Following the Federal Budget in 2006, the Department of Health and Ageing has undergone a considerable restructure, which will achieve a range of important outcomes including ensuring that the Department has the capacity to deliver on commitments contained in the recent Budget and those which have been part of recent COAG announcements. Consistent with this, there are now four Deputy Secretaries rather than two - Mary Murnane, Philip Davies, David Kalisch and David Learmonth.
The nine Divisions are Primary and Ambulatory Care, Population Health, Office of Health Protection, Acute Care, Ageing and Aged Care, Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance, Pharmaceutical Benefits, Medical Benefits, and Mental Health and Workforce. There are also four Cross portfolio Divisions: Portfolio Strategies, Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health; Regulatory Policy and Governance Division and Business Group.
The Primary and Ambulatory Care Division led by Richard Eccles as First Assistant Secretary consists of:
- National Health Call Centre Network Taskforce
- Chronic Disease and Better Health Pathways
- Primary Care Financing Branch
- Service Access Branch
- General Practice Divisions and Information Branch
- Primary and Ambulatory Care Policy Branch
- E-Health and Technology Branch
- Rural Health Branch
- Principal Medical Advisor, e-Health and Safety and Quality Branch.
The Collaboratives/Research section has been renamed 'Primary Care Research Section' and has moved from the Primary Care Programs Branch and is now reporting to Judy Daniel, Assistant Secretary, Primary and Ambulatory Care Policy Branch. The new arrangements should help to forge closer links between primary health care policy and research evidence.
It is well worth while studying the organisational chart to find out the names of sections and their Directors who are most relevant to your own work. The current organisational chart can be found at:
Web: www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/health-struct.htm
The 2006-07 Budget Portfolio Statements are useful resources in understanding the policy world. These inform Senators and Members of Parliament of the proposed allocation of resources to portfolios outcomes and their objectives and targets including the agencies within the Health and Ageing portfolio. They also contribute to and support organisational development and performance in portfolio agencies, by identifying the Government's key strategic priorities for the year ahead. These are available at:
Web: www.health.gov.au/internet/budget/publishing.nsf/content/budget2006-portfoliobudgetstatements.htm
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