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What the ACMA SMS changes mean for Clinical, Pracsoft and Bluechip users from 1 July 2026

23 June, 2026

From 1 July 2026, changes from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will affect SMS Sender IDs (the name shown to message recipients instead of a phone number).

MessageNet is the SMS service provider used to send messages from MedicalDirector Clinical.

What this means:

  • SMS messages where patients can reply (e.g. appointment reminders with Yes/No confirmation) are already sent from a mobile number and are not affected by this change.
  • SMS messages that don’t allow a reply (e.g. one-way recalls, results notifications, or informational updates) are sent using a Sender ID and will display as ‘Unverified’ from 1 July unless that Sender ID is registered with ACMA.
  • Note: Many practices use both types, so even if your appointment reminders are unaffected, your one-way messages may still be impacted.
  • If you send messages using a named Sender ID, you need to register it with ACMA before 1 July 2026.
  • Unregistered Sender IDs will be displayed as “Unverified”.
  • Registration requires confirming your ownership and use of the Sender ID.

What Clinical, Pracsoft and Bluechip users need to do:

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