The Serious Incident Response Scheme for residential aged care commenced on 1 April 2021. The SIRS sets new arrangements for residential aged care providers, including flexible care in a residential setting, to manage and take reasonable steps to prevent incidents, with a focus on the safety, health and well-being of aged care consumers.
As part of the 2021-22 Budget, the Australian Government announced funding to expand the SIRS to in-home aged care services from 1 July 2022.
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The National Key Performance Indicators for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care (nKPIs) collects information from organisations that are funded under the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme to provide primary health care services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These organisations report in June and December each year on a set of 24 indicators, endorsed by the Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Council in 2011 and collected since 2012,...More
Healthy Food Partnership
Portion sizes of many foods are increasing in Australia (1). In late 2015, the Australian Government established the Healthy Food Partnership (HFP) with the aim of improving the dietary habits of Australians by making healthier food choices easier and more accessible and by raising awareness of appropriate food choices and portion sizes (2).
A Portion Size Working Group (PSWG) was established with a key objective to consider how to work with industry to...More
There are currently three medicines available for the treatment of opioid dependence under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Opiate Dependence Treatment Program (ODTP). These medicines are buprenorphine (tablets and modified release injections), buprenorphine with naloxone (films) and methadone (oral liquid).
Under the ODTP, the Australian Government pays the full cost of the medicines made available under state and territory government opioid dependence...More
The Efficient Funding of Chemotherapy (EFC) Program provides funding for chemotherapy medicines used for the treatment of cancer that are administered through infusion or injection at public or private hospitals. Not all chemotherapy medicines are provided through the EFC Program, but may be subsidised through the broader Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
In the 2020-21 Budget, the Government announced a review of the current EFC Program. The review will look at the impact...More
On 14 August 2020, the Hon Mark Coulton, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government, announced a review into the Hearing Services Program.
An Independent Expert Panel comprising Professor Mike Woods (Chair) and Dr Zena Burgess is conducting the Review. The Expert Panel is supported by a Secretariat from the Department of Health.
Stakeholder and community consultation is a key part of the Review. The first consultation included inviting...More
Health services funded under the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme (IAHP) collect and supply important Indigenous health data sets to the Department of Health as part of their funding agreements. These are the:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander National Key Performance Indicators (nKPI)—a set of indicators that are collected twice a year at the health service level and which aggregate information on the regular clients that a health service sees.
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Introduction
In November 2019 the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation endorsed an ambitious plan to reform the Bi-national Food Regulation System to ensure it remains strong, robust and agile into the future. A key element underpinning the reform agenda is the review of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (FSANZ Act).
The FSANZ Act Review commenced in July 2020, and is a...More
The Australian Government, through the Critical Technologies Policy Coordination Office (CTPCO), is undertaking consultation on the future of critical technologies in the Australian agriculture and health sectors. Critical technologies are current and emerging technologies with the capacity to significantly enhance or pose risk to Australia’s national interest, including our economic prosperity, social cohesion and national security. The CTPCO provide s coordinated,...More
Preventive health is a key pillar of Australia’s Long Term National Health Plan with mental health.
In June 2019, the Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt MP announced that the Australian Government would develop a 10-year National Preventive Health Strategy (the Strategy). In April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister agreed to delay the public consultation process and extend the timeframe of the Strategy until 2021.
An Expert Steering...More
The Department of Health is introducing a number of changes to the Aged Care Financial Report (ACFR) commencing with the submission of the 2020-21 ACFR.
Major changes include:
detailed residential segment income and expense statement at the facility level
enhanced approved provider reporting
consolidated parent level segment report
permitted uses reconciliation.
This paper sets out the changes that are intended to be introduced in 2020-21. Stakeholder...More
The Australian Government Department of Health invites you to share your views on the proposed approach to making mitochondrial donation available in Australia. The Australian Government wants to introduce mitochondrial donation so this lifesaving technology is made available for families impacted by severe mitochondrial disease.
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The Department of Health invites submissions in relation to options for reforms and improvements to the Prostheses List.
In 2017, the Australian Government entered into the Strategic Agreement with the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA). Through the MTAA Agreement, a number of Industry Working Groups were established to consider options for reforms to the Prostheses List. However, more information is needed to finalise the reform approach. The Department has developed...More
View the PHI Consultation Document (closed 8 February 2021) .
On 6 October 2020, the Australian Government announced the second wave of reforms to private health insurance with the aim of improving the affordability, value, and attractiveness of private health insurance, particularly for younger Australians [Budget Paper No.2 - Budget Measure: Supporting Our Hospitals — simpler and more affordable private health cover for all Australians].
The announcement outlined the...More
The Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Indigenous Health Research Fund (IHRF) was announced in February 2019 to provide $160 million for research to improve the health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
An Expert Advisory Panel was appointed in September 2019 to provide advice to the Minister for Health on the strategic priorities for research investment through the IHRF.
As per the MRFF Mission Governance document , the Expert Advisory Panel is to provide...More
The Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission (the Mission) was announced in December 2018 to provide $185 million for research to support older people to maintain their health and quality of life as they age, live independently for longer and access quality care when they need it.
An Expert Advisory Panel was appointed in May 2019 to provide advice to the Minister for Health on the strategic priorities for research investment through the Mission....More
The Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Stem Cell Therapies Mission (the Mission) was announced as part of the 2019-20 budget to provide $150 million for research to develop innovative, safe and effective treatments accessible to all Australians who need them.
An Expert Advisory Panel was appointed in April 2019 to provide advice to the Minister for Health on the strategic priorities for research investment through the Mission.
As per the MRFF Mission Governance document ,...More
In July 2017 the Legislative and Governance Forum on Gene Technology (the Forum) formally commenced the Third Review (Third Review) of the National Gene Technology Scheme (the Scheme). The initial aim of the Review was to assess the operation of the Scheme with respect to its policy objectives. The Review also sought to identify areas where changes might assist to future-proof and modernise the Scheme, to help ensure efficiency and timeliness of the responses to emerging technologies....More
The Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Genomics Health Futures Mission (the Mission) was announced as part of the 2018-19 budget to provide $500 million for research to deliver better testing, diagnosis and treatment.
An Expert Advisory Committee was appointed in April 2019 to provide advice to the Minister for Health on the strategic priorities for research investment through the Mission.
As per the MRFF Mission Governance document , the Expert Advisory Committee is to...More
The Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Traumatic Brain Injury Mission (the Mission) was announced as part of the 2019-20 budget to provide $50 million for research to improve patient recovery after Brain injury. It will support projects that predict recovery outcomes, or identify the most effective care and treatments.
An expert working group was established in December 2019 to provide advice to the Minister for Health on the strategic priorities for research investment through the...More
The Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Cardiovascular Health Mission (the Mission) was announced as part of the 2019-20 budget to provide $220 million for research to make transformative improvements in cardiovascular health and stroke for all Australians.
An Expert Advisory Panel was appointed in April 2019 to provide advice to the Minister for Health on the strategic priorities for research investment through the Mission.
As per the MRFF Mission Governance document, the...More
Reform of the food regulatory system
In March 2020, the Australian New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (the Forum) endorsed an implementation plan for an ambitious reform agenda for the food regulatory system aimed at ensuring the system remains strong, robust and agile into the future. The reform agenda is being progressed through a number of interconnected projects.
This consultation is part of the first stage of the Review of the Intergovernmental Food Regulation...More
The Australian Government welcomes the Productivity Commission (PC) Inquiry Report on Mental Health. It provides 21 recommendations with 103 associated actions spanning five key themes:
prevention and early help for people;
improve people’s experiences with mental healthcare;
improve people’s experiences with services beyond the health system;
equip workplaces to be mentally healthy; and
instil incentives and...More
The Australian Government is working towards zero suicides and appointed Ms Christine Morgan as the first National Suicide Prevention Adviser reporting directly to the Prime Minister.
The National Suicide Prevention Adviser has provided the Prime Minister with the Interim Advice (the Advice) to inform a whole of government approach to suicide prevention. There are three parts that together make up the Advice: a lived experience informed report called ‘Compassion...More
Since 2002, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been able to have their status recorded confidentially on a database called the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier (VII).
The VII is primarily used to estimate use of the Medicare Benefits Scheme by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This information, grouped together to produce statistical reports, appears in a range of publications and is used to:
improve policies focused on access to health programs and...More
In March 2020, the Australian New Zealand Forum on Food Regulation (the Forum) endorsed an implementation plan for an ambitious reform agenda for the food regulatory system aimed at ensuring the system remains strong, robust and agile into the future. The reform agenda is being progressed through a number of interconnected projects:
While these projects are being progressed in parallel (with separate consultation processes focusing on different elements of the food regulatory...More
Changes to the Australian Immunisation Register legislation
We're seeking feedback on proposed changes to the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 (AIR Act).
The proposed amendment to the AIR Act is to make it mandatory for all recognised vaccination providers to submit vaccines to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
The proposed legislative changes will not make having a vaccine mandatory, rather it will be mandatory for...More
On 14 August 2020, the Hon Mark Coulton, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government, announced a review into the Hearing Services Program.
An Independent Panel made up of Professor Mike Woods (Chair) and Dr Zena Burgess will conduct the Review, with the support of an Australian Government Department of Health Secretariat.
The public consultation phase is a key part of the Review.
The Hearing Services Program Review Consultation...More