Our work

From 1 November 2023, we are increasing Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) bulk billing incentive payments for Commonwealth concession card holders and children under 16 years of age for a range of MBS consultation items.

National Cabinet has commissioned a review of Australia’s regulatory settings for health professionals. It will consider ways to help ease health workforce shortages while maintaining high standards in health care quality and patient safety.

The Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme (IAHP) funds high-quality health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It funds Indigenous-led, culturally appropriate initiatives to increase access to health care and improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Under this program, pharmacies provide medicines to their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in a well-sealed, tamper-proof device. This helps patients organise and time their medicines, so that they take them at the right dose and time.

We fund the IEI Program to create employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers in non-clinical aged care roles.

The Indigenous Health Research Fund is investing $160 million in Indigenous-led research to tackle health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Indigenous Health Workforce Traineeships program aims to create viable career pathways and increase the number of skilled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in the primary health care sector.

IPEPA prepares mainstream and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals to deliver high quality, holistic and culturally responsive palliative care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their loved ones.

All residential aged care homes must have an ongoing infection prevention and control (IPC) Lead on site. An IPC Lead advises on and oversees the measures an aged care has in place to prevent and respond to infectious diseases.

Our influenza (flu) surveillance program monitors influenza activity and severity in the community. Fortnightly reports during flu season help us keep track of this disease in Australia.

This program supports flexible ways of providing care where mainstream services cannot meet needs. It currently funds 7 innovative projects that focus on younger people with disabilities. The program stopped funding new projects in 2006.

Learn how this program helps organisations trial new ways of providing primary care in rural and remote communities.

This program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who live with complex chronic conditions. It often provides one-on-one support to help people manage their conditions and get the health care they need. It also helps health services provide culturally appropriate care.

The Australian Government is investing in a multi-year Intergenerational Health and Mental Health Study (IHMHS). The IHMHS will provide the most complete picture ever collected of Australia's physical and mental health.

The International Clinical Trial Collaboration (ICTC) initiative has been consolidated into the Clinical Trials Activity initiative under the MRFF 10-year Investment Plan. ICTC supported Australian researchers to conduct clinical trial research in collaboration with international researchers.

The Australian Government is investing $7.8 million over 2 years until 2024 to ensure services are available to PHN-commissioned mental health services. The funding is to support removing barriers faced by Australians from multicultural backgrounds when accessing mental health support.

As part of the 2021-22 Budget, the Australian Government announced the new John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program. This program will better streamline and coordinate medical training in regions and fund new rural primary care rotations to boost training capacity for the next generation of doctors.

The Junior Doctor Training Program (JDTP) supports education and supervision for junior doctors in rural primary health care settings and private hospitals. This helps provide a continued supply of doctors to deliver health services across Australia. It is part of our Stronger Rural Health Strategy.

Keeping Australians out of Hospital has been consolidated into the Preventive and Public Health Research initiative under the MRFF 10-year Investment Plan. This initiative supported research into preventive health measures for chronic health conditions, to keep people out of hospital.

Kids Helpline provides a free, private and confidential telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged 5 to 25 years. The service is available 24 hours a day from anywhere in Australia.

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia works with the palliative care sector to provide appropriate services and increase knowledge and awareness of palliative care within LGBTIQ+ communities.

Life in Mind connects suicide prevention services to each other and the community.