Health Administration and Medical Practice Qualification Review

Endorsement and Implementation

Finalisation and Submission

The Health Administration and Medical Practice Qualification Review training products were submitted to Senior Responsible Officers on 3 July 2026. However, following submission we became aware that new Business Services Training Package units included in the submission are currently being reviewed by Future Skills Organisation (FSO).

As a consequence, we have withdrawn our submission to ensure its regulatory integrity. We will resubmit it once the Assurance Body has successfully completed its FSO assessment and progressed the project to the Skills Ministers for endorsement. This is likely to occur around October 2026.

Consultation

We invited registered training organisations, educational experts, subject matter experts, industry bodies, unions, employers, providers, employers, First Nations people and other relevant stakeholders to attend a consultation workshop for the Health Administration and Medical Practice Qualification Review. The workshops were to help us:

• understand industry changes and the skills, knowledge, practice and requirements needed for HLT37315 Certificate III in Health Administration, HLT47321 Certificate IV in Health Administration, HLT47715 Certificate IV in Medical Practice Assisting, HLT57715 Diploma of Practice Management qualifications
• understand current challenges, gaps, opportunities and potential solutions
• identify and inform changes for the qualifications, units of competency and skill sets
• identify functions that are common across all settings/specific settings and pathways within the sector
• gain advice on the development of resources, guidance on delivery and pathways information.

Following an online information session (05/02), consultations were held between Tuesday 10 February and Thursday 19 March 2026. In person workshops were held in Melbourne (10/02), Sydney (03/03), Darwin (03/03) and Brisbane (05/03). Online workshops were held on 23, 24 and 26 February and on 19 March. A feedback survey was also available online until Friday 27 March 2026.

Summary of Proposed Changes

The health administration and medical practice qualifications are being updated to ensure they reflect current industry standards, technologies and workforce expectations. The proposed changes strengthen alignment with current industry requirements and quality assurance practices.

Key updates include clearer role delineation across qualification levels and refreshed content that supports safe, compliant and efficient health administration and practice management services. The review also focuses on improving career progression pathways, enhancing workforce capability and ensuring qualifications remain relevant to the evolving needs of healthcare facilities and regulatory frameworks.

We invited you to provide feedback on the health administration and medical practice qualifications via survey which closed on Friday 27 March 2026.

Validation

Following the feedback we received during the first round of consultation, we made a second draft of training products for the Health Administration and Medical Practice Qualification Review available for review. This validation round of consultation was conducted through our new consultation portal. Feedback on these documents was open until 5pm Tuesday 16 June 2026.  

All feedback provided during this window will be reviewed before the draft training products are submitted to the Senior Responsible Officers.

• HLT Companion Volume Implementation Guide
• HLT Companion Volume Implementation Guide Appendix

This Validation Consultation Log contains a high-level summary of all feedback, proposed changes and actions taken. We have provided explanations for feedback we considered but did not action. The training products have now been submitted to Senior Responsible Officers in each state and territory and the federal government for review.

The Consultation Summary Report outlines all the consultation activities undertaken as part of this project, the decisions taken and updates to qualifications and units of competency.

Development

We are committed to developing training products that meet industry standards and enhance workforce capability by identifying gaps and opportunities in health administration and medical practice management skills development.

Our Health Administration and Practice Management Functional Analysis Report provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse roles, functions and skills required across healthcare administration and practice management settings. It outlines the key competencies required to meet industry expectations and supports workforce development by exploring nationally endorsed training pathways for health administration and medical practice professionals.

Methodology

To ensure accuracy and relevance, the functional analysis research process included desktop research and stakeholder interviews. Desktop research involved reviewing job advertisements, organisational structures, industry reports, workforce data and government publications to understand workforce skill requirements in health administration and medical practice management. We also identified emerging trends in healthcare delivery, digital health systems, patient-centred care, regulatory compliance and business operations.

For interviews, we engaged with employers, industry representatives, registered training organisations and subject matter experts working across general practice, specialist medical practices, allied health services, and other healthcare settings to gather practical insights into roles, functions, sub-functions, skills, and knowledge requirements. These conversations helped us identify the specific tasks, challenges and competencies employers prioritise in health administration and practice management, including patient administration, appointment and scheduling systems, health information management, business operations, financial and billing processes, quality and compliance, customer service, and the coordination of healthcare services.

We also gained a deeper understanding of employer expectations and current and future workforce needs, enabling us to define functions and sub-functions that guide workforce development and inform training product solutions tailored to the health administration and medical practice management sector.

Transitioning BSB Medical Administration units

The BSB Medical Administration units have been incorporated into the Health Administration and Medical Practice project. As part of this review, these units will transition from the BSB Training Package to the HLT Training Package and be recoded accordingly at project completion. This transition aligns the units with their primary industry application, as they are medical in focus, predominantly used in health service settings and supported by stakeholders from the health sector. Moving them to the HLT Training Package supports stronger alignment with industry expectations, workforce outcomes and training package structure. This work has been undertaken in collaboration with Future Skills Organisation and aligns with the Training Package Organising Framework.

Qualifications, Units of Competency and Skill Sets

Following inclusion of the BSBMED units of competency, there are now 4 qualifications, 15 units of competency and one skill set specific to health administration and general practice. A feedback survey on these training products was open until 12 May 2026.

Set Up

Project Scope

We will review 4 qualifications, 1 skill set and 11 units of competency which support training for a range of job roles including:

• health administrators
• health practice managers
• medical practice assistants
• medical receptionists / secretary.

The project will consider job tasks, performance expectations, assessment conditions and the incorporation of new tools and techniques shaping the future of dentistry.

Key Objectives

• Align qualifications with contemporary workforce demands, regulatory requirements, technological advancements and patient management practices.
• Improve workforce capability to ensure that graduates meet current industry expectations and are job-ready.
• Enhance training pathways to support clear career progression and increase workforce attraction and retention in health administration and medical practice management roles.