Check-up for health services

By CPL Damian Shovell

A REVIEW of the Defence Health Service (DHS) is being conducted to evaluate whether its existing capabilities can meet Defence’s needs in the short to medium term.

Major General J.P. Stevens (ret’d) is conducting the review, scheduled for completion by March 31.
Director General DHS Air Commodore Tony Austin said CDF initiated the review to establish how the changes over the past 10 years or so to the DHS had impacted on support to the ADF.

“Over this time, there has been a more tri-service and operational focus to ADF health care. We have attempted to shift some of the non-operational posts of DHS to civilian organisations, thereby freeing up some uniformed components to concentrate on operational capability of health care,” AIRCDRE Austin said.

“We have sought to contract health care support in Victoria and the ACT, and to rationalise health care in several other areas to see how we could increase efficiency without compromising the level of service.”

In the ACT the transfer of all health support to the private sector was not found to be viable and instead a rationalisation of the current arrangements is being pursued.

In Victoria, the plan to have Mayne Group Ltd take over health support was abandoned when the company withdrew from contract negotiations.

The DHS has been busy operationally over the past few years, while continuing to face external challenges that apply across the civilian health sector.

These challenges include personnel shortages, cost increases, greater emphasis on preserving health and greater governance requirements.

“The review should be able to help the ADF position the DHS to continue to improve its support into the future,” AIRCDRE Austin said.

“The way ahead for the immediate future is a continuation of what we already have, which is a mix of uniformed, contracted civilian and Australian Public Service health providers working along side each other.”

For further information on the review contact Helen.Doherty@defence.gov.au or Monique.Hawley@defence.gov.au

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