Health Systems and Financing

In Australia and New Zealand health service financing is reliant on market forces and to a certain extent political expediency. There is evidence that a wide range of differentials in cost-effectiveness ratios for health interventions exists and good evidence to suggest there are highly variable procedure rates across both countries and between population sub-groups.

This evidence often underpins the quest for a priority setting mechanism able to identify desirable resource shifts. The College has developed policy documents that have reviewed health planning models which have highlighted areas of health planning and identified their failure to specify performance criteria and mechanisms for making choices. Currently the 'disease-based model' is the most widely used across both countries.

Submissions

• Operation of Health Care Complaints Act 1993 Discussion Paper - NSW Health Committee on Health Care Complaints Commission  - Oct 2009 (PDF 158KB) - NEW
• Credentialling Framework for New Zealand Health and Disability Providers, April 2009 (PDF 44KB)
• Review of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, March 2009 (PDF 17KB)
• Review of the Health & Disability Commisioner Act, and the Code of Health & Disability Services Consumers' Rights March 2009 (PDF 24KB) 

National Health and Hospital Reform Commission (NHHRC)

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 (NHHRC). The Commission has been established to develop a long-term health reform plan for a modern Australia. More information on the Commission can be found on their website here.

In June 2009 the NHHRC released their Final Report - A Healthier Future for All Australians - which contains its proposed reform directions.

The College provided submissions to the NHHRC in the report developmental stages:

• Submission to the NHHRC Interim Report - 'A Healthier Future for All Australians' - March 2009 (PDF 191KB)
• Supplemental Brief for the NHHRC  - May 2009 (PDF 69KB)

Policies:

• Inequity and Health: a call to action (PDF file: 415KB)

Please contact the Policy and Advocacy Unit for further information: policy@racp.edu.au.