Stronger Infection Control Standards Now Law for NSW Practitioners

Infection prevention and control (IPC) has been elevated to a clear legal requirement for all registered health practitioners in New South Wales under the updated Health Practitioner Regulation (NSW) 2025, released by the NSW Ministry of Health on 22 August 2025.

The Regulation embeds IPC standards directly into legislation, prescribing specific requirements for hand hygiene, use of protective equipment, sharps handling, and the reprocessing of reusable medical devices in line with AS 5369:2023. Where inconsistencies arise, the National Board codes and guidelines prevail, ensuring national alignment.

The update signals more than just individual responsibility. For the first time, the Regulation acknowledges that management must provide the equipment, access, and training required to enable compliance. This shift highlights infection control as a system-level obligation, with accountability shared across practitioners, owners, and organisations.

“This legislation is about ensuring transparency and stronger protection for the public,” said Kylie Robb, Director of Niche Dental. “Australian healthcare consumers have a right to safe, high-quality care, and these explicit standards make that obligation clear. This update reflects today’s climate of rising expectations for safety, quality, and accountability, and I am here for it.”

 Explicit infection control standards you cannot ignore

The new Regulation is highly prescriptive:

  • Hand hygiene must occur immediately before and after defined procedures.
  • Gloves, gowns, masks, and protective eyewear are mandatory in specific situations.
  • Single-use devices must be discarded after use, and sharps must be managed appropriately.
  • Reusable instruments must be cleaned, disinfected, and sterilised in line with AS 5369 and manufacturer instructions.

The regulation also makes clear that if there is an inconsistency, National Board codes and guidelines prevail. That means NSW practitioners must be aware of and meet obligations under the new Regulation and the Dental Board of Australia regulatory standards, codes and guidelines. This powerful framework leaves little room for assumptions or ignorance.

Increased focus on accountability for management

The Regulation recognises that accountability does not rest with individual practitioners alone. If a practice fails to provide the right equipment, access, or training, that failure is a key factor in determining compliance.

This signals three important shifts in NSW:

  1. Shared accountability. Practitioners are legally required to follow IPC standards, but management must make it possible for them to comply.
  2. Systems matter. Infection control requires clinical governance and leadership; it is not just about practitioner behaviour. Policies, procurement, training, and auditing must be resourced and led at the organisational level.
  3. Practical implications. Leaders cannot simply delegate the management of infection control to others. Teams need the infrastructure, resources, and shared responsibility to meet these legal obligations.

With this new legislation specifically calling out the mandatory requirement to manage infection prevention risk, now is the time to act. You and your team must be confident that your systems are aligned and meeting these new obligations.

 

Niche Dental can help you today:

  1. Get a comprehensive gap analysis at your practice, with a clear, strategic action plan to improve without delay.
  2. Upskill your team through onsite training tailored to your environment or attend a CPD course now.
  3. Achieve accreditation with expert guidance and practical support.
  4. Resolve ‘Not Met’ actions quickly and confidently to finalise your accreditation.

Niche Dental, led by Kylie Robb, is quality expertise you can rely on.

As one of Australia’s leading experts on infection prevention, clinical governance, and technical leadership, Niche Dental is ready to help you take action to ensure you are meeting your professional — and now regulatory — obligations to protect the public.

If you have, or think you will lose, any sleep over your infection control, take action now with leadership you can trust.

Get in touch now for a confidential discussion to finalise your accreditation or to book your training and gap analysis.

We are ready to help you.