Primary Care and Digital Health Support - July 2026

Venessa Blinman and Bridget Kennelly recently travelled to Roxby Downs for a valuable road trip focused on strengthening relationships and connecting with healthcare providers across the region.

The visit provided an excellent opportunity to meet with local practices, services and health professionals, and to hear first-hand about regional priorities, challenges and opportunities. Stops included Roxby Downs Family Practice and its Woomera clinic, where Venessa and Bridget met with Dr Simon Lockwood and Nurse Sharon Wasley.

They also visited Roxby Doctors Surgery and met with Practice Manager Teresa Hodgetts, who represents Robe Family Practice, Penola Doctors and Nangwarry.

The road trip also included a visit to the Royal Flying Doctor Service nurse in Andamooka, as well as time with local hospital staff. A highlight was seeing the new palliative care room and learning more about the thoughtful initiatives being introduced to support patients and families. Venessa was pleased to assist with sourcing keepsake blankets for palliative care patients and their loved ones.

The trip also incorporated attendance at the Roxby Downs Health Forum, which created further opportunities to engage with local services, listen to community needs and continue building strong connections across the healthcare network.

These visits are an important part of maintaining meaningful regional relationships and ensuring local voices continue to inform and strengthen primary health care support across the region.

When someone is unsure what care they need, 1800MEDICARE can help them take the next step. The free 24/7 service connects consumers with a registered nurse who can provide trusted health advice and guide them to the most appropriate care for their situation.

Consumers can access 1800MEDICARE by calling 1800MEDICARE (1800 633 422), visiting the website, or using the 1800MEDICARE app for trusted health information and advice.

Depending on their needs, consumers may be supported to self-manage, or guided to services such as a GP, pharmacy, urgent care clinic or the emergency department. After hours, eligible patients may also be offered a free GP telehealth consultation.

The 1800MEDICARE app

The 1800MEDICARE app gives consumers an easy and secure way to access key health information and services in one place.

Through the app, consumers can:

• Access trusted health information and tools, including a symptom checker
• Connect to 1800MEDICARE services, including nurse triage and, where appropriate, after-hours GP telehealth consultations
• Access and manage My Health Record
• View and manage electronic prescriptions and their Active Script List
• Find and connect with health services

My Health Record

My Health Record is a secure online summary of a consumer’s key health information, including medicines, test results, immunisations and discharge summaries.

From a healthcare provider perspective, access to this information can support:

• More informed clinical decision-making
• Continuity of care across settings and providers
• Reduced duplication and improved visibility of patient history

The 1800MEDICARE app makes it easier for consumers to access and engage with their My Health Record, supporting more informed conversations and shared decision-making during care.

Supporting your networks

You can support your communities by encouraging them to:

• Use 1800MEDICARE when they are unsure what care they need
• Download and use the 1800MEDICARE app
• Access and engage with My Health Record

Online learning now available

A suite of short online learning modules is available on our Online Learning Portal to support both healthcare providers and the broader community to better understand and use the 1800MEDICARE app:

• Getting started with the 1800MEDICARE app
• Exploring the 1800MEDICARE app home screen
• Privacy and access settings in the 1800MEDICARE app
• Using electronic prescriptions with the 1800MEDICARE app
• Using Active Script list (MySL) with the 1800MEDICARE app

These modules provide practical guidance on how to use the app and support consumers to engage with it confidently.

Additional resources from the Department

Additional resources are available on the Department website to support different audiences, including:

• Fact sheets and resources
• First Nations resources
• Frequently asked questions

Healthcare provider organisations participating in My Health Record must operate in accordance with relevant legislation, including establishing and maintaining a security and access policy.

The My Health Records Rule 2016 (the 2016 Rule) has been replaced with the My Health Records Rules 2026 (the 2026 Rules), effective 1 April 2026. Under the 2026 Rules, revised security and access policy requirements are outlined in Rules 21 and 43. These Rules replace Rules 42 and 44 of the 2016 Rule. While the core requirements remain largely consistent, several key changes have been introduced. This includes changes to requirements concerning user account management, training and security measures, and a new requirement to include processes for responding to My Health Record data breaches. In addition to the policy itself, organisations must keep records showing how the policy has been applied. Retention periods for these records are outlined in Rule 45 of the 2026 Rules.

Organisations registered with the My Health Record system before 1 April 2026, must update their security and access policy by 1 October 2026, in line with the 2026 Rules. Organisations registering for My Health Record from 1 April 2026, must develop a security and access policy in accordance with the 2026 Rules.

It is recommended that all organisations review the 2026 Rules to ensure their security and access policy complies with applicable requirements. Information to assist organisations in updating their policy in accordance with the new requirements can be found on the Australian Digital Health Agency’s website, My Health Record participation obligations.

Please be advised that the MyMedicare Registration Form and Program Guidelines have been updated and are available on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DHDA) website. Services Australia systems have also been updated to align with the revised registration form and requirements.

What’s been updated?

• MyMedicare Program Guidelines - to improve clarity of eligibility, consent arrangements and exemption pathways.
• MyMedicare Registration Form - to align with updated guidelines, including revised exemption categories and a new extenuating circumstances option.
• MyMedicare DL brochure - to reflect current program settings and patient information.
• Practice posters - to support awareness and patient engagement.  

What practices need to know

• When registering patients, ensure the correct exemption pathway is selected on the MyMedicare Registration Form or recorded in the HPOS system (including applying updated exemption categories).
• Completed registration forms must be retained by the practice in the patient’s clinical record and must not be sent to Services Australia or the Department.
• Use updated patient-facing resources (brochures and posters) to support conversations about MyMedicare registration. 

Resources

All resources can be found on the Department website.
Useful Links:

• MyMedicare Program Guidelines
• MyMedicare Registration Form
• DL brochure
• Poster 1 and Poster 2

If you have any further questions, please email [email protected].

The Australian Government and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing have listened to concerns raised by stakeholders about the amended Medicare assignment of benefit legislative requirements that will take effect on 1 July 2026.  While there will be greater flexibility in how health providers can obtain patient consent for bulk billed services, the department recognizes this is a significant change for many.   

In response, regulatory amendments will be made to support a 12-month transition period. This includes enabling verbal assignment of benefit for all bulk billed patients, in all settings. These regulatory amendments are being progressed as a priority. The department will also use the 12-month transition period to explore other regulatory and legislative options to further reduce the administrative burden on both GP practices and patients while ensuring the integrity of Medicare is maintained.  

Providers and software vendors that have already prepared or are preparing for the new arrangements, including through digital solutions, should continue that work. The department recognizes the substantial efforts by those who are working towards implementation. In addition, regulatory amendments have been progressed that would reduce administrative burden for bulk billing GP services through the introduction of an ‘enduring’ assignment of benefit option for eligible patients. This means that from 1 July 2026, patients registered with MyMedicare, residents of aged care homes, and patients of ACCHOs and AMSs will be able to make an enduring assignment of benefit for ongoing GP bulk billed services, either directly or through a person acting on their behalf.   

• A patient registered with MyMedicare will be able to make one enduring agreement to receive services from all general practitioners at their MyMedicare practice, if offered. 
• A patient of an ACCHO or AMS will be able to make an enduring agreement with the ACCHO or AMS, and they will be able to have multiple agreements with multiple ACCHS or AMS. 
• A patient living in a residential aged care home will be able to make multiple enduring agreements with different practitioners. 

The department is regularly updating its frequently asked questions (FAQs) which clarify the Assignment of Benefit changes, including what the changes mean practically. These will be updated to reflect the enduring agreements and how these can be established.  

It is important to note that none of these changes impact the new requirements for simplified billing arrangements. The legislative requirements that start from 1 July 2026 for privately insured services claimed as part of hospital and hospital substitute treatment will remain unchanged. 

The department will continue to work with stakeholders regarding the changes outlined above. Once these regulatory changes are finalised, the compliance approach will be consistent with the department health provider compliance strategy. The department will prioritise prevention and education as practitioners work towards adopting new assignment of benefit requirements within a risk-based approach to its’ ongoing compliance efforts.  The department appreciates practitioners’ ongoing dedication to compliance and welcomes your suggestions and questions regarding these changes. 

If you would like to provide feedback or ask further questions, please contact the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing on [email protected].

Healthcare identifiers underpin many national digital health systems, yet information about how to access and use the Healthcare Identifiers (HI) and the HI Service has often been spread across multiple sources.

To make this easier, the Agency has released the Digital Health Foundation Series to support healthcare providers, organisations and software partners with clear, consistent and practical information.

The Digital Health Foundation Series are a set of short, practical videos that help healthcare providers understand healthcare identifiers, connect to the HI Service, and register for My Health Record and electronic prescribing. 

These audience friendly videos make it easier to understand and complete key processes by providing step-by-step guidance in a format that is quick to absorb and simple to use. They directly support providers to:

• understand what healthcare identifiers are and why they matter
• connect to the HI Service
• complete registration for My Health Record and electronic prescribing

By delivering clear, accessible education, the Digital Health Foundation Series reduces complexity, builds confidence and helps providers see how the HI Service fits within the broader national digital health ecosystem.

The videos can be found on the Digital Health Healthcare Identifiers webpage, which also provides a single point of reference for healthcare identifiers and the HI Service. It brings together trusted guidance in one central location. Explore the resources and share them with your networks to support confidence and consistency across the digital health system.

The Initial Assessment and Referral (IAR) Guidance and the IAR Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST) were developed to create a nationally consistent framework for conducting initial mental health assessments. They assist general practitioners and other healthcare professionals in identifying and recommending the most appropriate level of care for individuals seeking mental health support.

Please refer to National Training Workshop Schedule for sessions in July 2026.

The GoShare Bowel Screening and Cervical Self-Collection Program is now open to practices wishing to support and promote the importance of screening for their patients. Videos featuring lived-experience community members and health professionals, along with information bundles, are distributed to patients via SMS. Comprehensive training is also provided to practice staff to help identify and send information to the following patient cohorts:

• Bowel Screening 50+
• Bowel Screening 45-49 incorporating the 45-49 Health Assessment
• Bowel Screening 715
• Cervical Screening

Additional resources include staff explainers and waiting room posters, which are attached. A video is also available for display on waiting room televisions. This activity is fully funded by Country SA PHN, including the SMS messages.

Please see the expression of interest form

On the 17 May 2026, the Director-General of the World Health Organization determined that the ongoing outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus (BVD) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005).

Although this outbreak currently presents a low risk to Australia, healthcare workers should remain vigilant for the signs and symptoms of Ebola and request travel history from anyone presenting with symptoms.

Symptoms usually start suddenly and can get worse over time. Early symptoms include:

• fever
• severe headache
• muscle pains
• weakness
• sore throat.

This is followed by:

• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• abdominal pain rash.

Later stages can involve bleeding, including:

• blood in vomit and stools
• bleeding from the nose, gums, eyes or vagina.

 If you suspect your patient has Ebola disease:

• Isolate the patient and restrict entry to the isolation room.
• Obtain a full travel and exposure history, including symptoms, illness onset, travel dates and travel activities/locations.
• Urgently notify your local public health unit by phone, wherever possible, before collecting any pathology specimens or undertaking any invasive procedures. They can provide further advice on risk assessment and public health management.
• If you are in a hospital, immediately notify the infection control service and the hospital executive for your hospital and follow their directions.

The Australian Centre for Disease Control has published guidance for frontline health professionals on Ebola disease:

• Ebola information for frontline health professionals - Factsheet with information for health professionals about the possibility of Ebola.
• Infection prevention and control principles and recommendations for Ebola virus disease - Describes actions and measures recommended to protect healthcare workers and others who may come in contact with the Ebola virus.
• CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units - Nationally consistent guidance for Public Health Units on how to respond to the Ebola virus disease.

For more information contact the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Border Health Section at [email protected].

Country SA PHN is still offering free CDM Plus corporate membership for our general practices. If you’re interested in accessing downloadable resources like billing sheets, templates, quality improvement planner, scan the QR code in the CDM plus flyer.

Practice Stream (WIP-PS) provides financial incentives directly to general practices to support multidisciplinary team-based care involving a variety of health professionals, including nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People health practitioners and workers.

To explore the program further or to start the application process, view these resources:

• Department of Health and Aged Care – WIP Practice Stream
• Services Australia – WIP for Practices