08/09/2026
For too long, health literacy has been viewed primarily as an individual responsibility.
This week we were delighted to welcome the Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing Rebecca White MP to the University of Sydney for the launch of Australia's first National Health Literacy Framework.
This Framework recognises that the responsibility also sits with the health system, to communicate clearly, design services around people's needs and to make good health decisions easier.
The Framework was developed by the Sydney Health Literacy Lab in partnership with the Sax Institute for the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
The launch brought together policymakers, researchers, health professionals and consumer advocates passionate about making health literacy part of the way Australia does healthcare.
Highlights from the launch included the formal launch of the Framework by Assistant Minister Rebecca White MP, followed by an overview of its development and vision from Lab Director Professor Kirsten McCaffery.
We also heard valuable consumer perspectives from Janneke Mylonas and Co-SheLL consumer chair, Saad Khalid.
SHeLL researchers A/Prof Danielle Muscat, A/Prof Carissa Bonner, Dr Brooke Nickel and Dr Julie Ayre provided research insights on health literacy in practice and emerging challenges and opportunities across digital health, social media and AI.
The event concluded with a panel discussion on implementation priorities, bringing together perspectives from across the health system and community.
Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate this milestone, and to the many organisations, partners, consumers and community members whose contributions helped shape the Framework.
➡️ Read the Framework here: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-health-literacy-framework
