THE DEFENCE HEALTH SERVICE BRANCH (DHSB) was created within the Defence Personnel Executive in 1997 with the merger of the three single Service Health Branches. DHSB Headquarters are located on the top floor of Campbell Park Offices at the base of Mount Ainslie.
As the head of the Branch, the Director General Defence Health Service (DGDHS) 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. DGDHS is also responsible for preparing the Defence Health Service for deployment in support of ADF operations and for the technical control, specified program management requirements and certain administrative support functions of the Defence Health Service. These responsibilities involve providing advice and developing policy on a range of health issues.
DHSB is staffed by about 55 full-time, and several part-time and contract personnel.
Structure of DHSB
The Executive, which includes the support staff to the Surgeon General Australian Defence Force (SGADF) and to the DGDHS. The SGADF is also supported by three Assistant Surgeons General, all of whom are Reserve officers, who act in an outreach capacity to build and maintain linkages between the Defence Health Service and the civilian health community. They also function in an advisory capacity for the Defence Health Service. SGADF is chairman of the Defence Health Consultative Group and the Australian Defence Health Research and Ethics Committee (ADHREC).
The Directorate of Health Capability Development, responsible for health capability planning, doctrine, interoperability and research; operational health planning and mobilisation; health force structure, personnel and training system development; and development and coordination of an implementation strategy for Joint Project 2060 (a major capability investment project to enhance the deployable health capability of the ADF).
The Directorate of Clinical Policy, responsible for advice on clinical health, determining common clinical health policy, exercising technical control of clinical medical services, providing clinical medical input into ADF policy formulation and providing advice on the professional training and development of ADF medical officers.
The Directorate of Preventive Health, responsible for preventive health policy in the ADF, for strategic direction in health intelligence, public health, health surveillance, health promotion, injury prevention and physical fitness.
The Directorate of Health Projects, superintending the development of a Centre for Military and Veterans' Health, which will focus on postgraduate health education, professional development for members of the DHS, ADF health and human performance research and military e-health.
Three special advisers (Dental, Nursing and Mental Health), who exercise technical control of their respective specialties and provide specialist advice and input to the Executive and Directorates.
Structure of DHSB