APodA advocacy update: December 2025
28 Nov 2025
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What is happening in advocacy in 2026?
Throughout 2025, our Advocacy team gathered valuable data to guide our priorities for the year ahead. The findings confirm that most members are working within primary care, through Medicare, DVA, and private health insurance, followed closely by aged care and disability. These areas will remain central to our focus.
Much of this work supports older Australians, with diabetes, chronic pain, and arthritis emerging as the most common conditions. We’ll also continue our strong push for podiatrists with prescribing endorsements to be included on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), with a pre‑budget submission planned for 2026.
Digital health will be another key enabler, as new government policies aim to better connect allied health. In early 2026, you can expect further insights from a workforce report, aligning with the release of the National Allied Health Workforce Strategy.
As the peak professional body, the APodA is uniquely positioned to influence policy. More than half of consultations we attend are closed invitations, meaning your voice is represented through us. To ensure advocacy reflects the profession, we actively engage members via surveys, special interest groups, and key opinion leaders.
Look out for opportunities to share your perspective, together, we can put our best foot forward and shape the strongest possible future for podiatry.
Media coverage
ABC Drive radio interview
Our CEO, Hilary Shelton, recently joined ABC Drive (Adelaide) for a live interview to discuss APodA’s PBS submission and the omission of podiatrists and allied health from the CPP. You can tune in from 1:17:45 via the program link to hear the full conversation here>>.
NDIS
1. NDIS changes ahead: Advocacy in action
The NDIS underwent major changes in 2025, with more expected in 2026, impacting pricing, frameworks, and service delivery. The upcoming Annual Pricing Review will run for two months, and podiatry is set to feature strongly. The APodA is preparing strategies to ensure podiatrists are well‑represented and supported.
2. Advocating for Fair and Practical NDIS Standards
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission recently reviewed provider registration and governance processes, with KPMG leading the evaluation. The APodA actively contributed through consultations and a formal submission, emphasising three key points:
Strong regulation already exists: Podiatrists are registered with Ahpra and the Podiatry Board of Australia, operating under a robust governance framework.
Proportional registration matters: Requirements should reflect business size and participant numbers, ensuring fairness for sole traders and larger organisations alike.
Collaboration is essential: We encouraged the Commission to engage with Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) to ensure a coordinated, profession‑wide approach.
3. NDIS 2025-2026 Annual Pricing Review
The NDIS Annual Pricing Review for 2025–2026 is now underway, covering therapy supports, including podiatry. This review provides an important opportunity for the podiatry profession to contribute their perspectives and ensure their voice is heard on the pricing of podiatry services.
The previous review (2024–2025) introduced significant pricing changes that directly affected podiatry and raised concerns across the profession, making this year’s consultation even more critical.
Find out more here>>
Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme: Member feedback in action
The APodA is actively contributing to the government’s review of the new Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme. With the Department of Health assessing its impact through external consultants, we’ve gathered valuable member insights via closed consultation and will present them to ensure the profession’s voice is strongly represented.
Aged Care
1. Support at Home consultations - Information for members
The Australian government is inviting feedback on two major consultations shaping the future of aged care. With podiatry playing a vital role in helping older Australians remain safe, mobile, and independent at home, the APodA encourages members to review the materials and consider making a submission.
Inquiry into the Transition of the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) to the Support at Home Program
Submissions close: 30 January 2026
This consultation examines the transition from CHSP to the new Support at Home program, focusing on impacts for service providers, workforce supply, and continuity of care.
For more details click here>>
Inquiry into the Support at Home Program
Submissions close: 31 July 2026
This broader consultation explores the program’s design, funding model, access pathways, and consumer experience. It seeks input on how older Australians can access safe, timely services, and how pricing, co‑payments, and hardship settings may affect equity of access.
For more details click here>>
To strengthen the APodA’s submission, we will be working closely with the Podiatrists in Aged Care Committee to develop surveys that capture members’ experiences with both programs.
If you provide care under these schemes, your insights are essential. When surveys are released, we encourage you to participate, ensuring the podiatry workforce is accurately represented and our collective voice helps shape the future of aged care.
2. Shining a Light on Podiatrists in Aged Care
KeepAble has released a new article showcasing the vital role podiatrists play in helping older Australians stay mobile, independent, and well. With input from APodA’s Podiatrists in Aged Care Committee, we were pleased to provide guidance during its development.
The piece highlights podiatrists’ contributions across wellness, reablement, chronic condition management, and the early identification of complications, reinforcing the profession’s impact in aged care settings.
Read the full article here>>
Digital health
Stay alert: Protect your PRODA account
The Australian government is urging health professionals to stay vigilant against scams targeting Provider Digital Access (PRODA) accounts. Scammers often pose as trusted organisations, even government agencies, and may attempt to contact you via phone, email, text, or social media to trick you into sharing sensitive information such as passwords or banking details.
What to do if you’re concerned:
- Call Services Australia’s eBusiness (Medicare) line on 1800 700 199 (Option 1), Monday to Friday, 8 am–5 pm local time.
- Report suspicious activity by emailing details or copies of scams to reportascam@servicesaustralia.gov.au.
- Visit the Services Australia website at servicesaustralia.gov.au and search ‘scams’ for further guidance.
By staying alert and reporting suspicious activity, you help protect yourself, your patients, and the wider health community.
Podiatry Council of NSW update
Infection control inspections
As part of its ongoing commitment to strong infection prevention and control, the Podiatry Council of NSW inspected 28 practices during the 2024/25 program. Of these, 16 were fully compliant, 11 had minor issues, and 1 practice recorded a critical concern.
Key areas for improvement included:
- Cleanliness and organisation: Messy treatment rooms, cluttered reception areas, poorly maintained reprocessing zones, overflowing waste, and unclean storage surfaces.
- Instrument cleaning and reprocessing: Lack of clear “dirty to clean” workflows, missing batch numbers on sterilised equipment, and incomplete patient records.
- Furniture and equipment: Damaged treatment chairs, sharps containers placed on the floor, empty cleaning products left in treatment areas, and incorrect use of basins.
- Infection control policy: Absence of tailored practice policies and limited awareness of current standards.
All practices are strongly encouraged to reflect on these findings and take proactive steps to address gaps. Strengthening infection control not only ensures compliance but, most importantly, safeguards patient safety and quality of care.
Ahpra update
New Guidance on Certifying Conditions for Compassionate Release of Superannuation
On 16 October, Ahpra together with the Medical and Dental Boards of Australia released updated guidance for doctors and dentists, following concerns about inappropriate practices when certifying conditions for Compassionate Release of Superannuation (CRS).
The guidance reinforces practitioners’ professional responsibilities when supporting CRS applications, reminding clinicians to:
- Carry out thorough assessments within their scope of expertise
- Obtain informed consent, including discussion of financial implications
- Certify only treatments that are clinically necessary for the patient’s circumstances
Importantly, the statement cautions that encouraging patients to access superannuation early without holding an Australian Financial Services Licence may constitute financial advice, which can attract serious penalties from ASIC.
Recent ATO data highlights the scale of CRS use, with more than 93,500 applications lodged for medical treatments such as IVF, weight loss, and dental procedures. This guidance builds on a May position statement, reiterating that patient care must remain the foundation of all clinical decisions.
Practitioners are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the guidance and share its principles across their networks to strengthen safe, ethical practice.
Read the joint media release from Ahpra and the ATO here>>
Research
Have your say in clinical practice guidelines
Monash University researchers are inviting health professionals to take part in a short, 10 minute online survey about the clinical practice guidelines you rely on in patient care.
Conducted by the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration, this study seeks to understand your views on guideline currency and the concept of living guidelines. The findings will be used to advocate for more up‑to‑date treatment guidance that better supports clinicians and patients alike.
This project has received approval from the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (Project No. 49707).
Complete the online survey here>>
PHN updates
Last chance to complete the Digital Care Assessment
The Hunter New England & Central Coast PHN has extended the Health e-Together Digital Care Assessment, but only for three more weeks.
In just 30 minutes, you can:
- Understand your practice’s digital capability
- Receive a tailored action plan to strengthen digital health
- Apply for one of five $2,000 Digital Care Grants
- Help shape future digital health support in the region
This opportunity is open to Allied Health providers (excluding Pharmacy) across Hunter, New England and the Central Coast. It’s ideal for business owners, practice managers, and senior admin staff who oversee daily operations and digital readiness.
Be sure to complete the assessment by Friday 12 December to make your voice count here>>
AOPA Collaboration
NDIS Review of Microprocessor Prosthetics
The NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee is reviewing prosthetic limbs with microprocessors, assessing their benefits, safety, and cost‑effectiveness. Public consultation is now open, and this is your chance to contribute.
The Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association (AOPA) will be lodging a formal submission and is seeking input from across the allied health sector. Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, and others working closely with amputees are encouraged to share their experiences as part of multidisciplinary care.
AOPA is particularly interested in perspectives on:
- Social participation and independence
- Functional outcomes and mobility
- Quality of life improvements
- Reduced reliance on support workers or mobility aids
- Impacts on families and carers
Submit a participant story via AOPA’s online form, here>>
Access the public consultation and online survey, here>>
Your insights will help ensure the profession’s voice is heard and that future decisions reflect the lived experiences of those providing care.