Australian health services, particularly community-controlled hospitals, regional health services and the not-for-profit health sector, operate inside one of the most regulated and politically active environments in the country. Boards govern in the space between Commonwealth and State funding regimes, accreditation cycles, clinical governance expectations and the communities the service exists to serve.
What health boards are working on
The standing agenda for boards and chief executive officers in the health sector includes:
- Clinical governance and the line of sight from board to bedside, including responsibilities under the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights and the National Safety and Quality Health Service standards.
- Strategic positioning under shifting Commonwealth and State funding models, including activity-based funding and the move to a national efficient price.
- Governance practice that holds quality, safety, financial and strategic accountabilities together at the board level.
How we work in health
Australian Strategic Services has worked with hospital boards, health-service boards and health peak bodies across decades of reform. The work covers strategic planning and refresh, governance review and renewal, board and CEO performance evaluation, and strategic advisory on partnerships, mergers and amalgamations. Engagements draw on the practical governance system, TAGS, customised to the clinical and regulatory requirements of the sector.
Articles and case studies
- Rural Ambulance Victoria, pre-hospital and emergency services governance, leading up to the 2008 amalgamation that formed Ambulance Victoria.
- Governing in turbulent times, board-level strategy and governance through reform cycles.