Health Professionals Award from 1 October 2026: what GP practices need to change.
Which award covers medical receptionists and GP practice staff, the 1 October 2026 health professional changes, the new rates, and a payroll checklist.
The key point
From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 October 2026, health professionals covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award move to a new classification structure with higher rates. Reception and admin staff are not reclassified: their rates rose 4.75% from 1 July 2026. The award does not cover GPs.
Who at a GP practice is affected?
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award covers two groups in a typical practice: support services staff, such as receptionists and administration staff, and health professionals the practice employs, such as allied health professionals.[4][10] Schedule B of the award lists common health professions, including dietitian, exercise physiologist and psychologist.[4] It does not cover medical practitioners, so GPs are outside it.[4][10]
Medical receptionists are covered by this award: the Fair Work Ombudsman calls it the Health Services Award (MA000027) and lists medical receptionists and clerks among its examples of support services employees.[10] Receptionist is also one of the indicative roles in the award’s support services classifications.[4] Nurses covered by the Nurses Award are outside it, so check which award applies to each practice nurse.[10]
The October 2026 change applies to the health professional stream only.[1][8]
What changed for medical receptionists and admin staff
Reception and admin staff were not reclassified on 1 October 2026: their minimum rates rose 4.75% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, after a 3.5% rise the year before.[2][3][7][9] The support services classification structure did not change in July or October 2026, and "Receptionist" remains an indicative role at Support Services Level 3.[2][4] All rates in this guide are in Australian dollars (AUD).
| Classification | From 1 July 2025 (AUD) | From 1 July 2026 (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $978.20 a week ($25.74 an hour) | $1,024.70 a week ($26.97 an hour) |
| Level 3 (includes Receptionist) | $1,056.00 a week ($27.79 an hour) | $1,106.20 a week ($29.11 an hour) |
| Level 5 | $1,104.70 a week ($29.07 an hour) | $1,157.20 a week ($30.45 an hour) |
What changed for health professionals on 1 October 2026
Health professionals moved to a new classification structure with higher rates.[1][5] Level 1 is no longer set by degree-entry pay points.[1] It is now set by two things: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level of the standard minimum qualification for the profession, and the employee’s years in the profession.[1] Levels 2 to 4 are set by role and duties.[1]
The change follows the Fair Work Commission’s gender-based undervaluation review and is the first of five stages.[5][8] The table shows the old rates, which applied to 30 September, and the new rates from 1 October.[1][2]
| Classification | Weekly rate (AUD) | Hourly rate (AUD) | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1, pay point 2 (3-year degree entry) | $1,219.50 | $32.09 | 1 July to 30 September 2026 |
| Level 1, pay point 3 (4-year degree entry) | $1,273.40 | $33.51 | 1 July to 30 September 2026 |
| Level 1, pay point 4 (Masters degree entry) | $1,317.20 | $34.66 | 1 July to 30 September 2026 |
| Level 1, AQF level 7, first year | $1,308.80 | $34.44 | From 1 October 2026 |
| Level 1, AQF level 7, second to third year | $1,409.00 | $37.08 | From 1 October 2026 |
| Level 1, AQF level 7, fourth to sixth year | $1,565.30 | $41.19 | From 1 October 2026 |
| Level 1, AQF level 7, seventh year and later | $1,689.50 | $44.46 | From 1 October 2026 |
| Level 1, AQF level 8, first year | $1,337.10 | $35.19 | From 1 October 2026 |
| Level 2.1 | $1,945.40 | $51.19 | From 1 October 2026 |
| Level 2.2 and Level 3 | $1,983.20 | $52.19 | From 1 October 2026 |
| Level 4 (manager) | $2,499.10 | $65.77 | From 1 October 2026 |
- Schedule B of the award sets the AQF level for common health professions: for example, exercise physiologist at AQF level 7, dietitian at AQF level 7, 8 or 9 depending on the qualification held, and psychologist at AQF level 9.[4]
- Existing employees move to the new structure under clause J.4, in Schedule J of the award.[1] Clause J.4.1 gives example translations for each AQF level, but the new classification depends on each employee’s years in the profession, so check each person rather than copying the old pay point across.[1]
- A health professional who was at Level 1 or Level 2 on 30 September 2026 is classified by the AQF level of the qualification for their profession and their years of experience in that profession, not by their old pay point.[1] Previous Levels 3 and 4 translate by role and duties.[1]
- An existing employee’s minimum rate does not go down. Under clause J.4.3, a health professional classified under the award on 30 September 2026 gets the higher of the minimum rate for their new classification and their minimum rate on 30 September 2026.[1]
Why it started on 1 October, and what comes next
The new structure was first set to start on 30 June 2026.[5] Several parties argued that the transition was complex and needed more time, and the Commission moved the start to 1 October 2026.[5] The remaining increases follow from 30 June in each of 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030, so health professional wage costs will rise again each year.[5]
Where does a practice manager sit?
The award has no practice manager classification, so the level depends on the duties.[4] The Support Services descriptors give the guide: Level 5 administrative work requires a comprehensive knowledge of medical terminology or a working knowledge of health insurance schemes; Level 8 can include scheduling workloads and counselling staff about performance; Level 9 covers supervising a work group, small work area or office.[4]
Health Professional Level 4 (manager) applies to a health professional appointed as a manager, not to an administrative practice manager.[1][4] Document the reasoning behind each classification, and get advice where it is unclear.
A payroll checklist for the first October pay run
The new rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 October 2026.[1] Check that pay run against these steps, whether it has already been paid or is still to come. Done by hand, this means re-working every health professional’s classification and rate and keeping the working, then updating every rate again at each of the four increases from 30 June 2027.[5]
- List every employee under the award and confirm whether they are in the health professional or support services stream.
- For each health professional, record the standard minimum qualification for their profession, its AQF level and their years in the profession.
- Translate each health professional to the new classification using Schedule J of the determination, and keep the working.[1]
- Check that classification codes and rates in payroll were updated for the first full pay period starting on or after 1 October 2026.[1]
- Do not assume your payroll software has loaded the new rates and classifications. Check them against the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide before the pay run.
- Give one named person ownership of the award update, and have a second person check the first October pay run.
- Check that reception and admin staff are already on the 1 July 2026 rates; they need no new classification.
- Put the next increases, from 30 June 2027, in the budget.[5]
If this lives in one person’s spreadsheet, map it once so the next four increases are not a scramble. Explore clinic workflows ↗
Common mistakes to avoid
The Commission published draft determinations for comment, the first on 2 March 2026.[5][8] It made the final determination on 7 September 2026.[1][8] Use the rates in the final determination and the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide, not figures from a draft.
- Applying the award to GPs: it does not cover medical practitioners.[4][10]
- Using the rates annexed to the May 2026 decision: the Commission said a further determination would follow the Annual Wage Review 2026 to include any rate changes from that review.[5] The rates that apply are in the 7 September 2026 determination.[1]
- Missing the start date: the new rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 October 2026.[1][6]
- Paying less than before: under clause J.4, an employee classified under the award on 30 September 2026 keeps the higher of their new classification rate and their 30 September 2026 rate.[1]
Further reading
References checked on 2 October 2026.
- [1] Fair Work Commission: determination PR814029 (health professionals, from 1 October 2026) ↗
- [2] Fair Work Commission: determination PR799308 (rates from 1 July 2026) ↗
- [3] Fair Work Commission: determination PR786565 (rates from 1 July 2025) ↗
- [4] Fair Work Commission: Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (MA000027) ↗
- [5] Fair Work Commission: decision [2026] FWCFB 123 (commencement on 1 October 2026) ↗
- [6] Fair Work Ombudsman: pay guide MA000027, from 1 October 2026 ↗
- [7] Fair Work Ombudsman: Annual Wage Review 2026 ↗
- [8] Fair Work Commission: gender-based undervaluation priority awards review ↗
- [9] Fair Work Ombudsman: Annual Wage Review 2024 to 2025 ↗
- [10] Fair Work Ombudsman: Health Services Award [MA000027] summary, who the award covers ↗
Disclaimer: this guide is general information for Australian employers. It is not legal, HR or payroll advice for your circumstances; check the award and the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide before you run payroll.
