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Update
On 25 February 2008, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Health and Ageing announced the establishment of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. The Commission has been established to develop a long-term health reform plan for a modern Australia. The Chair of the Commission is Dr Christine Bennett, who is currently Chief Medical Officer of BUPA Australia Ltd. Nine other Commissioners will assist Dr Bennett. They are:
  • Rob Knowles, former Victorian Health Minister;
  • Geoff Gallop, former Premier of Western Australia;
  • Mukesh Haikerwal, Melbourne GP and immediate past-President of the AMA;
  • Stephen Duckett, health economist and former Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Health;
  • Ron Penny, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of NSW;
  • Sabina Knight, Associate Professor, Centre for Remote Health and remote area nurse;
  • Sharon Willcox, Director of consulting firm Health Policy Solutions;
  • Justin Beilby, Executive Dean of the University of Adelaide’s Medical School; and
  • Mary Ann O’Loughlin, Executive Councillor and Head of the Secretariat, COAG Reform Council.

Report on a framework for the next Australian Health Care Agreements

Following its establishment, the Commission’s first term of reference was to provide by April 2008, advice on the framework for the next Australian Health Care Agreements (AHCAs), including robust performance benchmarks in areas such as (but not restricted to) elective surgery, aged and transition care, and quality of health care.
This was the subject of the Commission’s first report - Beyond the Blame Game: Accountability and performance benchmarks for the next Australian Health Care Agreements

Principles to shape Australia’s Health System

The Commission has developed a set of principles which to a large extent should shape the whole health and aged care system - public and private, hospital and community based services. Comments on these principles were invited as part of the Commission's call for submissions.

Submissions

The Commission called for submissions in early April, with a closing date of 30 May. Over 500 submissions have been received, with many of them now publicly available.

Engagement and Consultation

The Commission has undertaken a series of forums with members of the public; frontline health workers; government agencies, professional and consumer groups and other interested individuals and organisations. Details of meetings are available on the engagement and consultation pages of this website.

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Page currency, Latest update: 25 August, 2008