoing, documented quality improvement activity. This guide covers every stage surveyors will check.
7 Common RACGP Accreditation Failures in Australian GP Clinics
Based on data from over 3,000 Australian GP practices, these are the accreditation gaps that most often catch clinics out. Plus, practical fixes for each one.
Getting Started with RACGP Accreditation for Practice Managers
A practical overview of RACGP 5th Edition accreditation for practice managers: what to expect, where to start, and how to organise your IT evidence.
Employment & Pay
7 guidesAwards and classifications, pay rises, payroll tax, contractors and work health and safety.
Medical Practice Payroll Underpayment: The $17M Fair Work Warning
A Merrylands medical centre was penalised $36,000 in 2026 for ignoring a Fair Work notice over an underpaid nurse, while two aged care groups signed $17M in undertakings. Here is the pattern and how to self-audit.
SCHADS Award Changes: 15% Home Care Rise on 1 October 2026, New Classifications in 2027
The Fair Work Commission has redrawn the SCHADS Award: a 15% interim rise for home care disability workers from 1 October 2026, and a whole-of-award reclassification from 1 October 2027. What NDIS and disability providers must plan for now.
Health Professionals Award: What Changes on 1 October 2026
The Health Professionals Award gets a new classification structure and stage 1 pay rises on 1 October 2026. What every practice must do before the deadline.
NSW WHS Codes Become Enforceable on 1 July 2026: Practice Guide
From 1 July 2026, NSW WHS codes of practice become an enforceable duty. Here is what the change means for health and care practices, and what to do now.
Practice Employer Changes 1 July 2026: Payday Super and Award Rise
From 1 July 2026 super must be paid every payday and award rates rise 4.75%. What every healthcare practice employer must fix before the deadline.
GP Payroll Tax 2026: State-by-State Status After the Amnesties Ended
GP payroll tax 2026 by state: QLD exemption, VIC/ACT bulk-billed only, SA amnesty closed, NSW rebate, WA common law, TAS pending. What applies to you.
Employee or Contractor in an Australian Medical Practice (2026)
Three different laws apply three different tests to the same working arrangement. Getting worker classification wrong in a medical practice exposes the business to PAYG liability, SG charge, Fair Work back-pay, and criminal wage theft risk since 1 January 2025.
Privacy & Cyber Security
9 guidesPrivacy Act and APP duties, notifiable data breaches, My Health Record and cyber security.
AI Privacy for Healthcare: 2026 OAIC Compliance Guide
AI scribes, diagnostic tools, and ChatGPT in Australian healthcare: what OAIC and the Privacy Act 1988 require, APP 8 cross-border rules, the new RACGP 6th edition F11 artificial intelligence criteria, and the December 2026 automated decision-making disclosure deadline.
6 Website Privacy Mistakes That Could Trigger an OAIC Investigation
Six website privacy mistakes, from tracking pixels to weak consent, that could trigger an OAIC investigation of your practice, and how to fix each one.
OAIC Tracking Pixel Ruling: What Health Practices Must Fix Now
The OAIC found Medmate and Monash IVF breached patient privacy with website tracking pixels. Here is what the ruling means and what your practice must check.
My Health Record Sharing by Default: What Changes on 1 July 2026
From 1 July 2026, prescribed providers must upload pathology and imaging to My Health Record by default. The 4 exceptions, penalties, and extension process.
Automated Decision-Making, Privacy Act: Healthcare Dec 2026 Deadline
From 10 December 2026, every health service provider using AI or algorithmic tools that affect patient care must update its privacy policy to disclose that use. The obligation comes from APPs 1.7-1.9 introduced by the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024, and penalties for non-compliance reach $364,000 per contravention.
Ransomware Reporting: 72-Hour Cyber Security Act Deadline for Healthcare
The Cyber Security Act 2024 requires Australian healthcare practices with $3M+ turnover to report ransomware payments within 72 hours. Here's what the obligation covers and how it differs from the NDB scheme.
Cybersecurity Compliance Checklist for Australian GP Practices
Most GP practices sit at the lowest cybersecurity maturity level. Here's the practical checklist covering RACGP CISS, the Essential Eight, and regulatory obligations your practice must meet.
Healthcare Data Breach Obligations Australia (2026 NDB Guide)
Australian healthcare data breach obligations in 2026: the 30-day NDB scheme rule, the $5.8M Australian Clinical Labs penalty, My Health Record Act and Cyber Security Act 2024 ransomware reporting.
Australia's New Privacy Tort: What Healthcare Practices Need to Know
Australia's new privacy tort lets patients sue your clinic directly for serious breaches. Here is what changed in June 2025 and what your practice needs to do now.
AHPRA & Registration
8 guidesRegistration standards, CPD and recency, mandatory notifications and advertising rules.
AHPRA Registration Fees 2026-27: What You Pay Before 30 September
AHPRA registration fee 2026: $1,102 for doctors, $925 in NSW, due 30 September. Plus the 30% rebate you have to claim inside the renewal application.
AHPRA CPD and Recency Rules: What to Evidence by 30 September 2026
AHPRA CPD requirements 2026: what doctors must evidence before the 30 September renewal, what allied health faces on 30 November, and the standards in review.
TGA Cosmetic Injectable Enforcement: What Clinics Risk in 2026-27
TGA cosmetic injectable enforcement: injectables are a named 2026-27 priority, with infringement notices already issued for unlawful importing and advertising.
AHPRA Criminal History Registration Standard: What Changes on 15 July 2026
AHPRA's revised criminal history registration standard takes effect 15 July 2026: what changed, the factors the Boards weigh, and what practices should do.
AHPRA Cosmetic Injectable Rules: What Clinics Must Fix in 2026
AHPRA's cosmetic procedure and advertising guidelines reshaped injectable clinics from 2 September 2025: a nurse experience minimum, mandatory consults, and ad bans.
AHPRA Telehealth Prescribing: What Changed in October 2025 and What It Means in 2026
AHPRA October 2025 telehealth guidance: questionnaire-only prescribing is not good practice. What real-time consult means, who's affected, what to do.
AHPRA Mandatory Notifications: Who Reports, What Triggers, Common Mistakes
Under Section 140 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, practitioners and employers must notify AHPRA when four specific conduct triggers are met. AHPRA received 13,327 notifications in 2024-25, up 19%. Missing a mandatory notification when the threshold is met is itself a compliance failure.
AHPRA Registration Expiry: What Healthcare Employers Must Check
AHPRA registration checks for employers: verify and track practitioner registration, expiry dates and conditions, and the penalties for getting it wrong.
Practice Setup & Operations
1 guideSetting up, equipping and running a practice: the operational side of compliance.
Aged Care
2 guidesAged Care Act duties and Support at Home for GP and allied health providers.
Support at Home Price Caps Deferred: What Providers Must Know in 2026
Support at Home price caps were deferred in May 2026. Here is what changes on 1 July 2026, the new regulator powers, the IHACPA pricing advice, and what providers must do.
Aged Care Act 2024: GP and Allied Health Provider Obligations in 2026
The Aged Care Act 2024 commenced 1 November 2025. GP practices and allied health businesses delivering services to aged care residents now carry Code of Conduct obligations, worker screening duties, and SIRS awareness requirements that most have not yet reviewed.