In aged care and community health, trust is everything.

Your organisation is responsible for the wellbeing, safety, and dignity of some of the most vulnerable people in the community. That trust extends beyond care — it includes how you handle personal information, financial data, medical records, and communication with families, GPs, pharmacists, and government agencies.

Unfortunately, many providers still operate without clear cybersecurity governance. Information is shared via email, stored across uncoordinated systems, and managed by under-resourced teams relying heavily on outsourced IT support. In an environment of rising cyber threats, increasing regulation, and heightened public scrutiny — that’s no longer viable.

SMB1001 Gold is a cybersecurity governance certification designed for Australian organisations with 50 or more staff. It offers a practical, scalable framework to help aged care and health service providers take control of their cybersecurity obligations — without overwhelming clinical teams or frontline operations.

Why Cybersecurity Governance Is Now Essential in Aged Care

1. You Handle Extremely Sensitive Personal Information

You manage:

  • Medical and care records

  • Identity documents and Medicare numbers

  • End-of-life plans and advanced care directives

  • Financial and billing data

  • Behavioural, psychological, and family information

A breach of this information is not just a privacy issue — it’s a breach of human dignity. SMB1001 Gold helps ensure this data is protected through clear access controls, staff training, and breach response protocols.

2. You’re Operating in a Tightly Regulated Sector

Your organisation must comply with:

  • Aged Care Quality Standards

  • Australian Privacy Act (and its likely expansion)

  • My Aged Care, NDIS, and other Commonwealth program requirements

  • State-based legislation relating to child safety, elder abuse, and incident management

Certification provides a governance framework that aligns with these obligations, making audits, funding assessments, and board reporting far easier to manage.

3. You’re an Easy Target for Cybercriminals

Aged care and health organisations are regularly targeted by attackers using:

  • Ransomware to lock down critical systems

  • Business email compromise to divert payments

  • Credential theft to access medical platforms

These attacks disrupt care, destroy trust, and — in some cases — force providers to notify residents, families, and regulators. SMB1001 Gold helps prevent incidents through governance maturity and preparedness, not just reactive IT fixes.

4. Your Workforce Is Dispersed and Multi-Disciplinary

You may have nurses, carers, support workers, admins, finance teams, and contractors working across multiple sites and digital platforms. Without consistent cybersecurity practices and responsibilities, gaps emerge quickly.

Certification ensures a baseline of good practice across all roles and locations — with policies, access rules, and response plans that make sense in real-world care environments.

5. You Need to Demonstrate Leadership and Duty of Care

Boards, funding bodies, and families are asking tougher questions:

  • How are you protecting resident data?

  • What would you do in the event of a cyberattack?

  • Are staff trained to handle phishing attempts or scams?

SMB1001 Gold gives your leadership team a defensible position, backed by a recognised certification and a practical roadmap for improvement.

What SMB1001 Gold Covers for Aged Care Providers

The certification process includes:

  • Governance structures and board-level cybersecurity accountability

  • Role-based access to clinical, financial, and HR systems

  • Incident response planning tied to operational continuity and resident safety

  • Supplier oversight — especially for cloud software, IT support, and communications platforms

  • Staff training and cultural awareness of cyber risk

  • Breach notification alignment with OAIC and program-specific requirements

It’s not about complexity — it’s about clarity, accountability, and care.

In Summary

Cybersecurity in aged care and community health is not an IT issue — it’s a governance, compliance, and care issue. It’s about protecting residents, ensuring operational resilience, and upholding the trust that families and communities place in your organisation every day.

SMB1001 Gold certification provides the framework and credibility needed to meet those obligations head-on. It helps your organisation move from reactive firefighting to proactive, defensible cybersecurity maturity.

Aegis Cybersecurity works with aged care and health service providers across Australia to implement cybersecurity governance that fits your operations, resources, and regulatory environment.

If your organisation is ready to strengthen trust and reduce risk, let’s talk about what SMB1001 Gold can mean for your future.