Your College update: November 2025
New MBS telephone items for consultant physicians came into effect on 1 November 2025. These items give you greater flexibility to provide longer or more complex follow-up consultations by phone, particularly helpful for patients who struggle to attend in person.
You can read the full item descriptions and billing guidance on the MBS telehealth website. Please share with your team, so they are across the new arrangements.
Key points:
- Four new MBS telephone items are now available for follow-up consultations, including phone equivalents to items such as 116, 133 and 143.
- These items directly mirror existing face-to-face and video options.
- Additional minor attendance telephone items have been introduced for selected subspecialties.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has implemented several important upgrades to two of its medicine shortage webpages, medicine shortages alerts and medicine shortage reports database.
The improvements follow our advocacy for better information access and usability for physicians guidance, which we called for at the TGA Medicines Shortages Stakeholder Forum. Read our consultation paper to find out more about the challenges and opportunities.
Key changes include:
- searches for alerts specific to your practice
- searches for shortages by relevance, recency and alphabetical listing
- differentiating shortages and supply disruptions from safety and monitoring updates
- clearer pathways to access information on TGA actions, including expected resolution timeframes and alternative medications from abroad.
The Bi-National Working Group on Physician Assistants/Associates met for the first time in September and has begun shaping a position statement on these roles. With governments exploring new or expanded models in both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, this work will help clarify what these roles mean for medical practice, patient safety and team-based care.
We've shared a range of concerns on this term and the potential use of this role in Australia, and plans for their expanded use in Aotearoa New Zealand.
To get this right, we need insights from clinicians across specialties and regions. The Working Group is actively gathering member perspectives to ensure the position statement reflects real-world impacts – not just policy theory. If you have views or experiences to share, please get in touch with the Policy and Advocacy Team. Your input will directly influence the College’s position on this emerging workforce change.
As conversations grow around restricting children’s access to social media, many physicians are seeing first-hand the mental health impacts, both positive and negative on young people. Governments in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand have now committed to improving online safety, and this work will directly influence the environments your patients are navigating every day.
Our new social media position statement highlights several priorities with real implications for paediatricians, child health clinicians and anyone treating young people.
Our priorities:
- children and young people need safe online spaces
- social media platforms must be held responsible for creating and maintaining safer environments – not only during childhood, but as users transition into adulthood
- regulation should follow a public health approach, considering the wellbeing of all children and young people, not just those already at risk.
These reforms will impact how your patients engage with digital spaces, and how you support them and their families through these challenges.
The 2025 Adult Medicine and Paediatrics & Child Health Divisional Clinical Examinations (DCE) were successfully held in May and June. It was another year of exceptional collaboration, dedication, and support across our participating hospitals.
This year, 90 hospitals hosted the Adult Medicine DCE, with a total of 853 candidates sitting the exam. Twenty-eight hospitals hosted the Paediatrics & Child Health DCE, with a total of 226 candidates sitting the exam.
Read more about the Adult Medicine and the Paediatrics & Child Health Divisional Clinical Examinations along with those we would like to thank. We greatly appreciate the examination assistants, nursing staff, ward staff, and orderlies, whose behind-the-scenes support was essential to the successful delivery of the examinations.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we deliver care. Whether you already use it, thinking about using it or have concerns about it, it’s important to understand what it means for now and into the future.
In this webinar series, we'll explore which AI applications are ready for adoption and how you can use it to enhance patient-centred care. You'll also find out about how AI can support your professional wellbeing and the sustainability of our healthcare systems. We may extend this series with additional webinars in 2026.
Hosted by Professor Ian Scott FRACP, a physician and AI clinical consultant leading AI initiatives across Metro South Health, University of Queensland, and the Queensland Digital Health Centre. You won't want to miss out, so register now.
Upcoming webinars
Attend the series, or the webinars you can.
- Wednesday, 26 November 2025: How to use AI scribes and assistants effectively
- Wednesday, 18 February 2026: How to use AI to predict and prevent care-related harm
- catch up on the first webinar: What is AI in healthcare? Access the webinar recording and case study on the Evolve website.
Register now
Ahpra is updating its guidance on how sexual misconduct notifications are managed, and these changes will shape how physicians and trainees are assessed and supported when concerns arise.
In our recent feedback, we highlighted several issues that directly affect your safety, reputation and ability to practise confidently:
- Clearer definitions are essential so clinicians know exactly what constitutes sexual misconduct and what does not.
- Proportional, transparent processes are needed to ensure fair treatment for physicians and trainees while protecting patients.
- A trauma-informed approach should apply to everyone involved – patients, complainants and practitioners.
- Criminal or predatory behaviour must be distinguished from lower risk conduct so that responses are appropriate and not unnecessarily punitive.
These changes will influence how concerns are managed across the profession. We will continue advocating for a regulatory approach that protects both public safety and the wellbeing of physicians and paediatricians.
On 19 November 2025, Aotearoa New Zealand Health Minister, Hon Simeon Brown, announced that gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) will no longer be prescribed to new patients seeking treatment for gender dysphoria or incongruence.
These restrictions will remain in place until clinical trials in the United Kingdom are completed, which is not expected before 2031. Surprisingly, the New Zealand government’s decision has referenced decisions made by the United Kingdom, Finland, Norway and Sweden, where the healthcare systems are different, and has not looked at neighbours such as Australia, where systems, clinical approaches and the heathcare workforce are similar.
Read more
Across Australia, governments are progressing reforms that will expand the role of general practitioners in diagnosing ADHD and prescribing stimulant medication. As these changes advance, your perspectives and clinical experience remain central to ensuring safe, consistent and equitable care.
With national harmonisation of diagnosis and prescribing now a shared goal of Health Ministers, we continue advocating for reforms to genuinely improve access for patients, particularly those in regional, rural and remote communities who already face barriers.
Since our last update in Workforce Insights, we’ve been meeting with Health Ministers and Chief Medical Officers in every jurisdiction. We are discussing the issues that matter most to clinicians – GP diagnostic scope, training quality, data collection, and the importance of a tiered, shared-care model that supports coordinated care across specialties. These discussions are ongoing, and your continued input will help shape reforms that work in real-world clinical practice.
Psychostimulant prescribing for ADHD
The Authority under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 has been re-issued.
This Authority allows psychiatrists, paediatricians, and neurologists to prescribe or supply Schedule 8 psychostimulant medicines for the treatment of ADHD in people who are not drug-dependent.
The updated Authority is now published on the pharmaceutical services website.
Doctors for the Environment Australia and the Australian Medical Association hosted its annual climate and sustainability webinar – Climate change and sustainability: leadership and action from Australian doctors in early November.
The webinar brings medical colleges together to share successes and plans in climate change and health and environmental sustainability.
In her presentation, RACP President Professor Jennifer Martin, highlighted an event we held earlier in the year for visiting health officials and academics from Singapore, shared insights into the RACP’s climate advocacy to government and our current focus on health and fossil fuels. The RACP also shared its plans to launch a position statement on health and fossil fuels in April next year.
The event emphasised the importance of working collaboratively to call for climate action to protect health from extreme weather events, changes in vector borne disease patterns, and other impacts that can harm health.
Watch recording
The RACP Indigenous Health Scholarship Program is here to support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific Islander* medical graduates and trainees to achieve their goals and thrive in training. Apply before Sunday, 30 November 2025.
Get support for your RACP training journey, including:
- $2,500 cash at the start of your scholarship
- full coverage of RACP training fees for the duration of your training
- examination fees covered (first attempt only)
- financial support to attend trainee days, RACP events or Annual Scientific Meetings
- ongoing support throughout your training.
Find out more
*Pacific Islander applicants must be residents of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Each trainee is responsible for completing their own research project. You can find out more about conducting a research project by enrolling in our research projects online course. It’s designed to support you through a detailed walk-through of the research process.
Your experience can be greatly enhanced by a supportive and informed supervisor. The research supervision online course helps supervisors who want an update on research project requirements and the research process in general.
RACP online learning resources are free for members and count towards CPD requirements for Fellows.
You're invited to a webinar that focuses on communication skills that support safer, calmer and more productive professional interactions.
Held on Wednesday, 10 December from 4pm to 5pm AEDT, learn structured techniques to de-escalate challenging situations, engage constructively, and maintain personal wellbeing. These skills are relevant to every stage of your medical career.
Register now
Listen now
A 27-year-old male wakes up with weakness in the left arm and leg and gets himself admitted at Royal Adelaide Hospital. Shockingly, for an otherwise well young man with no significant medical history, a right middle cerebral artery acute ischaemic stroke is identified by CT angiogram. His condition deteriorates in hospital, and a mediastinal mass is discovered on review which gives a lead as to the distal cause. This conversation describes the expedient workup and methodical consideration of some rarer causes of ischaemic stroke.
- Guest: Dr Rudy Goh FRACP, Lyell McEwin Hospital, University of Adelaide
- Host: Associate Professor Stephen Bacchi FRACP, Lyell McEwin Hospital, University of Adelaide
Subscribe, claim CPD and get the transcript
To be among the first to find out about the latest Pomegranate Health podcasts, subscribe to new episode email alerts. All our podcasts are now available on YouTube. You can also search for ‘Pomegranate Health’ in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, or any podcasting app. Did you know you can record listening and reading as a prefilled learning activity by logging on to MyCPD? For a transcript and supporting references of our podcast, please visit the Pomegranate Health webpage.
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External opportunities
Looking to contribute to the work of the College and help shape the future of your profession? A range of College committees, working groups and other roles are now open for expressions of interest.
Getting involved is not only a great way to give back – it’s also a chance to expand your knowledge, stay connected to developments in your specialty, and enjoy the personal and professional rewards of meaningful contribution.
Some current opportunities you may be interested in:
More opportunities
As healthcare workers who dedicate our lives to helping others, it’s important to take the time to care for ourselves. We would like to remind everyone that it's okay to not be okay. If you need someone to talk to, you can reach out to the RACP Support Program. It's a free, 24/7 and completely confidential support service that is delivered externally through Converge International.
Whether you have something worrying on your mind, are finding getting out of bed to be a struggle, or just feel like talking to someone for helpful, judgement-free advice, this free support service may be just what you need.
Find out more
Did you know that RACP Benefits gives you exclusive access to a range of discounts and offers from leading brands and retailers in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand? Simply log in to the portal to start shopping and saving today. These special deals are exclusive to the College and made possible by our benefits partner, Member Benefits Australia.