Sector news

The strategy sets out a 10-year vision for strengthening Australia’s health and medical research system. It will help shape the future of health and medical research in Australia.

More Australians are receiving palliative care, with service use and expenditure continuing to rise across the health system, according to new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) data. In 2024–25, around 15,900 people received Medicare‑subsidised palliative medicine attendance and case conference services, with more than 78,000 services delivered nationally. Almost 4 in 5 people receiving services were aged 65 and over. In 2023–24, among the 107,500 palliative care-related hospitalisations more than half (55%) of hospitalisations ended with the patient dying in hospital,

NHMRC and the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) have released the new joint Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research. The new Statement replaces the 2016 version and reflects NHMRC and CHF’s commitment to embedding consumer and community involvement in all health and medical research.

The Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care has identified Priorities for high-quality digitally enabled care as a roadmap to strengthen care in an evolving digital health environment. The Commission's four Priorities will help to:

• Embed digitally enabled care in clinical governance
• Strengthen virtual care quality
• Advance connected care through standardised data
• Lead system-wide quality improvement in digitally enabled care.

Advance Care Planning Australia has released a new resource, the Supporting advance care planning in general practice factsheet, designed to support GPs and practice teams to confidently integrate advance care planning (ACP) into everyday primary care.

Palliative Care Australia has announced the appointment of Dr Chris Hatherly as the organisation’s new Chief Executive Officer. Dr Hatherly will commence with PCA on 8 July 2026. Simon Waring will continue as Interim CEO during this transition.