COAG Reform Council

Healthcare

Good health is essential to all Australians—as individuals, as families, as well as to the broader community. Good health also plays a vital role in promoting productivity and economic growth.

The overarching aim of the National Healthcare Agreement is to improve health outcomes for all Australians and the sustainability of our health system.

The COAG Reform Council’s role is to report to COAG on the performance of the Commonwealth, State and Territories under the National Agreement and the eight associated National Partnerships.

Under the National Healthcare Agreement, the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments have committed to achieving the following seven objectives:

  • Prevention: Australians are born and remain healthy
  • Primary and Community Health: Australians receive appropriate high quality and affordable primary and community health services
  • Hospital and Related Care: Australians receive appropriate high quality and affordable hospital and hospital-related care
  • Aged Care: Older Australians receive appropriate high quality and affordable health and aged care services
  • Patient Experience: Australians have positive health and aged care experiences which take account of individual circumstances and care needs
  • Social Inclusion and Indigenous Health: Australia’s health system promotes social inclusion and reduces disadvantage, especially for Indigenous Australians
  • Sustainability: Australians have a sustainable health system.

There are eight National Partnerships associated with the National Healthcare Agreement:

  • National Partnership on Preventative Health
  • National Partnership on the Elective Surgery Waiting List Reduction Plan
  • National Partnership on Essential Vaccines
  • National Partnership on Hospital and Health Workforce Reform
  • National Partnership on Health Services
  • National Partnership on Health Infrastructure
  • National Partnership on e-Health

These National Partnerships can be found on the Ministerial Council for Federal Financial Relations website.

The following National Partnership is associated with both the National Healthcare Agreement and the National Indigenous Reform Agreement:

  • National Partnership on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes

This National Partnership can be on the Ministerial Council for Federal Financial Relations website.

The National Health and Hospitals Network Agreement

In April 2010, COAG (with the exception of Western Australia) signed a new National Health and Hospitals Network Agreement. This Agreement sets out the shared intention of the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments (with the exception of Western Australia) to implement a National Health and Hospitals Network for Australia.

The role of the COAG Reform Council will continue under the new agreement, including reporting on the existing performance indicators set out in the National Healthcare Agreement, and providing an independent assessment of whether predetermined performance benchmarks have been achieved prior to reward payments being made. In addition, the council will report on the new national standards (initially in the areas of emergency departments and elective surgery), and the new clinical quality and safety standards when developed.

Reports