No, GPs will not be chased by AHPRA for writing first-time scripts over telehealth despite what some websites claim.

AHPRA has released new telehealth guidelines that essentially bring nurses and pharmacists under the same rules that have applied to doctors since 2023 — no “tick-and-flick” consults, such as prescribing based on questionnaire responses.

The update “reflected concerns around unethical practice and emerging business models”, it said, adding that it had received 586 telehealth-related notifications across all health professions in 2024/25.

However, these guidelines also sparked reports — including on news sites The Medical Republic and The Australian Financial Review, as well as the RACGP’s media website — suggesting that AHPRA was taking a sledgehammer to telehealth prescribing.