Enabled by the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH) and created by the digital health community, the HIC (Health, Innovation and Community) 2026 conference runs 3–4 August 2026 at ICC Sydney with the theme Innovation to Impact. Bringing together 100+ speakers, 30+ exhibitors and six program themes, the event provides a platform to share the best of Australia’s digital health practice and research, and to celebrate and discuss practical learnings from the frontlines of digital health. Also celebrating digital innovation from industry, academic and clinical perspectives, HIC 2026 is designed to encourage robust discussion and ensure the best technologies and solutions are delivered to the right people. Conference keynote speakers include: Tracey Duffy, First Assistant Secretary, Medical Devices and Product Quality Division, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA); Jonas Petersen, Chief Digital Officer, Department of the Premier and Cabinet WA; Professor Peter Steele, Director, Centre for Digital Transformation of Health, The University of Melbourne, and inaugural Chief Transformation Officer, Royal Melbourne Hospital.   Other speakers include: Amanda Cattermole, CEO, Australian Digital Health Agency; Emma Hossack, CEO, Medical Software Industry Association; Duncan McIntyre, First Assistant Secretary, Medicare Benefits and Digital Health Division, Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.   Hospital + Healthcare is a media partner of HIC 2026. To register, visit digitalhealth.org.au/hic/register. Image: HIC 2025. Source: AIDH

To support Australia’s future healthcare workforce and provide cost of living relief for students, the Australian Government has announced it is expanding the Commonwealth Prac Payment to 10 key frontline health professions. With unpaid practical placements forming a key part of healthcare degrees — in some courses, such as radiography, forming more than a year of the degree — paid prac provides financial support. Paid prac already covers eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students, and will now expand to eligible students studying the following 10 courses: audiology clinical psychology occupational therapy paramedicine pharmacy physiotherapy podiatry radiography rehabilitation therapies speech pathology   During their clinical and professional placement periods, eligible students currently receive $338.60 per week. A means-tested payment, it is benchmarked to the single Austudy rate and indexed annually. Response: Occupational Therapy Australia Occupational Therapy Australia CEO Samantha Hunter called the expansion “a major and long-overdue step towards addressing placement poverty across the allied health sector”. Hunter also said: “For too long, students have been expected to give up paid work while also covering significant travel, accommodation and living costs simply to complete the training required to enter the profession. While this payment will not cover every expense, it will provide meaningful support and reduce the risk of students being priced out of their qualifications.” Hunter added that “paying students only solves one side of the placement equation. Students also need a practice willing and able to train them. “Providing a clinical placement can cost an allied health business thousands of dollars. Experienced clinicians must reduce the time they spend seeing clients to supervise students, while practices also absorb additional administration, insurance and operational costs. “In a system increasingly driven by billable hours, many practices simply cannot afford to take clinicians away from clients, even when they want to support the next generation. “Paid prac is significant progress, but it is not the complete solution. The next priority must be supporting allied health practices to offer more placements, including in regional and remote communities, so students can complete their training and enter the workforce Australia urgently needs.” Response: Australian Medical Students’ Association Among the other responses to the announcement was reaction from the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) which, in a statement, said it “celebrates the win for our Allied Health colleagues, but is devastated and confused at the exclusion of medical students who complete the most rigorous placement hours, between 2000–4000. “Australia’s medical system already has an inherent and insidious structural imbalance, medical workforce distribution massively undersupplies rural, remote, First Nations and low income communities. “Although medical schools recruit students from these areas, they are not supported to complete 2–4 years of full-time, rigorous and unyielding placement. This has led to disastrous outcomes, such as an attrition rate of up to 45% for First Nations medical students. “Lack of workforce diversity in Australian health care is driving some of this nation’s greatest failures. Health gaps are directly linked to diversity inequities in the medical workforce.” In its statement, AMSA called on the Australian Government to “urgently” include medical students in the Commonwealth Prac Payment. Image credit: iStock.com/Hispanolistic

Ahpra has released findings of a review of 477 notifications relating to racism and discrimination received between 1 July 2023 and 28 February 2026. The review followed a September 2025 request from Health Ministers for more work to be undertaken on racism and discrimination, including antisemitism. It found that almost half (44%) of the notifications in the period arose from practitioner conduct on social media, particularly in relation to antisemitism and Islamophobia. Of the 477 notifications in the review, 128 related to antisemitism while 104 were about Islamophobia — 116 notifications about discrimination were not related to race. Further, of the notifications related to antisemitism and Islamophobia, 80–85% related to social media activity, while the notifications relating to other forms of racism and discrimination were more likely to have originated in a clinical practice setting, Ahpra said. Five notifications led Ahpra to refer four practitioners to tribunals, while another 28 notifications resulted in regulatory action in the form of restrictions, conditions or cautions. In 406 of the 439 notifications finalised by 28 February, no regulatory action was required. Ahpra said this occurred for various reasons, such as the practitioner voluntarily undertook education, the concerns raised had already been dealt with in another place, or the concerns raised were not substantiated. Ahpra said it will release data on a six-monthly basis to track progress. Adopting definitions and developing internal guidance to support early identification and consistent categorisation of racism and discrimination-related issues was a key action from the review for Ahpra. Ahpra said it has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as a reference tool supported by the handbook released by Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in May. Ahpra also said that work is underway to source a definition of Islamophobia from trusted community representatives. “These definitions do not change the existing codes of conduct and guidance,” Ahpra said. “Ahpra is committed to free speech and the right of practitioners to enter into professional and public debates. However, if commentary becomes demeaning or denigrating, or directed toward specific members of the community, Ahpra and the National Boards may take regulatory action.” The review identified opportunities to strengthen consistency, communication and timeliness and confirmed that Ahpra and the National Boards had generally applied appropriate and proportionate regulatory thresholds when assessing these matters, Ahpra said. “Racism and discrimination have no place in health care,” said Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner. “Ahpra and the National Boards are clear — no practitioner should be acting in a way that undermines trust, creates fear or exclusion, or prevents people from seeking or receiving health care. “This review demonstrates our commitment to identifying risks early and dealing with matters as swiftly and effectively as possible — public safety depends on it,” Untersteiner added. “People need to know they can raise concerns with Ahpra and we will take the appropriate action.” The review found that the numbers should not be interpreted as reflecting the true prevalence of racism and discrimination in health care, as these matters are likely to be under-reported, particularly by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. To prevent harm, Ahpra said it remains committed to strengthening culturally safe approaches to regulation and recognises the unique impact of racism on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. To examine how its notifications system responds to racism affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Ahpra said it has commissioned a dedicated Cultural Safety Evaluation. The National Director, Health Regulation (Cultural Safety) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy Unit will operationalise the recommendations from the Yardhura Walani institute. You can read the review at www.ahpra.gov.au/Eliminating-racism-and-discrimination/Notifications-review-findings-and-actions. Ahpra also has guidance on social media and how to meet your obligations under the National Law, which you can read at www.ahpra.gov.au/Resources/Social-media-guidance. If you are affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, 1800RESPECT has a 24/7 support service that can help; please call 1800 737 732. Image credit: iStock.com/AJ_Watt

Communication sits at the heart of modern health care. Every day, Australian hospitals and clinics send thousands of messages to patients, keeping them informed on the latest updates in their care. Health care operates in a highly regulated environment, so compliance is top-of-mind in every task and communication is no different. But a recent legislation change affecting the way healthcare organisations can communicate with their patients has introduced a new potential vulnerability — and left unactioned, puts patients at increased risk. New rules from the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) require healthcare businesses who wish to send branded text messages — that is, have their name displayed at the top of their text conversation threads — to register with the new SMS Sender ID Register. These changes came into effect on 1 July 2026, but not all healthcare organisations have made it on the register yet — and patients may miss vital messages as a result. Why has the SMS Sender ID Register been brought in? The SMS Sender ID Register has been brought in to help tackle the rising problem of scams — with Australians losing almost $18 million to SMS scams last year, according to ACMA.1 A Sender ID is the name that appears on text conversation threads with businesses, organisations and other public bodies, like ‘AusPost’ or ‘myGov’. For patients, they’re a vital trust signal, helping recipients to feel confident that the person contacting them is who they claim to be. But since 1 July, any business that isn’t on the SMS Sender ID Register has their sender ID displayed as ‘Unverified’. Many users will see this, assume the message is spam, and move on. In addition, all ‘Unverified’ messages appear on a patient’s phone in a single conversation thread, regardless of the actual number they were sent from. That means legitimate medical reminders could be mixed in with actual spam and malicious messages, and ignored by patients as a result. A gap in comms could lead to a clinical crisis On paper, it might seem like a minor technology and compliance issue. In practice, however, it’s an operational and clinical risk. For example, consider a patient waiting for a critical oncology appointment or a reminder to collect time-sensitive medication. If the message lands in the ‘Unverified’ message thread, it could be easily missed — with repercussions on individual health and wellbeing. From an operational standpoint, you have further knock-on effects. Late cancellations and did-not-attends cost the healthcare system millions annually, exacerbating waiting lists and making it harder for patients to get the help they need. Additionally, we know that scammers often pretend to be from major, trusted brands — and the medical sector is one they frequently target. Health is a priority for everyone, and many scammers capitalise on that urgency and importance. After the diphtheria outbreak earlier this year, having an efficient communication channel with the public is vital, so the stakes are high for healthcare providers to get onto the register quickly. What providers need to do The transition period we’re currently going through is likely the highest-risk period. There’s still a lot of uncertainty from both patients and professionals; and scammers know that confusion creates opportunities for them. For organisations, that means the time to act is now. The first step is to work with your telco to ensure you are on the register — particularly if you have different sender IDs for different departments or sites. I’d also encourage organisations to educate their patients on the change. Existing communication channels — such as social media, newsletters or in-clinic signage — should be used to help customers understand what’s changed, how they can keep safe, and most importantly, how they know it’s you. ACMA’s crackdown on SMS is ultimately a positive move for Australians, creating a safer ecosystem for everyone. But right now, the stakes are too high for healthcare providers to lag behind. Ensuring your messages are verified isn’t just a regulatory or an IT checkbox — it’s a fundamental component of patient care and safety. For more information on the SMS Sender ID Register, including how to register, visit www.acma.gov.au/sms-sender-id-register. 1. Some text messages to look different from 1 July. Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Accessed 23 July, 2026. https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2026-06/some-text-messages-look-different-1-july *Jonathan Walsh is General Manager of Esendex. Image credit: iStock.com/izusek

Prue Walker is a social worker specialising in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, estimated to affect between 1% and 3.5% of people in Australia. Prue works as Clinical Coordinator of FASDConnect at Monash Children’s Hospital, supporting early recognition and assessment of children in out-of-home care, and also runs a private practice providing consultation, training and resources for families, carers and professionals. Across both roles, her work focuses on translating diagnosis into practical support, helping families and systems recognise and respond to FASD more effectively. In this video, Prue — who was featured in the July 2026 Hospital + Healthcare A Day in the Life series — shares a message on FASD training for social workers. To spend a full day in Prue’s life, click here.

On 17 July, Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service (CHQ HHS) confirmed in a statement that disputes dating back to 2022 between CHQ HHS and child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Jillian Spencer have now been settled — and that the statement was agreed to by CHQ HHS as part of the settlement. The dispute was in relation to Queensland Children’s Gender Service policy approach to gender treatment for children and adolescents and Spencer’s clinical concerns and public statements on that topic; the statement confirmed that Spencer has concluded her employment with CHQ HHS. Part of the statement read: “The CHQ HHS acknowledges that these are matters of legitimate professional and public debate, and that clinicians play an important role in raising concerns about patient safety and clinical practice. Dr Spencer has been a strong advocate for change in Queensland in the model of care for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria. One of the features of the clinical approach that Dr Spencer has sought is the delay in medical interventions for such patients until adulthood, including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, because they are serious decisions regarding their body and long-term health. “CHQ HHS accepts that Dr Spencer’s concerns were grounded in her training and background as an experienced child and adolescent psychiatrist.” The statement also acknowledged that, in 2025, the Queensland Government effected a temporary pause on the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in the treatment of new patients in Hospital and Health Services across Queensland. This was in accordance with the ‘Treatment of Gender Dysphoria in Children and Adolescents with Hormone Therapy’ Health Service Directive dated 28 January 2025 and ‘Treatment of Gender Dysphoria in Children and Adolescents with Hormone Therapy’ Ministerial Directions dated 28 October 2025 and 15 January 2026. “CHQ HHS acknowledges that health practitioners must take a clinical approach to the treatment of gender dysphoria that focuses on the best available research and the child’s best interests rather than directing a child down a predetermined treatment pathway,” the statement said. “Health practitioners must employ a holistic clinical approach that comprehensively assesses all relevant factors — including any comorbidities or other mental health conditions — and use information gathered from that process to determine the best available mode of treatment and care for the patient.” Spencer’s service and contributions to child and adolescent psychiatry during her tenure were acknowledged by CHQ HHS. The statement said all matters between the parties have been resolved by mutual agreement and all disciplinary proceedings against Spencer have been discontinued. The terms of the resolution are confidential and CHQ HHS wished Spencer well in her future endeavours. Image credit: iStock.com/bgblue

The National Boards’ revised Criminal History Registration Standard is now in effect, Ahpra has advised. The standard guides the boards as they assess how a person’s criminal history is relevant to their suitability for registration as a health practitioner. Ahpra and National Boards have also published a series of information guides along with the revised standard — designed for applicants, students, practitioners and the public to help explain the revised standard. To give practitioners and registration applicants an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the changes before they came into effect, Ahpra had provided an advanced copy of the standard in May. You can read the standard along with the supporting resources here. Image credit: iStock.com/fizkes

On 15 July, Partnered Health acknowledged that it became aware that a malicious actor had accessed some of its data. This awareness occurred on 23 June, and the health services provider said it responded by engaging specialist cyber experts to provide advice. “We took immediate steps to contain the incident and assess whether personal information was accessed. This investigation remains ongoing,” Partnered Health said. Partnered Health also said: “Our investigations to date have confirmed that personal information (including health information) was taken from some of the clinics in our network. We are continuing to investigate the extent to which personal information has been impacted by this incident and are communicating with patients from impacted clinics.” Partnered Health said it reported the incident to the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and law enforcement, and said it is continuing to work with the authorities. “As a health services provider, we know our patients and our people trust us with personal and medical information and we sincerely apologise for any concern and inconvenience this may cause them.” This incident may have affected personal information patients have provided to Partnered Health, or which was collected while providing patients with healthcare services. Partnered Health advised that this information may include: name, date of birth, address and contact details; Medicare number and, where applicable, private health insurance or Veteran Card (DVA) number or concession card number; and medical information and treatment details, including consultation notes, referral letters, and pathology or diagnostic results recorded by a GP or other medical professionals at its clinics.   Partnered Health also advised that the following practices have been impacted: Blackburn Road Medical Centre Broadway General Practice Bundall Medical Centre Cardiff Medical Centre & Skin Cancer Clinic Castle Hill Family Doctors Champion Drive Medical Centre Chancellor Park Family Medical Practice Dromana Family Doctors Dural Medical Centre Joondalup City Medical Group Kealba Family Practice Mornington Family Doctors Noosaville Seven Day Medical Centre North Canberra Family Practice Park Beach Family Practice Park Orchards Family Practice Rockingham City Family Practice Sans Souci Medical Practice Templestowe District Medical Centre Wentworth Avenue Family Practice Wyong Family Practice   With further information, including steps its patients can take to help protect their personal information, a dedicated website has been set up by Partnered Health at www.partneredhealth.com.au/support. Partnered Health said it will provide updates on the website as its investigation continues and new relevant information becomes available. Image credit: iStock.com/DragonImages. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.

Hospital + Healthcare and Aged Health have partnered with RFI Technology Solutions and Nextivity for a practical webinar exploring in-building mobile connectivity and why it is becoming an increasingly important foundation for safe, efficient and responsive care — while helping improve operations and staff efficiency. In many healthcare facilities, mobile coverage blind spots remain a hidden challenge. Modern building materials, expanding campuses, underground areas and growing technology demands can all impact mobile signal strength, often in the places where reliable communication matters most — basements, lift wells, plant rooms and dense concrete or steel-framed wards. At the webinar on Thursday, 23 July at 11 am, industry experts and healthcare and aged care leaders will share real-world experiences, lessons learned and practical strategies for creating more resilient, connected environments. Speakers: Renniel Rivera, Head of Business Technology – Health Services at Mercy Health Australia Tom Cooper, Nextivity’s Asia Pacific VP of Sales Ala Samir, Regional Sales Director at Nextivity Jennifer O’Brien, MC | Founder of Stories Ink: ‘Connecting through Storytelling’. Global Journalist, Content Creator, Event Host and Moderator. Topics include: Why mobile connectivity is becoming a strategic priority for healthcare and aged care organisations. How communication gaps can affect care delivery, operational efficiency, and patient and resident experiences. The role mobile connectivity plays in supporting emergency response and critical communications. Common challenges created by modern facilities and evolving technology requirements. Practical lessons from organisations working to improve communication resilience across their environments.   The webinar is relevant for anyone responsible for operations, facilities, technology, clinical services or organisational strategy, and explores one of the most important, and often overlooked, foundations of modern care. To learn more, and to register, click here. Image credit: iStock.com/Harbucks

07:00 I am woken by my two senior pugs, Albert and Nell, who are very clear that breakfast is the first priority of the day. I get up, feed them, and start getting ready. 07:30 It is a wintry day, but the sun is out, so I load the pugs into the car, pick up a takeaway coffee and take them to the park for a 15-minute stroll. They will be spending most of the day asleep. 08:00 Back home, I put on a podcast while having breakfast and do The Age cryptic crossword. I enjoy a slow start to the day, but check the diary so I know when I need to shift into work mode. 08:45 Today, I’m working from home, so moving into my office means it’s time to switch on. I have ADHD, and while I wish I was the sort of person who planned each day with a neat checklist, I am not. I rely on practical systems instead: reminders, flagged emails, admin support and a morning computer reset. I often have browser tabs, draft emails and half-finished documents open from the day before. Closing them down when I am fresh helps me see what still needs attention, tie up loose ends and refocus. Sometimes the answer to something I was stuck on the day before is suddenly obvious. 09:15 My first session is with a behaviour support practitioner seeking advice about a young person with FASD. We talk through what the diagnostic report tells us about the young person’s brain function and capacity. Although they present as verbally competent, their everyday functioning is much younger than their chronological age. The focus shifts from responding after things go wrong to planning around missing skills, reducing demands and using environmental supports. After the session, I edit the AI transcript and send it through with links to relevant online resources. Prue providing FASD training to allied health workers in the Northern Territory. Image: Supplied 11:00 I meet online with permanent carers whose child has recently received a diagnosis of FASD. Parents and carers often come with a mix of relief, grief, exhaustion and uncertainty. For this family, the diagnosis is not unexpected, but it still comes with a sense of shock. I share a plain-language summary of the diagnostic report that they can adapt for the child’s teachers. We focus on one daily challenge — getting dressed in the morning — and unpack what might be contributing to difficult starts to the day. I suggest a few simple strategies and offer to run a session with the school to explain the child’s profile. 12:30 I take a break for lunch, check the letterbox, feed the fish and encourage the dogs to stretch. I do the Sudoku over lunch, which gives my brain a reset. I also have a Google alert set for FASD research, and there is a new article on FASD and language development that I’d like to share with my Monash team. Part of my work involves staying across emerging evidence and translating it into practice. A new article may inform a training slide, family resource, blog post or clinical discussion. 13:15 I’m attending an upcoming conference where I have been asked to speak about FASD in adults as part of a panel. I make notes on the running sheet and send slides back to the organiser. FASD is often unrecognised among adults, which can be a major barrier to successful engagement in programs such as substance use treatment. 14:00 I meet online with my admin worker. We talk through upcoming training dates, registrations, invoices, certificates, resource links and follow-up emails. I also have a couple of enquiries about individualised training. Having external support, and being accountable to the systems I have set up, helps me stay focused. 15:00 Across the week, I combine private practice with my role at FASDConnect at Monash Children’s Hospital. I check a couple of Monash emails, including one from a child protection worker reviewing a child’s file for evidence of prenatal alcohol exposure. The child has significant developmental delays but no diagnosis, so this information could make a real difference. We also have a busy training schedule, so I check enrolments for upcoming child protection worker training. The new dates are nearly full, so I message the team about adding more sessions. On a typical day, I am jumping between Humanitix, Canva, Teams, PowerPoint and multiple browser windows — hence the morning reset. Panel presentation with Angelene Bruce, FARE Lived Experience Advisor and Simone McKenry, NOFASD Australia (L–R: Angelene, Simone, Prue). Image: Supplied 16:00 One of the Monash social workers has a query, so I jump on a Teams call. She is reviewing prenatal alcohol exposure information for a child referred for assessment. We look at the birth records together and confirm there is enough information to proceed. Being familiar with the thresholds in the FASD guidelines is a key part of my role at Monash. 17:00 Albert and Nell let me know when it is dinner time, so it is time for another quick walk and then pug dinner. 19:00 I usually try to switch off in the evenings, but I am working on a resource for child protection workers and I am in the flow, so I spend another couple of hours writing. I set up my computer in the kitchen and have the TV on in the background, so it does not feel quite like work. When I am tired, I put the computer to sleep and tie up loose ends in the morning. What I value most about my work in this area is the moment when something shifts for a family or a professional — when understanding more about FASD opens the door to new explanations, new types of support and, most importantly, more hope for the future. Prue shares a message on FASD training for social workers. Video: Supplied Top image: Supplied

In Ahpra’s first criminal prosecution in the ACT, a woman who falsely claimed to be a psychologist in a criminal trial before the ACT Supreme Court has been convicted and fined $2000. The woman was also ordered by the court to pay Ahpra’s legal costs — to be determined later. Having worked as a counsellor, the woman signed an assessment report as a ‘psychologist’ and referred to herself as a psychologist when giving evidence in the Supreme Court sentencing hearing. With the presiding judge repeatedly referring to her as a psychologist and treating her opinions as expert evidence, the report and her verbal evidence were relied upon by the court during the sentencing of an offender, Ahpra said. Never registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, the woman had not fulfilled the study requirements to be eligible for registration, pleading guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court on 1 July to one count of holding herself out as a registered health practitioner. The ACT Police Force later found out the woman was not a registered psychologist and referred the matter to Ahpra, the court was told. “Even though there is no suggestion of any impact on a patient or patients’ health, what occurred was brazen and almost audacious in the manner in which it was done in a public and formal process and that has real potential to impact on the public’s trust and confidence in the healthcare system,” Magistrate Glenn Theakston said in sentencing. “This decision highlights there are serious consequences if you hold yourself out as a registered practitioner,” Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner said. “Only people who are suitably qualified and registered with Ahpra can call themselves a psychologist.” Image credit: iStock.com/AnnaStills. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.

Using advanced manikins and spanning 500 m2, The Dr Joan Durdin AM Clinical Simulation Suite has opened at Flinders University’s City Campus. It features large clinical labs with 14 hospital beds and advanced training for nursing, midwifery and allied health students in low- to high-risk clinical scenarios. Technology where training is monitored by Flinders educators providing real-time guidance in a hospital setting is also included. Source: Flinders University Source: Flinders University Located near the Royal Adelaide and Women’s and Children’s hospitals on the 6th floor of the Flinders City Campus, the suite simulates hospital, aged care and community health settings and is intended to strengthen students’ connections with the city health precinct. Training like this will also be a feature of the $300 million, 10-storey Flinders HealthCARE Centre — to be built at Bedford Park. Source: Flinders University Source: Flinders University The suite is named after a pioneer in South Australian nursing education at Flinders, the late Dr Joan Durdin AM. “Throughout her life, Dr Durdin championed the idea that education changes lives and that better-prepared health professionals lead to better care, which is why it’s fitting that the new simulation suite is named in her honour,” Flinders University Vice-Chancellor Colin Stirling said. Source: Flinders University Top image source: Flinders University

Cyber incidents now have the potential to directly affect patient care as healthcare providers become increasingly reliant on connected clinical systems, digital health platforms, operational technology, medical devices and third-party providers. What was once viewed as a technical disruption can now delay treatment, interrupt critical services and create significant operational challenges across healthcare environments. This is why healthcare leaders need to start viewing cyber resilience as a patient safety KPI rather than simply an IT metric. One of the main issues to consider is the growing convergence between technology and care delivery, which means clinical and cyber risks are now closely linked and can no longer be managed separately. If a critical clinical system becomes unavailable, the impact extends well beyond the technology team. Clinicians may lose access to information, operational processes can slow down and patient outcomes may be affected. Healthcare organisations already measure and report on indicators that influence patient safety, such as medication errors, infection rates and quality outcomes. Cyber resilience should be considered through the same lens. Boards and executive teams need visibility of cyber risks not only from a technical perspective, but also from the perspective of patient care, operational continuity and organisational resilience. This requires a shift in governance. Cyber resilience cannot sit solely within IT because clinical teams, operations leaders, finance, human resources, risk teams and external providers all play a role in maintaining resilience. During a cyber incident, every part of the organisation may be affected, which means accountability must be shared across the business. This is particularly important in healthcare environments where responsibility for technology is often distributed across multiple teams and providers. Internal IT departments, clinical technology teams, software vendors and managed service providers may all be responsible for different parts of the environment. Without clear ownership, aligned processes and well-practised response plans, organisations can struggle to coordinate effectively during a crisis. At the same time, healthcare leaders face increasing pressure to innovate. Technology continues to create opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce administrative burden and support better patient outcomes. AI, connected medical devices and operational technology can help healthcare organisations address workforce shortages and growing service demands. However, innovation and resilience must develop together. Every new system, connected device and third-party integration increases complexity. Governance frameworks need to support innovation while maintaining patient safety and digital trust. Organisations should understand the risks associated with emerging technologies and establish clear oversight before introducing them into critical environments. Identity security is becoming increasingly important as healthcare ecosystems become more connected. Credential-based attacks remain one of the most common ways cybercriminals gain access to organisations. Every user, device, supplier and connected system represents a potential entry point. As a result, healthcare providers need to strengthen identity governance, review third-party access arrangements and improve visibility across their environments. The good news is that healthcare organisations can take practical steps today to improve resilience. Executive-level cyber crisis simulations can help identify gaps before an incident occurs. Threat modelling exercises can help organisations understand which systems are most critical and what impact their failure would have on patient care. Regular collaboration between clinical, operational and technology teams can also strengthen decision-making and improve incident response readiness. Ultimately, healthcare leaders do not need to choose between innovation and resilience. The most successful organisations will be those that continuously balance both. Technology remains one of the greatest opportunities to improve healthcare delivery and support overstretched workforces. However, as healthcare becomes increasingly digital, resilience must become part of the patient safety conversation. Every security decision is ultimately a patient safety decision. The organisations that recognise this shift will be better positioned to protect both their patients and the trust placed in them. *Jo Salisbury is Regional Director Growth & Performance, APAC at LevelBlue. Top image credit: iStock.com/sturti

The Australian Standards for Health Practitioner Pain Management Education have been released. Developed by the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), the standards are designed to better equip health practitioners to assess, manage and support people living with pain, regardless of care setting, profession or location. While pain is one of Australia’s most common, complex and costly health issues, ANZCA said pain management education remains inconsistent across health professional training. The standards aim to improve the way pain is recognised, assessed and managed, ANZCA said, supporting better patient outcomes, more consistent care and a reduction in the personal, health system and economic burden of pain. By strengthening pain education across the health workforce, the standards are intended to set a national benchmark for high-quality pain management education across all health professions and levels of training. FPM said the standards are the first major deliverable under the National Strategy for Health Practitioner Pain Management Education. “People living with pain deserve high-quality care, regardless of who they see or where they live. These standards establish, for the first time, a shared benchmark for pain management education across Australia's health workforce,” said FPM Dean Professor Michael Veltman. “When health practitioners receive consistent, high-quality education in pain management, patients are more likely to receive timely, evidence-informed and person-centred care. That is critical to reducing the burden of pain on individuals, families, communities and the health system,” Veltman said. "We are calling on education providers, specialist medical colleges, regulators, accreditation bodies, health services, consumer organisations and governments to work with us to embed them into education, training and practice,” Veltman added. You can download the standards at www.anzca.edu.au/australian-standards-for-health-practitioner-pain-management-education. Image credit: iStock.com/Jacob Wackerhausen

The Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 has passed, giving registered nurses PBS prescribing powers for the first time. The bill will amend the National Health Act 1953 to allow authorised nurses — in partnership with an authorised health practitioner — to prescribe medicines subsidised by the PBS. In what the Australian Government calls “historic legislation”, this reform will be available to Registered Nurses (RNs) who have undertaken studies as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), the Australian Government advised, with the first RNs having already been endorsed by the NMBA, and others due to graduate in July. Changes to PBS administrative systems required to support it will be ready from 1 October 2026. Recommendations by the Scope of Practice Review, a major element of the Australian Government’s comprehensive reforms to strengthen Medicare and the health system, supported the reforms. “Expanding the scope of practice for suitably qualified nurses will make it much easier for people in many rural and remote communities to get the medicines they need,” said Mark Butler, Australia’s Minister for Health and Ageing. “This reform creates greater opportunities for nurses to contribute to multidisciplinary team-based care improving access to care for all Australians. “As the most trusted health professional group, designated Registered Nurse prescribers will improve choice and access for vulnerable people,” Butler said. “I want to thank the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers for the extensive research and consultation they have undertaken to support this change.” The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has begun considering which medicines should be available for prescribing by designated RNs, the Australian Government said, also stating that the new legislation follows the December 2024 approval by all state and federal health ministers of a new national registration standard for “designated registered nurse prescribers”. The NMBA’s registration standard commenced on 30 September 2025. More information on the bill is available here. Image credit: iStock.com/sturti