What is health reform?
Australians receive world-class hospital and health care, yet to ensure high quality care is available into the future our system needs reform. The new health reform is the most significant improvement to our health system since the introduction of Medicare. It is designed to deliver better health outcomes for many Australians. How?
How was health reform developed?
Health and hospital reform is the product of significant engagement with health professionals, patients, state and territory governments and the Australian community. The Australian Government has considered the findings of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission report, the draft National Primary Health Care Strategy, the 2010 Intergenerational Report, and the views expressed by the Australian people through an extensive consultation process to determine its final health reform.
What do the changes mean for patients?
Health and hospital reform is designed to deliver better health care and better hospitals for the future. The changes aim to ensure patients receive seamless, high quality care, where and when they need it.
The improvements to the health system will be underpinned by a strong set of national standards, which will work to improve patient access to high quality health care services, in the city and the country.
What do the changes mean for health professionals?
The Government is rolling out health reform, with an important focus on the people who care for us. There is more support and opportunities for health professionals, including:
- Higher standards for health care
- Local hospitals will work in local networks
- More training for more health professionals
- Integrated GP and primary care
- Support for the rural, regional and remote health workforce
- Supporting practice nurses
- Professionalising the aged care workforce
A National Health and Hospitals Network for Australia’s future – Delivering Better Health and Better Hospitals
On 19 and 20 April 2010, an historic agreement was reached by the Council of Australian Governments, except Western Australia, to the establishment of a National Health and Hospitals Network.
The Australian Government will build on these foundational reforms and improvements to care in the community with $7.3 billion in investments that focus on the health services that Australians rely on most to keep them healthy, and to help them get better if they happen to fall ill. These reforms will target critical pressure points in the system requiring additional investment.
You can read the full policy document here
The Australian Government will be delivering this additional investment in the following areas:
- Hospitals - to increase the number of public hospital beds, and over time deliver quicker access to emergency department treatment, and shorter elective surgery waiting times in public hospitals
- GP and primary health care - to deliver high quality integrated care in the community, and take pressure off public hospital services
- Workforce - to ensure there are more doctors, nurses and allied health professionals across the country to meet the growing need for health and hospital services
- Aged care - to provide more aged care places and beds for older Australians
- Mental health - to provide a foundation for better mental health care, and help young people get access to mental health services
- E-health - to deliver a personally controlled electronic health record system
- Prevention - tackling the lifestyle related risks that cause chronic disease – targeting smoking in particular
The implementation plan provides details of implementation activities over coming months and years, including timelines and major milestones to implement the major health reform agreed by COAG in April 2010.
On 19 and 20 April 2010, an historic agreement was reached by the Council of Australian Governments, except Western Australia, to the establishment of a National Health and Hospitals Network.
Between July 2009 and February 2010 we consulted with health professionals, stakeholders and health consumers, nationwide, to seek the community's views on health reform. This involved more than 100 consultation events around the country and an online consultation via the yourHealth website. Learn what they said using the links below.