Clinical Governance

Anova's governance framework makes the standard visible. The sections below describe how the clinical program is structured, how decisions are made, and the ethical commitments that apply to prescribing and pharmacy arrangements.

Clinician-governed, GP co-care model

Anova operates under dedicated clinical governance. Dr Andrew Sax (FRACGP), Anova's Clinical Lead, sets the clinical protocols, owns the escalation rules, and is accountable for the standard the program operates to.

General practitioners remain at the centre of their patients' ongoing care. Anova does not replace the GP relationship. It extends it: sending structured consultation summaries after each appointment, flagging clinically relevant changes, and treating the GP as the long-term custodian of the patient's health. Where a patient does not have a regular GP, Anova's intake process includes a supported pathway to establish that relationship.

NSQHSPF alignment

Anova's clinical program is being designed with alignment to the National Safety and Quality Health Service Framework. Formal certification processes are in progress. The framework informs our approach to patient identification, clinical communication, medication safety, and incident reporting. Certification status will be published here as it is confirmed.

Protocol development

Clinical protocols are developed under Clinical Lead review and adopted only after that review is complete. Protocols cover assessment criteria, prescribing thresholds, follow-up schedules, and escalation pathways. Confirmed protocols are published on this page as they are finalised.

Editorial review

All public-facing clinical content published on anovahealth.com.au is reviewed by the Anova clinical team before publication. The review process checks accuracy, appropriate qualification of claims, and that content does not cross the line from explained to misleading. Each article is marked with the reviewer's designation and the date of review.

Indemnity arrangements

Clinical indemnity arrangements are being finalised for launch. Details will be published here when confirmed.

Prescribing and pharmacy ethics

The clinicians and GPs working with Anova hold themselves to a set of commitments that protect patient interests and clinical integrity. These are not policies imposed on the program from outside. They are the standard we expect of everyone in the network, and the standard referring clinicians can rely on.

No exclusive pharmacy arrangements. We have no commercial arrangements with any pharmacy. Patients fill prescriptions at any pharmacy of their choice, including their existing community pharmacy.

No prescribing-linked clinician incentives. No clinician in the Anova program receives financial incentives linked to prescribing volume, prescribing rate, or any specific therapeutic choice. Clinical decisions belong to the clinician and the patient.

Real-time consultation before every prescription. Every prescription issued through the Anova program follows a real-time consultation with a qualified clinician. We do not prescribe on the basis of a questionnaire alone.

No asynchronous prescribing. Consultations are conducted in real time. A patient who cannot be seen properly cannot be prescribed to properly, and we do not operate any other way.

Questions about clinical governance? Speak with our team.