The National Clinical Terminology Service (NCTS) is pleased to announce that the August 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.
SNOMED CT Description Length Increase - Important Information for Implementers
Following industry consultation in 2024, SNOMED International has increased the maximum length of Fully Specified Names (FSNs), Synonyms, and Preferred Terms from 255 to 4096 characters. Descriptions exceeding 255 characters have been introduced in the International SNOMED CT releases from August 2026 onwards.
Within the Australian Extension (SNOMED CT-AU), the standard Description Type specification was extended to 2048 characters in 2014.
While there is no impact to the August 2026 release of SNOMED CT-AU, future releases of SNOMED CT-AU (or other SNOMED CT editions or extensions) may contain descriptions of up to 4096 characters.
Organisations that implement SNOMED CT-AU (or other SNOMED CT editions or extensions) descriptions should review their systems and assess any dependencies on current description length limits. This includes verifying that databases, interfaces, APIs, validation rules, reporting processes, and display functions can support description lengths of up to 4096 characters. Although no immediate action is required for the August 2026 release, proactive assessment and planning are recommended to ensure future compatibility and minimise implementation risks.
For further information or assistance, please contact the NCTS team at help@digitalhealth.gov.au.
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[2] 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.
SNOMED International Business Meetings and Expo
As part of the SNOMED International Expo Events 2026 in Sydney, NCTS and Sparked pre-conference workshops will be held on Wednesday 21 October 2026, providing a rare opportunity to learn directly from jurisdictions and organisations leading terminology and interoperability initiatives around the world.
Be Part of the Global Movement
The SNOMED CT Expo is more than an event, it’s a chance to build knowledge, exchange ideas, and help shape the future of interoperable healthcare. See the full agenda and don’t miss the early bird rates and group bookings: Register here
Use discount code EARLYAU to secure an exclusive early bird registration rate of $870 until 31 August 2026.
A key feature of the workshops will be the opportunity to learn from both Australian and international jurisdictions. Participants will hear practical insights from implementation leaders across Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Malaysia and Belgium, covering implementation journeys, lessons learned, challenges encountered and future priorities.
For those involved in terminology services, clinical systems, interoperability programs, data standards or digital health strategy, the workshops provide an opportunity to:
- Learn from health systems addressing challenges similar to those faced across Australian jurisdictions.
- Gain practical insights from SNOMED CT, medicines terminology and FHIR® implementations.
- Explore approaches to standards adoption, governance and implementation at scale.
- Exchange ideas with international peers and experts working in the digital health standards ecosystem.
Attendance at the workshops can be combined with the broader SNOMED International Expo (22-23 October), which brings together governments, software vendors, implementers and standards organisations from across the global health community.
Terminology Engagement and Activity Update
Representatives from the NCTS Engagement and Implementation Team attended the Health Informatics Conference in Sydney earlier this month. The conference provided a valuable opportunity to engage with jurisdictions, software vendors, clinicians, and other stakeholders from across the digital health ecosystem. Discussions reinforced the growing focus on interoperability and highlighted the importance of terminology standards in enabling the consistent exchange and use of health information.
The NCTS continues to work closely with jurisdictions, software providers, and peak clinical bodies to support terminology adoption and implementation activities. These ongoing collaborations are helping to address practical challenges associated with integrating terminology into clinical systems and workflows, while promoting greater consistency in the capture and exchange of structured health information.
Work is also progressing to support a range of interoperability use cases across the healthcare sector. Through engagement with implementation partners and standards communities, NCTS is helping to ensure terminology remains aligned with emerging requirements and can effectively support the meaningful exchange of clinical information between systems and jurisdictions.
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.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Peter O'Halloran
Chief Digital Officer
Australian Digital Health Agency
[1] "SNOMED" and "SNOMED CT" are registered trademarks of the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation (IHTSDO).
[2] Shrimp was developed by the Australian e-Health Research Centre (AEHRC)