When: Wednesday 3 December 2025, 7:30-8:30 pm Speakers: Dr Jascha Kehr and Dr Coen Butters Facilitator: Dr Marion Tait, Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation
This free webinar, with CPD points, aims to equip primary care professionals with the skills to:
Identify signs and symptoms associated with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD)
Strategies for primary prevention of ARF
Manage long-term care for affected patients
Support priority groups, with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Maori and Pasifika young people and pregnant women.
The Benchmarque Group will deliver three Ear Health Workshops in NSW in NSW in early 2026, offering practical training in irrigation and microsuction ear wax removal techniques and an opportunity to strengthen skills across the member services.
Workshop details:
Monday 2 March 2026 – Course in Ear Wax Removal (Irrigation), Macquarie Park
Tuesday 3 March 2026 – Course in Ear Wax Removal (Microsuction), Macquarie Park
Thursday 5 March 2026 – Course in Ear Wax Removal (Microsuction), Coffs Harbour
To support the AH&MRC member services, Benchmarque is offering a 20% discount using the promotional code AH&MRC-20%.
If your service is interested in attending, please contact our Ear and Hearing Health Senior Project Officer Mandy Cutmore (mcutmore@ahmrc.org.au).
Mandy will liaise with Benchmarque to ensure our members are well represented.
This is a great opportunity to build capacity in ear and hearing health care. Please consider nominating staff who would benefit from this training.
Further information for irrigation training hereand microsuction traininghere.
AH&MRC is excited to partner with ASHM to host the inaugural Deadly Sex Forum in NSW in 2026.
This event is supported by NSW Health and will provide a great opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care Professionals in NSW to:
Strengthen and update their knowledge and skills in BBV and STI care,
Engage and network with their peers and sexual health experts
Learn about emerging issues in BBV and STI management.
Event Details:
When: Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 March 2026 Venue: AH&MRC – 35 Harvey Street, Little Bay, NSW – Bidjigal and Gadigal land (Sydney)
Registration and Accommodation
Deadly Sex NSW is free to attend. Complimentary accommodation is available, subject to committee approval upon registration. Priority will be given to delegates traveling from outside Sydney.
Held on Bidjigal and Gadigal Country at AH&MRC’s Little Bay campus (17–18 October), the Deadly Doctors Forum united GPs from Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across NSW to share knowledge and strengthen connections. Delivered in partnership with theRural Doctors Network (RDN), the event celebrated cultural leadership, clinical innovation, and community resilience.
The forum opened with a Welcome to Country by Aunty Maxine Ryan, followed by Nicole Turner (CEO, AH&MRC) and Mike Edwards (COO, RDN) reaffirming their commitment to a culturally responsive workforce. Luke Romer outlined the vision for a sustainable GP workforce in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector.
Inspiration and Cultural Practice
Highlights included Dr Kathryn Hutt (Doctors’ Health NSW) urging clinicians to reflect on competence and wellbeing, and Keira Edwards (AH&MRC) advocating for trauma-integrated care. Peter Cooley shared IndigiGrow’s story of cultural connection and youth empowerment. Day one concluded with a cultural dinner at the Sydney Opera House featuring chef Mark Olive (Bundjalung).
Clinical Updates
Day two focused on practical education for ACCHOs:
Naomi Hoffman, Kamilaroi woman and sexual health consultant, promoted normalising sexual health conversations.
Dr Joe Lawler addressed liver disease drivers and multidisciplinary care.
Emergency Preparedness and Climate Resilience
Dr Monica Taylor and Dr Natalie Lindsay (Bullinah AHS) shared outreach experiences after floods and cyclones, followed by a panel with Dr Kerry Chant and Nicole Turner on climate impacts and flexible outreach models. Dr Chant also outlined NSW Health’s immunisation priorities, stressing vaccine integration, novel immunisations, and digital systems to boost uptake in Aboriginal communities.
Closing Reflections
The forum ended with a call for evidence-based practice, partnership, and culturally informed care. Participants left energised and equipped with tools to strengthen clinical practice and community impact. We thank all presenters, partners, and participants for contributing to two meaningful days of learning and connection. Presentations are available here. Join the Deadly Doctors Mailing list by filling out thisForm
We look forward to welcoming everyone to the 2026 Deadly Doctors Forum!
On 28-29 October, the AH&MRC, with support from NACCHO, hosted a two-day workshop for the Sexual Health workforce in the ACCHO sector. The workshop focused on syphilis and the roll-out of NACCHO’s Syphilis Point-of-Care Testing in NSW-a timely initiative following the declaration of syphilis as a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance in August 2025.
Sexual health staff nominated by member services met in Little Bay to discuss all things syphilis and undertake the training and assessment for point-of-care testing, equipping them to share these skills and knowledge within their own services.
On the first day we were also joined by representatives from the Sexual Health InfoLink (SHIL) who gave us an overview of their Syphilis Support Program, which, assists clinicians across NSW in interpreting, managing and treating syphilis in their communities.
The second day we featured Cat Timcke from VACCHO, who guided participants through their continuous quality improvement (CQI) Systems Assessment Toolkit for BBV/STIs. This session set off valuable discussions and generated ideas to take back to their services.
The workshop was met with enthusiasm and provided an opportunity for knowledge sharing and networking, strengthening the syphilis response in our communities.
AH&MRC participated in the recent NSW Health Emergency Management Forum and the NSW Health State Preparedness and Response unit update – it is clear from these discussions that communities across NSW need to prepare for a hot and wet summer. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has forecasted increased risks of heatwaves, bushfires, and flooding. We know that ACCHO’s play a key role in supporting community safety and sharing timely information.
Keep up to date on weather forecast and weather warnings here.
Heat Safety
Babies, young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with chronic conditions, and outdoor workers—are especially vulnerable to extreme heat.
Stay cool: Use fans, wet skin with cool water, apply cool packs or damp towels on the neck and shoulders.
Hydrate: Drink plenty of water.
Plan ahead: Prepare for power outages and ensure safe storage of food and medications.
For infants: Avoid covering prams with dry fabrics; use a moist covering instead.
Energy tip: Combine fans with air conditioning set at 27°C—this feels 4°C cooler and can cut electricity use by up to 76%.
Useful tips to Beat the Heat are available on the NSW Healthwebsite and more tips on staying cool are available here.
On 17 November 2020, 194 countries committed to eliminate a cancer for the first time with the launch of the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to eliminate cervical cancer. The strategy sets ambitious targets for 2030:
90% of girls vaccinated against HPV by age 15
70% of women screened with a high-performance test by age 35 and again at 45
90% of women with cervical disease receiving treatment
What is HPV and Why Vaccinate?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus transmitted through intimate contact which can affect the skin, genital area, and throat. While most infections clear naturally, some HPV strains cause cervical and other cancers (including throat and anal cancers). HPV vaccinationis key to prevention, however, HPV vaccination rates have declined in Australia in recent years.
The Australian National Strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer in Australia has set national targets, that aligns with the WHO strategy:
90% of all adolescents vaccinated against HPV by 15 years of age,
70% of women aged 25-74 years participating in cervical screening every 5 years,
95% of those with cervical disease receiving optimal treatment for pre-cancer and cancer,
Less than 4 new cases of cervical cancer for every 100,000 women.
Parents and caregivers are urged to ensure adolescents receive the HPV vaccine, available free under the National Immunisation Program, primarily through a school-based program for young people aged 12-13 years. If young persons, up to the age of 25 missed the vaccine at school, they can still receive the HPV vaccine through their ACCHOs, GPs and some pharmacies.
While elimination is within reach in Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women continue to be unequally affected by cervical cancer. AH&MRC attended a World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day event hosted by The Cancer Institute NSW, to discuss research findings and strategies for scaling up cervical cancer screening and its potential impact for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Here’s how ACCHOs and communities can take action:
Check immunisation history at each visit
Community members to book an appointment for vaccinations and cervical screening
Share accurate information with communities, family, and friends
The AH&MRC is conducting a survey to identify the immunisation training needs of our member services. This information is important, as funding for upcoming immunisation training programs will be guided directly by the input received from ACCHOs.
Funded Training Options:
HESA Accredited Immunisation Course for Health Professionals – 5-day Face-to-Face Program
HESA Accredited Immunisation Course for Health Professionals – Hybrid Program
HESA Accredited Immunisation Course for Health Professionals – Online Program
Vaccine Screening and Promotion Program
We encourage all ACCHOs to complete the Expression of Interest Form using the link below. Further details about each course are outlined in the form to help identify what will best support your staff and your service.
Your feedback will guide us, prepare, and advocate for the right level of support as these programs roll out.
NACCHO will share further information about these training opportunities in the coming weeks, so ACCHOs are encouraged to submit their feedback as soon as possible.
NSW Health has issued a measles alert for both community and clinicians following confirmed cases in the state. Public exposure locations are being updated regularly on the NSW health website. This comes amid a national warning from the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control in October, urging Australians to prioritise measles vaccination after outbreaks in four states.
There is an increased local risk for measles in NSW due to several recent public exposures (e.g. Oasis concert) and one locally acquired case in Sydney with no known source.
Consider measles in symptomatic people, regardless of their age, travel history, or measles vaccination status. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause serious complications. Measles is commonly spread when a person breathes in the measles virus that has been coughed or sneezed into the air by an infectious person. The first symptoms are fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose, sore red eyes and feeling unwell. A few days later a rash appears. Symptoms of measles usually start 10 days after being exposed to the virus but can sometimes take as few as seven or as many as 18 days to appear. The rash usually appears around 14 days after exposure to the measles virus.
Isolate cases of suspected measles and call your Public Health Unit urgently on 1300 066 055
Prioritise up to date immunisation including measles vaccination:
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is available for free under the National Immunisation Program for children at 12 and 18 months of age.
Anyone born during or after 1966 should have two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine.
In NSW, the measles-mumps rubella is also free for anyone born after 1965 who has not already had two doses. This is especially important before overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world now.
Children under 12 months of age can have an extra, early dose of MMR as early as 6 months of age if they are travelling overseas.
Additional resources:
AHCWA has developed a suite of useful resourcesto assist ACCHOs with preparing and responding to measles.
