-
News
Diphtheria spreads in NT, SA and WA
Australia is experiencing its largest diphtheria outbreak since national records began, with 230 cases reported this year and health authorities urging people travelling through northern and remote regions to check their vaccination status and seek medical advice if unsure.
-
Industry & Reform
Bulk billing surges, PM bets big on health
Bulk‑billing rates rose to 81.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, with the Albanese government crediting Medicare reforms for the increase as it simultaneously launches Australia’s first national menopause and perimenopause awareness campaign.
-
Clinical Practice
Earlier heart screening for Indigenous people can save lives
New research shows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people develop atrial fibrillation nearly 16 years earlier than other Australians, prompting calls to begin screening from age 55 to prevent severe, often fatal strokes linked to the undiagnosed heart rhythm disorder.
-
Industry & Reform
What was in the budget for Australians’ health
This year’s federal budget delivers stability rather than sweeping reform in health, with most new funding directed to hospitals, medicines and urgent care clinics while prevention, GP access and dental reform receive only modest investment.
-
Workforce
Global health worker shortages ‘deeply unequal’
Africa faces a severe health workforce crisis, with millions of workers projected to be missing by 2030, as richer nations increasingly recruit from the continent and long‑standing global inequalities continue to shape who leaves, who stays and who benefits.
-
-
-
-
Culturally Informed Care
High malnutrition rates found in remote hospital: Study
A 10‑year study of nearly 1,000 patients in a remote Central Australian hospital has found almost half were at risk of malnutrition, with researchers warning the problem is widespread, under‑detected and closely linked to chronic disease and food insecurity.
-
-
-
-
News
NSW takes back Northern Beaches Hospital
Northern Beaches Hospital has officially transitioned to NSW Health after probes uncovered serious administrative and financial failures, with families, nurses and midwives calling the move a long‑overdue step toward safer patient care.
-
Wages
NSW nurses’ pay lifted after landmark ruling
NSW nurses and midwives will receive their largest pay rise in decades after the Industrial Relations Commission ruled the professions had been undervalued, ordering increases of up to 28 per cent despite warnings about the impact on the state budget.
-
Clinical Practice
Cultural competency doesn’t equal better nursing: Study
A study of nurses in New Zealand has found that while awareness and reflection on cultural assumptions improves performance, deeper cultural knowledge can overwhelm staff and lead to poorer outcomes, suggesting current cultural training models may need rethinking.
-
-
-
-
Wages
Calls for financial relief for nurses and midwives amid fuel crisis
Unions say soaring fuel prices and local shortages are making it harder for nurses, midwives and aged care workers to get to work, warning the financial strain is becoming unsustainable despite the government’s move to halve the fuel excise.
-
-
-
-
Q&A
ANMF appoints new federal assistant secretary
ANMF Federal Assistant Secretary Catelyn Richards discusses her leadership approach, priorities in aged care and climate resilience, and how she plans to advocate for nurses, midwives and carers across Australia.
-
-
-
-
AI
Medical AI advancing faster than safety checks
New research shows advanced AI models can match or exceed doctors on diagnostic tasks, but Flinders University experts warn these systems are advancing faster than the safety frameworks needed to govern their use in real‑world healthcare.
-
-
-
