Expert Panel Review of Elective Surgery and Emergency Access Targets under the National Partnership Agreement on Improving Public Hospital Services
Letter to the Prime Minister, Chair of the Council of Australian Governments
The Hon Julia Gillard MP
Prime Minister
Chair of the Council of Australian Governments
Dear Prime Minister
It is my pleasure to present to you as Chair of the Council of Australian Governments, the first Report of the Expert Panel on the implementation of the elective surgery and emergency access targets under the National Partnership Agreement on Improving Public Hospital Services.
Since the establishment of the Expert Panel on 10 May 2011, my fellow Panel members and I have undertaken extensive work to review the targets as originally proposed and to develop our advice.
This work has involved a broad consultation process that included visits to each jurisdiction to meet with departmental officials and clinicians, a series of consumer focus groups held in metropolitan, regional and rural areas, a peak body consultation forum, and a written submission process.
I would like to thank everyone who contributed their time and effort to our work, and in particular to those officials, health professionals and consumers involved in our consultation process. I would also like to thank my fellow Panel members for their hard work, expertise and patience in preparing this Report.
The Panel has given careful consideration to the issues and views that have been raised during this review and has developed a set of 15 recommendations to help guide the ongoing implementation of the targets. In addition to this Report, a Supplementary Annexure will be provided to the Council of Australian Governments in late July consisting of more detail and analysis of the submissions, consultations and focus groups, and strategies in order to inform implementation of the targets.
I commend this Report to you, and hope the advice and recommendations contained within help in the Council of Australian Governments’ consideration of the targets to deliver the best possible outcomes for consumers of health care as well as the health and hospital system and governments.
Yours sincerely
Professor Chris Baggoley
Chair, Expert Panel
30 June 2011