National Health Reform
The Reform agenda
The Federal Government has released a proposal for reform of the Australian health system called 'A National Health and Hospitals Network for Australia's Future'.
The plan is to deliver major structural reforms that will secure the future of Australia's world class public health system.
Initially, the focus will be on improving public hospital services, building on existing strengths of our current system along with free and ready access to best-practice healthcare for public patients across Australia and to ensure that our public health system is sustainable.
For more information about the National Health Reform, NSW Health has established a comprehensive website - where you can access Health Reform reports, view presentations and give your feedback:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/initiatives/healthreform/index.asp
Start of the transition
On 29 September 2010 the NSW Government released its decision on the establishment of Local Health Networks and other elements of its restructure for the NSW Health System.
On Thursday 23 December 2010, Michael DiRienzo was appointed Chief Executive of the Hunter New England Local Health Network, effective 1 January 2011. Michael has held the role of HNE Health Director, Operations - Acute Networks for the past five-plus years. He has been responsible for directing and managing the effective and efficient planning and delivery of all acute clinical services in our district and referral hospitals.
On 1 January 2011, Hunter New England Health became one, single Local Health Network with no changes to its geographic boundaries.
Additional information about the Local Health Networks can be found in the media release and maps issued by the NSW Government:
Media release, 29 September 2010 (pdf 57KB)
NSW Health Director-General announcement to staff, 29 September 2010 (pdf 29KB)
Local Health Networks map(pdf 719KB)
Hunter New England Local Health Network map (pdf 587KB)
See a map outlining the Clinical Support Clusters and their associated Local Health Networks.
Next steps during 2011
Following the appointment of a new NSW Government in March 2011, NSW Minister for Health Jillian Skinner outlined four key priority areas; these will underpin all of the policies and decisions of NSW Health and include:
• The welfare and interests of patients must be the absolute number one priority
• CORE values will permeate everything we do. The CORE values are: collaboration, openness, respect and empowerment
• There will be a serious commitment to devolution; local responsiveness and accountability will be the focus
• A real commitment to openness by increasing the amount of material, in terms of statistics and data, that will be made publicly available
The Minister also indicated that:
• Local Health Networks will be renamed Local Health Districts, and;
• Governing Councils will become District Health Boards.
A Transition Taskforce, chaired by NSW Health Director-General Dr Mary Foley, has been established to review the steps being taken to implement the new Government’s policies.
Dr Foley will be announcing any revisions to current structures before the end of the financial year, 2011.
Transition milestones
- Friday 5 November 2010: Associate Professor Lyn Fragar was named Chair of the Hunter New England Local Health Network’s Governing Council.
- Friday 17 December 2010: The following Governing Council members were appointed and will help oversee the Hunter New England Local Health Network: Dr Felicity Margaret Barr, Dr Bruce Bastian, Dr Helen Belcher, Paul Henry, Dr Ian Kamerman, Janelle Speed, Helen Staines, Conjoint Professor Trevor Waring, and Kenneth White.
- Thursday 23 December 2010: Michael DiRienzo was appointed Chief Executive of the Hunter New England Local Health Network, effective 1 January 2011.
- Saturday 1 January 2011: Hunter New England Area Health Service began transitioning to one, single Local Health Network, with no changes in geographic boundary.
- March 2011: Following a state election, Jillian Skinner was named NSW Minister for Health. The Minister indicated that Local Health Networks will be renamed Local Health Districts, and that Governing Councils will become District Health Boards. These changes are expected to occur before the end of June 2011.
Staff Updates
To ensure we are prepared for the change and positioned to retain the gains achieved as an Area Health Service, an internal transition team has been established to guide the process.
The HNE Health Transition Team will work with the Area Executive and senior managers in planning the transition process and importantly ensuring there are mechanisms to keep staff informed along the way. The Transition Team includes the Chief Executive, the Director of Clinical Operations, the Director of Population Health Planning and Performance, and representatives from Workforce, Financial Operations and Communication.
The team is distributing a number of communication tools to keep HNE Health staff informed along the way.
Community Updates
As soon as relevant transition details (at State and HNE Health levels) are known, the HNE Health Transition Team will share them with our key partners in the community. A Transition News newsletter has been designed to keep the community up-to-date with the latest developments:
2011
Transition News: 18 January 2011
Transition News: 22 February 2011
2010
Transition News: 5 November 2010
Transition News: 19 November 2010
Transition News: 7 December 2010
Transition News: 22 December 2010
Transition News: 31 December 2010