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Performance Information for Outcome 6 Administered Programs


Administered Funding – Rural Health Program

6.1 Rural Health Services

Indicator:

Provision of ongoing primary health services in rural and remote areas.

Measured by:

Services established and maintained to improve access.

Reference Point/Target:

Existing Regional Health Services are maintained and additional remote services are developed.

Result: Indicator met.

One hundred and twenty-one existing Regional Health Services were maintained in 2007–08, with some streamlining of arrangements to improve the management of services and better use of resources.

The Department also administered new funding to enable the Royal Flying Doctor Service to enhance the delivery of services to Central Australia and to provide primary care services to the remote Bass Strait islands.

 

Indicator:

Establishment of time-limited preventive health initiatives.

Measured by:

Projects established to improve access to preventative health activities.

Reference Point/Target:

Existing preventative health initiatives are maintained and additional remote initiatives are developed.

Result: Indicator met.

Thirty-one Building Healthy Communities projects were maintained. These projects helped small, remote, low capacity communities to address the key risk factors for chronic disease through community activities and the development of people locally to take leadership roles in addressing health issues.

Thirty-four new national projects were developed and included projects in Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland, remote areas of Western Australia and other rural and remote areas. These projects helped build community infrastructure through the provision of resources or through the support of health professionals who work in rural and remote health services.

 

Indicator:

Improved access to specialist and privately insurable health services for rural and remote communities.

Measured by:

Services/projects established and maintained to improve access.

Reference Point/Target:

Existing specialist outreach and privately insurable health services are maintained and additional services and projects are developed.

Result: Indicator met.

The Medical Specialist Outreach Assistant Program delivered more than 1,400 services to people living in rural and remote communities across Australia in 2007–08.

The Rural Private Access Program supported 239 projects, increasing rural and remote community access to privately insurable services, as well as supporting the enhancement of private hospital services.

The Rural Medical Infrastructure Fund funded six new projects in rural and remote communities, providing essential infrastructure to support the delivery of health services and to attract and retain health and medical professionals.

Performance Information for Outcome 6 Departmental Outputs


Output Group 1 – Policy Advice

Indicator:

Quality, relevant and timely advice for Australian Government decision-making.

Measured by:

Ministerial satisfaction.

Reference Point/Target:

Maintain or increase from previous year.

Result: Indicator met.

Ministers were satisfied with the advice provided by the Department for Australian Government decision-making. This is on par with ministerial satisfaction in 2006–07.

 

Indicator:

Relevant and timely evidence-based policy research.

Measured by:

Production of relevant and timely evidence-based policy research.

Reference Point/Target:

Relevant evidence-based policy research produced in a timely manner.

Result: Indicator met.

The Department engaged the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to work on the Rural Health Information Project. The institute delivered a number of reports that provided advice to the Department on the health and wellbeing of people living in rural and remote areas. These reports have informed the development of evidence-based rural health policy advice.

 

Output Group 2 – Program Management

Indicator:

Administered budget predictions are met and actual expenses vary less than 0.5% from budgeted expenses.

Measured by:

Percentage that actual expenses vary from budgeted expenses.

Reference Point/Target:

0.5% variance from budgeted expenses.

Result: Indicator not met.

The 2007–08 Budget Estimate for Outcome 6 was incorrect. Actual expenditure was 1.3% below the correct estimate. This underachievement was due to a small underspend in the Rural Private Access Program.

 

Indicator:

Stakeholders to participate in program development.

Measured by:

Opportunities for stakeholder participation through a range of avenues, such as surveys, conferences and meetings.

Reference Point/Target:

Regional Health Services conduct annual and biannual forums to discuss program issues.

Medical Specialist Outreach Assistant Program hosted an annual fundholders meeting to review and monitor program administration, and hosted an advisory forum in each state and territory to identify service priorities.

Result: Indicator met.

Regional Health Service forums were held in South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and the Northern Territory. These forums provided an opportunity for service providers and their staff to meet, share experiences and good practice, listen to a range of health experts on matters of interest, and interface with the Department about issues of concern.


Medical Specialist Outreach Assistant Program stakeholders participated in program development through a departmental review of program administration and through bilateral meetings. Medical Specialist Outreach Assistant Program advisory forums in each state and the Northern Territory have met to assist fundholders to identify service priorities for the program.


Site visits to 25 Rural Private Access Program grant recipients by the Department assessed the program’s achievements against its intended aims and provided grant recipients with the opportunity to provide feedback to the Department. This feedback was used in the development of the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program.

Performance Improvement Initiative


Improving the Long-term Viability of the Royal Flying Doctor Service

Commencement Date:

01/07/2007

End Date:

23/06/2008

Related Key Strategic Direction:

Ensured the Long-term Sustainability of the Royal Flying Doctor Service


Produced by the Portfolio Strategies Division, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
URL: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/annrpt/publishing.nsf/Content/outcome-6-part-2-performance-information-4
If you would like to know more or give us your comments contact: annrep@health.gov.au