Latest News

HUMAN ABILITY UPDATE  - 11-10-2026

We are pleased to announce that the Sterilisation Services Qualification Review has been endorsed by the Skills Ministers late yesterday afternoon. As members of the project Technical Committee, we would like to sincerely thank you all for your commitment, expertise and contributions in bringing this review to this stage. This outcome would not have been possible without your collaboration and ongoing engagement throughout the process.

 

The updated qualifications will be available on the National Training Register within 10 days. The project page on the HumanAbility webpage will be updated in the next week as well with details of the process and links to register for upcoming Professional Development workshops.

 

Once again, sincere thanks to you all. 

 

We are pleased to announce the revised HLT37015 Certificate III in Sterilisation Services and HLT47015 Certificate IV in Sterilisation Services qualifications were accepted by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Assurance Body on 25 August 2026 and endorsed by the Skills Ministers on Thursday 8 October 2026.  

 

The qualification documents will be published on the National Training Register within the next 10 days, and a summary of changes can be found on the project page.  

 

Significant structural and content updates have been made to the sterilisation qualifications and units of competency, including: 

·                alignment to the 2025 Training Package template requirements 

·                revised qualification structures and core unit requirements 

·                the introduction of entry requirements for the Certificate IV qualification 

·                refinements to performance criteria, knowledge evidence and assessment conditions to improve clarity, consistency and industry relevance. 

1. Training product templates: qualifications were updated to align with the 2025 template requirements 

2. HLT37026 Certificate III in Sterilisation Services:  

·                total number of units needed to achieve the qualification increased from 14 to 16 

·                core units increased from 10 to 12 

3. HLT47026 Certificate IV in Sterilisation Services: 

·                total number of units required to achieve the qualification reduced from 15 to 11 

·                core units reduced from 11 to 7 

·                entry requirements added 

4. All units had edits to Performance Criteria and Knowledge Evidence for enhanced clarity 

5. Some units had minor changes to their assessment conditions. 

We also took this opportunity to publish the following minor updates: 

·                a new Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Ear and Hearing Health Skill Set 

·                HLTENN039 Apply principles of wound management replaced "universal precautions" with "standard precautions” in Performance Criteria to reflect current industry terminology 

·                HLT47425 Certificate IV in Audiometry – minor changes to ACSF levels in Foundation Skills Outcomes. 

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed their time and expertise to this project. 

If you have any questions or need any further information, please reach out to the project team at TPD.Health@humanability.com.au. 

 

 

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	TPD Health    p 1800 486 262 e  TPD.Health@humanability.com.au                        Find us online:  humanability.com.au
HumanAbility acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet, work and live. We acknowledge and pay respect to their Elders, past and present.

Article of interest: Guidelines for Reprocessing Ultrasound Transducers

Australas J Ultrason Med - 2026 - Peters - Guidelines for Reprocessing Ultrasound Transducers 2026

Guidelines-for-Reprocessing-Ultrasound-Transducers-2026-POSTER-1

LATEST ADVISORY INFORMATION FROM - NSQHS AS24/01

Details of the most recent NSQHS advisory standard update:

Advisory AS24/01: National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards requirements for reprocessing of reusable medical devices in health service organisations | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

OPTIONAL GAP ANALYSIS TOOL:

Reprocessing reusable medical equipment gap analysis tool | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

QUALIFICATION REVIEW - HUMAN ABILITY

More on the project web page:-  https://humanability.com.au/projects/sterilisation-services--qualification-review.aspx

• ensure qualifications align with current industry needs and job requirements
• ensure regulatory and occupational health and safety requirements are met 
• create clear and sustainable career pathways  

• The one-hour online interviews will be held between 8th July and 20th August, 2025 
• The interview will be with the Project Manager and Technical Writer
• More than one staff member can attend.

PHOTO's from several CSD's Celebrating Our STERILISING DAY!!

Now in Resources - PHOTO's - CSD DAY 2026

World Celebrates "CSD DAY"

Communicable Diseases Branch
Queensland Infection Prevention and Control Unit - QIPCU Email update

Dear Colleagues,

 Welcome to this week's QIPCU Newsletter.

 Message from Queensland Chief Infection Control Nurse

1. Standards update

Please find further standards update for your information.

While the remit of the newly established QIPCU is to provide IPC advice, we acknowledged that sterilising is a highly specialised area, and we are not subject matters experts for sterilising.

The Standards Australia AS 5369:2023 Reprocessing of reusable medical devices has been released. This updated Standard combines and supersedes both 4815:2006 and 4187:2014. It is likely that the changes will largely relate to those implementing 4815:2006.

The Commission is reviewing Standard AS5369 to identify key changes and will consider timeframes and if transitions arrangements will be required. This will be communicated to the system.

In the meantime, Advisory AS18/07: Reprocessing of reusable medical devices in health service organisations remains current and describes the minimum requirements and timeframes for health service organisations  to comply with Action 3.17 in the NSQHS Standards.

Where the requirements for segregation and storage cannot be met by 31 December 2024, extensions can be sought from the Commission. These will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

As part of the submission process, regulator support will be sought, and organisations are encouraged to check licensing agreements to establish if applications and approvals for capital works are also required.

If you have any follow-up questions or require clarification, please contact the Commission’s Safety and Quality Advice Centre via reply email or call 1800 304 056.