1996-1997
6.4: Australian Government Health Service
The 1996-97 Portfolio Budget Statements, informs Senators and Members of Parliament of the proposed allocation of resources to portfolios outcomes and their objectives and targets including the agencies within the Health and Family Services portfolio.
Objective
- To provide a market-competitive health assessment and medical advisory service primarily to assist Commonwealth and other agencies meet their obligations to promote and protect the health and well-being of the Australian community.
Goals
- To satisfy clients' requirements through the provision of professional health assessment and advisory services with very high credibility.
- Effective provision of migrant health clearances.
- Expanded and diversified client and service base.
- Improved financial stability and provide a dividend to Government.
Strategies
- Provide a market competitive health assessment and medical advisory service.
- Develop, in consultation with major stakeholders, improved quality assessment measures.
- Corporatise the Australian Government Health Service (AGHS), and take associated action to improve performance including:
- identify and attract new clients or develop new business from existing clients;
- improve financial and management systems;
- reduce overhead costs and increase billable hours; and
- improve staff competencies through structured development activities.
- Review purchasing arrangements to introduce greater contestability for services.
- Ensure consistent, transparent and accountable decision making in respect of the provision of migrant health assessments.
Performance Indicators and Targets
Effectiveness
- Revenue growth.
Target: A surplus exceeding $500,000 in 1996-97. - Return a dividend to government of $500,000 in 1996-97.
- Economic benefit to the Commonwealth of DSS examinations - reduction in DSS benefit outlays.
- Corporatisation to be in place by 1 July 1997.
Efficiency
- Turnaround time of health assessment opinions.
Target: 75 per cent of assessments within two weeks. - Profit as a per cent of revenue.
Target: 1.9 per cent. - Profitability of each cost centre.
Target: All cost centres profitable.
Quality
- Improved Client Satisfaction rating.
- Per cent of complaints with a satisfactory resolution within two weeks.
Target: 70 per cent.
Equity
- Proportion of AGHS staff who have undertaken cross-cultural awareness training.
Target: 30 per cent.
Budget Measure
Savings
Restructuring of the Australian Government Health Service
Financial Implications
1996-97 $m | 1997-98 $m | 1998-99 $m | 1999-00 $m |
-0.3 | -0.3 | -0.3 | -0.3 |
Purpose of Measure
The purpose of the measure is to enable the service to operate more flexibly and efficiently than is the case under its current structure within the Department of Health and Family Services, and to distance its operations from the Government.Expected Implementation Strategies for Measure
The service will be corporatised to distance its operations from the Government from 1 July 1997.Intended Impacts of Measure
The impact of the measure will be to enhance accountability arrangements and place the organisation on the same level playing field with the private sector.Top of page
