Digital Health Standards Assessment
Australia has national standards for digital mental health services, and national standards for virtual care and telehealth are on the way.
Both need an accreditation agency with real digital and clinical competence. DHSCA is preparing for that role.
The Standards
National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health (NSQDMH) Standards.
The NSQDMH Standards set the national benchmark for digital mental health services in Australia. They cover Clinical and Technical Governance, Partnering with Consumers, and Model of Care. Assessment runs on a three year accreditation cycle through an accrediting agency that the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has approved.
Virtual Care (Telehealth) standards.
The Commission is developing national standards for virtual care, following an announcement by Minister Butler in June 2026. The scope and final criteria of these standards are not yet published and consultation to shape the standards is expected in 2026/27.
DHSCA is building its assessment capability to match the standards' requirements as they evolve, and aims to lead as Australian virtual care service's preferred standards accreditation agency once they go live.
Where are we now
DHSCA is working through the steps that come before an application. That work includes building out an assessor workforce, seeking our own external accreditation, and ensuring our assessment methodology is one that delivers the highest clinicial and technical value to health service organisations in Australia.
We will update the sector as we move closer towards our national safety and quality standards assessment goal.