Australia: Healthcare

When seeking legal advice for complaints or referrals, it is important for health practitioners to understand the scope of their Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII). PII generally covers legal defence costs, assistance during investigations, and any damages or penalties that fall within the policy terms. However, most insurance policies contain clauses that prohibit practitioners from admitting liability without the consent of the insurer.

In recent amendments to the National Health Act 1953 (Cth) (‘the Act’), the Secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care (‘the Secretary’) now has a wider scope of power to cancel the approval of approved pharmacists.

Recent amendments to Australia's National Health Act 1956 have granted the Secretary of Health new discretionary powers to refuse cancellation of PBS approvals for pharmacists under Committee investigation. These changes create significant obstacles for pharmacy owners seeking to sell their businesses during inquiry proceedings, potentially forcing them to continue trading for years while facing allegations of misconduct.

In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) first resulted in a successful live birth on 25 July 1978 when Ms Louise Brown was born in a Manchester hospital in the UK. Since Ms Brown’s birth, IVF has advanced rapidly with more than 13 million children reported as having been conceived through IVF processes.

The first plaintiff, Sphere Healthcare Pty Ltd was part of the Aunew group of companies (Aunew Group) and Sphere had been manufacturing therapeutic goods for years at a factory which it leased from Yes Family Pty Ltd, itself a member of the Aunew Group (YF).

New South Wales is preparing landmark reforms to drug-driving laws that would allow medicinal cannabis patients to drive with THC in their system, provided they meet specific conditions and stay below prescribed thresholds. The proposal introduces a three-strike warning system and threshold-based testing, marking a significant departure from the state's current zero-tolerance approach that has long penalised legitimate patients who test positive days after medication use.

This article covers which providers are affected by mandatory NDIS registration and key considerations for the transition phase.

AI scribes can reduce the administrative burden on doctors, ensure accuracy of notes and provide more time for doctors to spend time with their patients.

Medicare item numbers correctly can be extremely costly and sometimes impact a practitioner's ability to practise going forward.