Role
The Australian Government is committed to improving primary health care for all Australians. The Strengthening Medicare Taskforce began work in July 2022 to provide concrete recommendations to the Australian Government by the end of 2022. The taskforce will focus on:
- improving patient access to general practice, including after hours
- improving patient access to GP-led multidisciplinary team care, including nursing and allied health
- making primary care more affordable for patients
- improving prevention and management of ongoing and chronic conditions
- reducing pressure on hospitals.
The Australian Government will consider the recommendations from the taskforce and deliver the highest priority improvements to Medicare through the $750 million Strengthening Medicare Fund.
The taskforce builds on Australia’s Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022-32.
Members
|
Member |
Organisation |
|
The Hon Mark Butler MP, Chair |
Minister for Health and Aged Care |
|
Dr Danielle McMullen |
Vice President, Australian Medical Association |
|
Dr Nicole Higgins |
President, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. |
|
Dr Sarah Chalmers |
Immediate Past President, Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine |
|
Dr Elizabeth Deveny |
Chief Executive Officer, Consumers Health Forum of Australia |
|
Dr Dawn Casey PSM |
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation |
|
Ms Karen Booth |
President, Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association |
|
Ms Annie Butler |
Federal Secretary, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation |
|
Ms Amanda Cattermole PSM |
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Digital Health Agency |
|
Professor Stephen Duckett |
Honorary Enterprise Professor, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne |
|
Associate Professor Learne Durrington |
Chief Executive Officer, WA Primary Health Alliance |
|
Professor Adam Elshaug |
Director, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne |
|
Dr Steve Hambleton AM |
General practitioner |
|
Dr Walid Jammal |
General practitioner |
|
Dr Nigel Lyons |
Deputy Secretary, NSW Health |
|
Mr Antony Nicholas |
Board Chair, Allied Health Professions Australia |
|
Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart |
National Rural Health Commissioner |
Publications
Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report
Meetings
The first meeting for the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce took place on 29 July 2022 in Sydney, New South Wales.
Strengthening Medicare Taskforce – Communiques
Media
Read the latest ministerial media about the taskforce:
- National Cabinet Statement on a better future for the federation
- Strengthening Medicare for the future
- Strengthening Medicare Taskforce appointed
Contact
