Notifiable Disease Notification — Public Health Act (All States/Territories)

Issuing authority

State and territory health departments (NSW Health, VIC Department of Health, QLD Health, SA Health, WA Health, TAS Department of Health, ACT Health, NT Health)

Official source

How to apply

1. Identify whether the diagnosed or suspected condition appears on your state or territory's notifiable diseases list (each jurisdiction maintains its own list under its Public Health Act).
2. Determine the urgency tier: conditions like meningococcal disease, measles, and viral haemorrhagic fevers require immediate telephone notification to the local Public Health Unit (PHU); routine conditions require written notification within 5 days.
3. For urgent conditions, phone the local PHU immediately (e.g. NSW: local PHU numbers at health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/Pages/phus.aspx; VIC: 1300 651 160 available 24/7).
4. Complete the relevant state notification form — states provide disease-specific PDF forms (e.g. HIV, syphilis, acute rheumatic fever) and/or a general notifiable disease notification form available from the state health department website.
5. Submit the completed form by fax, secure online portal, or mail to the local PHU as directed by your state — e.g. VIC: fax 1300 651 170; ACT: email cdc@act.gov.au or fax 02 5124 8810; NSW: fax to local PHU.
6. Diagnostic laboratories must also notify independently of the treating clinician in most states — check your state's laboratory notification requirements.
7. Maintain patient confidentiality: patient identifying details are protected under state privacy legislation and used solely for public health surveillance purposes.
8. Cooperate with PHU follow-up investigation including contact tracing for conditions such as tuberculosis, meningococcal disease, and sexually transmissible infections.

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