The role of the Department of Health is to improve the health and wellbeing of all Territorians and their families by: providing individual, family and community health and public health services; working with communities in the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of health and family services; promoting changes in attitudes and behaviours that are harmful to health; and promoting independence and self management. Strategic Issues Implementing the Service Framework for Health and Hospital ‘New Services in the Northern Territory’. Responding to growing demand and cost of services, consistent with the position of other health systems nationwide. Implementing a System Performance Framework providing for robust and transparent information against financial, activity, and safety and quality performance indicators. This is a requirement the National Health Reform Agreement, and the main tool for supporting devolved accountability and responsibility. Developing financially and clinically sustainable services that respond to expected demand. Ensuring timely access to emergency and hospital care. Implementing key initiatives to provide a financially sustainable service system that meets best practice clinical and other performance indicators, in response to system pressures from the increasing cost of health services, the ageing Northern Territory population and improvements to life expectancy, including: clinical redesign, with a focus on attaining national emergency department and elective surgery performance targets; and activity-based funding across hospital services as required under the National Health Reform Agreement. Closing the gap in life expectancy for Indigenous and non Indigenous Territorians. Reducing alcohol attributable hospitalisation rates. Reducing health risk factors for Territorians by focussing on chronic disease prevention, identification and management. Actively engaging and advocating for Northern Territory design and funding requirements to be considered as part of the national response to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The role of the Department of Health is to improve the health and wellbeing of all Territorians and their families by: providing individual, family and community health and public health services; working with communities in the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of health and family services; promoting changes in attitudes and behaviours that are harmful to health; and promoting independence and self management. Strategic Issues Implementing the ‘New Service Framework for Health and Hospital Services in the Northern Territory’. Responding to growing demand and cost of services, consistent with the position of other health systems nationwide. Implementing a System Performance Framework providing for robust and transparent information against financial, activity, and safety and quality performance indicators. This is a requirement the National Health Reform Agreement, and the main tool for supporting devolved accountability and responsibility. Developing financially and clinically sustainable services that respond to expected demand. Ensuring timely access to emergency and hospital care. Implementing key initiatives to provide a financially sustainable service system that meets best practice clinical and other performance indicators, in response to system pressures from the increasing cost of health services, the ageing Northern Territory population and improvements to life expectancy, including: clinical redesign, with a focus on attaining national emergency department and elective surgery performance targets; and activity-based funding across hospital services as required under the National Health Reform Agreement. Closing the gap in life expectancy for Indigenous and non Indigenous Territorians. Reducing alcohol attributable hospitalisation rates. Reducing health risk factors for Territorians by focussing on chronic disease prevention, identification and management. Actively engaging and advocating for Northern Territory design and funding requirements to be considered as part of the national response to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.