News

ACNP Budget 2025-2026 Overview 27th March 2025 ACNP recognises the broader health care reform in this week’s Federal Budget, including lowering the cost ofprescriptions, and many improvements for women’s health, with a focus on improving access to health. ... more
The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) welcomes the Albanese Government's announcement of an additional $10.5 million for another 400 nurses and midwives to extend their skills. 24th February 2025 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) welcomes the Albanese Government's announcement of an additional $10.5 million for another 400 nurses and midwives to extend their skills. ... more
ACNP Welcomes Changes to Improve Access to Medicare Funding and PBS Subsidies for Nurse Practitioner Care - Effective 1 November 2024 30th October 2024 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners celebrates the removal of the requirement for a Collaborative Arrangement, effective from 1 November 2024. ... more
ACNP Welcoming ACT Government's School Health Initiative 16th September 2024 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) applauds the ACT Government's announcement that they will fund nurse-led clinics in four public colleges if re-elected. "The health of young people is very important, yet they often face challenges accessing and affording healthcare," says Leanne Boase, CEO of ACNP. "We also know that it is vitally important to take a preventative approach and provide education to improve health literacy early in life." ... more
Joint Response from Nursing and Midwifery peak bodies on Scope of Practice (SoP) Issues Paper 2 6th June 2024 Thank you for the opportunity to make this joint response on behalf of the Australian College of Midwives (ACM), the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN), the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP), the Australian College of Nursing (ACN), the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia and New Zealand) (CDNM), the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), the Australian Primary Health Nurses Association (APNA) and CRANAPlus. Each of these organisation ... more
ACNP Media release - Bill to remove collaborative arrangements 17th May 2024 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, celebrates the passing of the Health Legislation Amendment (Removal of the Requirement for a Collaborative Arrangement) Bill in the Senate last night, originally introduced to the House of Representatives by The Hon Ged Kearney MP on 20th March this year. ... more
ACNP Media Release from Federal Budget 2024 14th May 2024 The ACNP welcomes the announcements by the Federal Government tonight that will enable more people to access health care from nurse practitioners. Longer consultation items for nurse practitioners will provide better rebates for patients, and support the complex care that we know nurse practitioners provide. ... more
Australian College of Nurse Practitioners Welcomes Government’s Cost-of-Living Relief for Nursing Students. 10th May 2024 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) applauds the Albanese Government’s initiative to establish a Commonwealth Prac Payment to support students undertaking mandatory placements in nursing qualifications. ... more
Australian College of Nurse Practitioners Launches Primary Care Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Program 6th May 2024 Australian College of Nurse Practitioners Launches Primary Care Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Program The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) is delighted to be administering the Primary Care Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Program, which will provide 1,850 postgraduate scholarships over four years to registered nurses and midwives to advance their clinical practice and become nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives in primary care and aged care settings. ... more
A Statement from Australia’s Peak Nursing & Midwifery Organisations Scope of Practice Review: Issues Paper 2 1st May 2024 Australia’s peak nursing and midwifery organisations welcome the release of the Scope of Practice Review Issues Paper Two. ... more
Australian College of Nurse Practitioners Applauds Bill to Remove Collaborative Arrangements 20th March 2024 Leanne Boase, CEO of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, commends the introduction of the Health Legislation Amendment (Removal of the Requirement for a Collaborative Arrangement) Bill by The Hon Ged Kearney MP in Parliament today. ... more
Australian College of Nurse Practitioners Welcomes Queensland Government Initiative on Women's Health 5th March 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, 5 March 2024 – The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) applauds the Joint Statement released by the QLD Premier and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women on March 3rd, 2024, announcing the establishment of free walk-in clinics led by nurses to improve access to healthcare for women and girls. ... more
ACNP MEDIA RELEASE Australian College of Nurse Practitioners welcomes announcement of expansion of the nurse-led walk-in centres in the ACT 18th October 2023 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners welcomes the announcement of the expansion of the nurse-led walk-in centres in the ACT. Integration of the walk-in centres with the federally funded Urgent Care Centre Clinic network will result in a greater number of health services being available to people living in the ACT. ... more
MEDIA RELEASE - Australian Nursing Peak Organisations: New models of nursing care will provide solutions to the ageing population 25th August 2023 The Intergenerational Report, released yesterday, predicts that Australia’s population is expected to climb to 39.8 million by 2060-61, a million more than the previous projections for 38.8 million released in 2021, and pass 40 million by 2063. Additionally, Australians are expected to live longer with life expectancies forecast to rise to 87 years for men and 89.5 years for women by 2062-63. ... more
ACNP Media Release 23.08.2023 23rd August 2023 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners represents 1900 members across the country, including Nurse Practitioners, and Advanced Practice Nurses, and we are the national peak body for Nurse Practitioners. For far too long communities such as Cardwell have been left behind by Governments. We want to commend Minister Fentiman and the federal government for taking action in Cardwell and the North Queensland region. ... more
National Stroke Week: White Paper ACCESS TO MECHANICAL THROMBECTOMY IN AUSTRALIA 11th August 2023 ACCESS TO MECHANICAL THROMBECTOMY IN AUSTRALIA ... more
Medical abortion pill access expanded in landmark move 12th July 2023 Medical abortion pill access expanded in landmark move. Access to medical abortions will be dramatically expanded in Australia under major changes that will allow all doctors and nurse practitioners to prescribe the pregnancy termination pill, and all pharmacies to stock it. ... more
Read the transcript of Assistant Minister Kearney's interview with Lisa Miller on the TGA decision on MS-2 step. 12th July 2023 Television interview with Assistant Minister Kearney and Lisa Miller, ABC News Breakfast - 11 July 2023 Read the transcript of Assistant Minister Kearney's interview with Lisa Miller on the TGA decision on MS-2 step. ... more
TGA decision on access to medical terminations 12th July 2023 TGA decision on access to medical terminations The Government welcomes the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s decision to remove a number of restrictions on health professionals who prescribe and dispense MS-2 Step (mifepristone and misoprostol). https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-ged-kearney-mp/media/tga-decision-on-access-to-medical-terminations ... more
The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners welcomes the announcement today from Assistant Minister Ged Kearney in relation to the removal of barriers for women to access MS-2 step. 11th July 2023 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners welcomes the announcement today from Assistant Minister Ged Kearney in relation to the removal of barriers for women to access MS-2 step. ... more
ACNP joins the Immunisation Coalition to promote the benefits and importance of Flu Vaccination 10th July 2023 ACNP joins the Immunisation Coalition to promote the benefits and importance of Flu Vaccination. ... more
Doctors’ orders for MPs: stick to 60-day scripts 10th July 2023 Doctors’ orders for MPs: stick to 60-day scripts- An exclusive article from 'The Australian' ... more
Evidence base for additional investment in rural health in Australia National Rural Health Alliance 26th June 2023 Evidence base for additional investment in rural health in Australia by National Rural Health Alliance Click here to access document. ... more
Rural Health Alliance Media Release: Rural Australians missing out on $6.5 billion annually in health care access while coffers fill up with rural contributions 26th June 2023 Rural Australians missing out on $6.5 billion annually in health care access while coffers fill up with rural contributions. Read full document here. ... more
Media Release - The NP Strategic Plan 16th May 2023 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners welcomes the launch of the Increasing access to health and aged care: a strategic plan for the nurse practitioner workforce (the NP Strategic Plan) today by the Hon. Ged Kearney, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care in Melbourne. ... more
ACNP 2023 Federal Budget Media Release 9th May 2023 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners welcomes the key budget announcements today in relation to Nurse Practitioners. Removal of unnecessary restrictions and improving patient rebates will improve access to the high quality health care that Nurse Practitioners provide. Support for Registered Nurses to become Nurse Practitioners will help grow our workforce to meet the health care needs of Australians. ... more
ACNP Media Release -Rebuilding Medicare for the 21st Century. 28th April 2023 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners welcomes the announcements from The Hon. Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care today, in relation to Rebuilding Medicare for the 21st Century. President of ACNP, Leanne Boase, says 'We fully support the strong focus on access to health care for all Australians, regardless of their income, or where they live'. ... more
ACNP joins the Immunisation Coalition to Promote the Benefits and importance of Flu Vaccination. 28th April 2023 "It’s vital that we encourage more conversation about flu, and vaccination. We must not lose interest or momentum after all we have been through with COVID. Flu is not just a cold, it can be devastating, even life threatening, especially for some people, and there is the potential for serious complications. ... more
ACNP MEDIA RELEASE: ACNP welcomes Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Pilot in Western Australia 20th February 2023 “The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners strongly supports this commitment to innovation, and congratulates the WA Government for their decision to use this funding to encourage local practices to offer more comprehensive, team-based services, with Nurse Practitioners.” ... more
ACNP MEDIA RELEASE: ACNP welcomes strengthening Medicare announcements 3rd February 2023 “Leanne Boase says ‘Minister Butler is right, we cannot afford to have highly trained health professionals not working to top of scope. Since the NP role was introduced in Australia over 20 years ago, we have never been able to work to our full abilities and training.” ... more
ACNP MEDIA RELEASE: ACNP welcomes bold Medicare reform 23rd January 2023 'In many other parts of the world, Nurse Practitioners work to their full abilities in Primary Care, delivering excellent health outcomes, however in Australia, we are still struggling to even use them effectively' ... more
Nurse Practitioner Week 2022 30th November 2022 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) will be hosting the annual Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week from the 12–18 December 2022. The theme of NP Week is ‘Nurse Practitioners: the essential difference in healthcare.’ ... more
Regulator issues warnings over unproven IV treatments 25th November 2022 * Warnings have been issued over concerns unproven IV infusion treatments may be being marketed inappropriately across Australia. * Concerns have been raised that popular IV treatment claims are not supported by a medical justification or scientific evidence. * Registered health practitioners may also face additional scrutiny if found to be administering IV therapy outside the standards in professional codes of conduct. ... more
New Legislation for Nurse Practitioners to wipe University debt working in rural/remote areas 11th November 2022 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) is delighted to learn on the 10 November, legislation was passed by the Federal Government that will ensure Nurse Practitioners who live and work in the most remote parts of Australia will have their HELP debt wiped. ... more
Congratulations Lesley Salem 17th June 2022 The ACNP would like to congratulate Lesley Salem, Nurse Practitioner and ACNP Member, for receiving an award as a Member (AM) in the General Division of The Order of Australia for the Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours List. Lesley received her AM for significant service to nursing and to Indigenous health. Delegates at the 2021 ACNP National Conference benefited when Lesley shared her experience with attendees through the Donna Diers Oration. Congratulations Lesley! ... more
Vale Emeritus Professor Judy Lumby 9th February 2022 The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners is saddened to learn of the recent death of Emeritus Professor Judy Lumby. Judy was a vocal supporter of the nurse practitioner role, and was instrumental in the early development of the nurse practitioner role in Australia. ACNP members have also sent some beautiful messages remembering Judy, you can read them here. Vale Judy. ... more
Nursing organisations condemn Morrison Government for failures in aged care 2nd February 2022 The country’s peak nursing organisations today stand together to condemn the Morrison Government for its failure to protect Australia’s nursing home residents, and the nurses and care workers doing their utmost in a sector that has been overwhelmed by COVID. And, at a time when the latest COVID outbreaks continue to claim lives in Australia’s nursing homes. ... more
Ongoing opposition to the role of the Nurse Practitioner 27th January 2022 Recently the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) has seen some media articles and statements from medical lobby groups in relation to the 10 Year Nurse Practitioner Steering Committee that forecast a need to ‘tussle’ with nurse practitioners again1, 2. We must consider who the real casualties will be. ... more
HELP initiative for Rural Nurse Practitioners and Doctors 6th January 2022 This new initiative announced in 2021 reduces outstanding Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt for eligible doctors and nurse practitioners who live and work in rural, remote or very remote areas of Australia. Information has now been published on the Federal Health website regarding the HELP initiative for Rural Nurse Practitioners and Doctors. ... more