The National Clinical Terminology Service (NCTS) is pleased to announce that the April combined release of SNOMED CT®‑AU[1] and the Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT) is now available to registered users from the NCTS website.
The latest Release Note and all release files (RF2 bundle, reference sets) can be downloaded from the ACCESS tab.
Global Patient Set and SNOMED CT-AU - Guidance for Australian vendors and implementers
SNOMED International’s recent expansion of the Global Patient Set (GPS) represents a positive step toward improving global healthcare interoperability by broadening access to SNOMED CT for non‑Member countries and systems[2]. However, for vendors developing, implementing, or supporting digital health solutions for the Australian market, SNOMED CT‑AU remains the recommended terminology.
SNOMED CT‑AU, provided by the National Clinical Terminology Service (NCTS) and available free of charge to Australian implementers, includes Australia‑specific content essential for local use. This includes the Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT) and other extensions that reflect Australian clinical practice and health system requirements. To ensure consistency and fitness for purpose across the Australian health system, implementers should continue to use SNOMED CT‑AU in preference to the GPS.
From a functional perspective, it is also important to understand that the GPS is not a full clinical terminology. The GPS is a curated list of active SNOMED CT International Edition concept identifiers and descriptions, designed to support basic code lookup and data exchange in non‑Member settings. It does not include the definitional relationships that underpin SNOMED CT’s clinical meaning (for example, relationships such as a disorder occurring in an anatomical structure). As such, the GPS operates as a lookup mechanism rather than a terminology capable of supporting clinical decision support, analytics, or semantic interoperability.
Australia is a SNOMED CT Member country, and the concept identifiers used in the GPS are identical to those already available within SNOMED CT‑AU. Consequently, use of the GPS provides no additional benefit for Australian implementations and would result in the loss of essential Australian‑specific content and terminology functionality.
For implementers developing products and services for use outside of Australia, adoption of the GPS may be appropriate. Implementers considering doing so should contact the NCTS.
For more information about the NCTS see: National Clinical Terminology Service - National Clinical Terminology Service or email: help@digitalhealth.gov.au
Terminology Engagement and Activity Update
The NCTS, working with the Agency Partnerships team, has met with representatives from every state and territory to better understand how clinical terminology is being used across Australia. Together, they completed a standard assessment to look at how consistently terminology is being implemented in different health systems.
This assessment used an internationally recognised questionnaire developed by SNOMED International. Using a common approach makes it easier to compare progress between countries, as well as across Australia, and helps ensure everyone is working onwards from their own current baseline.
The information gathered is now being reviewed and will help guide future work. This includes supporting more advanced and consistent use of clinical terminology so health information can be more easily understood, shared, and reused across different systems - an important foundation for safe, connected, and high quality healthcare.
As the assessment work continues, there has also been growing interest from health knowledge providers, with several organisations exploring how clinical terminology can be built into their products and services. This strengthens the broader health ecosystem, creating opportunities over time for better decision support and easier access to reliable health information, complementing national efforts to make digital health information easier to share and use.
Where can I find technical guides and other resources?
All SNOMED CT‑AU and AMT documentation, including technical and implementation guides, is freely available for download from the NCTS Document Library without registering or logging in. However, if you are a registered user we recommend that you log in before downloading any material so that we can better target our communications to you, based on the resources that you have downloaded.
Terminology browsers
Shrimp[3] is available online at https://ontoserver.csiro.au/shrimp. Search both SNOMED CT‑AU and AMT content, or browse the hierarchies by selecting the latest version of “SNOMED Clinical Terms Australian Extension” in the drop-down menu.
Feedback
Development by the NCTS relies on the input and cooperation of the Australian healthcare community. We value your feedback and encourage questions, comments, or suggestions about our products. You can contact us by completing the online support request form, emailing help@digitalhealth.gov.au, or calling 1300 901 001.
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[1] "SNOMED" and "SNOMED CT" are registered trademarks of the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation (IHTSDO).
[2] SNOMED International, SNOMED International significantly expands the scope of the Global Patient Set, SNOMED International, 12 March 2026, accessed 31 March 2026
[3] Shrimp was developed by the Australian e-Health Research Centre (AEHRC).