Health Chief Executives Forum (HCEF)

The HCEF is an intergovernmental forum for joint decision-making and strategic policy discussions that helps to efficiently deliver health services in Australia. It is made up of the health department chief executive officer from each state and territory and the Australian Government.

Role

The  Health Chief Executives Forum (HCEF) supports the Health Ministers' Meeting (HMM) to deliver national work priorities and its governance and processes align with the HMM and National Cabinet. 

The HCEF has established working groups/collaborations to advise on and help deliver specific areas of the work program for these HMM priorities within the Health and Aged Care portfolio.

The HCEF also oversees public health protection policy within and outside the HCEF forum. The forum can also implement legal and policy responsibilities if delegated by health ministers.

Former Australian Health Ministers Advisory Committee (AHMAC) 

As recommended by the Conran Review, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Councils and Ministerial Forums were restructured as part of the new National Cabinet. The former Australian Health Ministers Advisory Committee (AHMAC) is now the HCEF.

Information and documents related to AHMAC meetings and decisions is available from the National Library of Australia's web archive.

Members

The HCEF membership is made up of the chief executive officers from each Australian government health department.

Members take turns to fill the Chair and Deputy Chair roles.

JurisdictionMemberPosition
Victoria (Chair)Prof Euan Wallace AMSecretary, Department of Health and Human Services
South Australia (Deputy Chair)Dr Robyn LawrenceChief Executive, Department of Health and Wellbeing
Tasmania Mr Dale WebsterA/g Secretary, Department of Health & Human Services
Australian GovernmentMr Blair Comley PSMSecretary, Department of Health and Aged Care
Western Australia Dr Shirley BowenDirector General, Department of Health
QueenslandDr David RosengrenDirector-General, Queensland Health
New South WalesMs Susan PearceSecretary, NSW Ministry of Health
Australian Capital TerritoryMs Rebecca CrossDirector-General, ACT Health
Northern TerritoryMr Chris HoskingChief Executive Officer, Department of Health

Meetings

The HCEF meets regularly as required, via a mixture of virtual and face-to-face meetings. HCEF also holds extra meetings in response to emerging national priorities.

Communiques

Related committees or groups

The HCEF supports the Health Ministers' Meeting to deliver key agreed national priorities.

The following agencies report to the HCEF as required:

Contact

Health Ministers Meeting and Health Chief Executives Forum

Contact the National Health Secretariat for information about the Health Ministers Meeting (HMM) or Health Chief Executives Forum (HCEF).
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