The Victorian State Government has released the Victorian Health Priorities Framework 2012-22, outlining planned reforms over the coming decade.

 

“The Health Priorities Framework 2012-22: Metropolitan Health Plan reviews Victoria’s health services, sets out the case for change, and proposes critical directions and priorities to guide detailed planning and development into the future,” Victorian Minister for Health David Davis said.

 

The plan has recognized an aging population, changing disease patterns and increasing demand on health services as critical areas that reform will target.  Furthermore, the paper has identified the following seven priority areas:

  • developing a system that is responsive to people’s needs;
  • improving every Victorian’s health status and experiences;
  • expanding service, workforce and system capacity;
  • increasing the system’s financial sustainability and productivity;
  • implementing continuous improvements and innovations;
  • increasing accountability and transparency; and
  • utilising e-health and communications technology.

 

Mr Davis has called for  recognition of all health providers, stating that private health care has been systematically neglected as a contributing factor to Victoria’s health services.

 

“We need to recognise the role of private hospitals, health funds and medical and other health practitioners to ensure we are using health resources as effectively as possible, incorporating the range of health services and service provision in Victoria in our future planning,” Mr Davis said.

 

The paper has identified the ‘complex web of types and providers of services’ as problematic and ‘fragmented’. Stating that ‘This complexity makes the system extremely difficult for patients and clinicians to navigate. It is not easy for people to work out where they should go to for information and get the right care to meet their needs.’

 

The Framework has proposed the following reform priorities:

  • The systematic development and implementation of metropolitan municipal health and wellbeing plans
  • The development of more sophisticated planning approaches and tools such as area based planning, analysis of up-to-date and correct population statistics that is summarised and distributed to the Victorian health sector to inform planning.
  • Evaluation of existing and development of new care settings to ensure services are clinically effective and cost-effective, irrespective of the funding source with a focus on building capability and capacity for out-of-hospital care and improving access to primary medical and primary health care.
  • Development of the proposed statewide primary health care plan for a stronger primary health care system in consultation with the Commonwealth Government (joint planning for a Victorian General Practice and Primary Health Plan).
  • Joint planning with the Commonwealth, particularly on the Medicare Locals initiative to better connect primary care with other community-based services.
  • Development of opportunities for greater private sector collaboration, coordination and integration.
  • Enhancement of existing plans and development of relevant new plans for the systematic improvement to care planning and management for specific patient groups requiring detailed development of systems capacity or patient pathways.

 

The full report can be accessed here