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Organisation

Defence Health Services Division (DHSD) is a component of the Defence Support Group (DSG) and comprises two branches, the Strategic Health Policy and Plans Branch, and the Health Services Branch. While the majority of health care providers are employed within operational units under command of their respective single Services.

Head Defence Health Services

The Head Defence Health Services (HDHS), is responsible for the provision of health care to members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and, from the health perspective, the preparedness of the ADF for operations. HDHS is also responsible for preparing Defence Health Services (DHS) for deployment in support of ADF operations and for the technical control, specified program management requirements and certain administrative support functions of the DHS. These responsibilities involve the provision of advice and the development of policy on a range of health issues.

Surgeon General Australian Defence Force

The Surgeon General Australian Defence Force (SGADF), has responsibility for the Defence Health Reserves. He is Chair of the Defence Health Reserve Executive Committee; Chair of the Australian Defence Human Research Ethics Committee and Patron of the Australian Military Medicine Association. He is assisted by three Assistant Surgeon's General who are the senior reserve health officers for their respective Service, with both tri-Service and Single Service responsibility.

National Support Area

National Support Area (NSA) health care is controlled by the Joint Health Support Agency (JHSA) using an Area Health Service (AHS) model. The AHS are located in each of the Defence regions and include a mixture of both operational and non-operational health support units. The AHS report, for financial, technical and NSA matters, to the Director JHSA who is in turn responsible to DGHS.

Psychology

Psychology support to commanders in the NSA is provided through the Defence Force Psychology Organisation (DFPO) using regionally-based Psychology Support Sections (PSS) on a model not dissimilar to that used by JHSA. PSS are responsible for providing NSA support to all ADF members as well as providing a surge capacity to support the operational psychology elements located in the single services. PSS report to DGHS through the Director DFPO.

Deployable Health Units

Operationally deployable health units (including psychology elements) are part of the single Service structure and are under command of their environmental commands (Maritime, Land and Air). HDHS exerts technical control, on all health related matters, over operational health units.

   28 May, 2008