Health Service Plan and Health Service Budget Update

Health Service Board Chairs and CEO’s have been briefed on announcements made by the Victorian Premier and Minister for Health regarding 2024-25 Health Service Budgets and on outcomes from the Health Services Plan.

Budget

Of the $1.5B increase in sector funding announced, $1.32B will be directed to maintaining 2023-24 activity levels and $115M toward more elective surgery.

Funding for small rural health services such as EWHS will not change for 2024-25 and DH has committed to working with individual health services regarding final budgets prior to the end of August.

Health Service Plan (HSP)

The Health Service Plan outcome report has been released today for general consumption [Health Services Plan | health.vic.gov.au].

The Plan identifies the establishment of Local Health Service Networks to replace existing partnerships to directly influence whole of population health outcomes in a region.

It is proposed that Networks will:

• Improve equitable access to care and logical patient pathways across regions
• Reduce variation in the quality and safety of care
• Deliver consistent and coordinated workforce support
• Support population and public health in collaboration with relevant providers in their region
• Provide a coordinated approach to integration across sectors
• Drive consistent access to research and clinical trials
• Deliver clinical and non-clinical support services efficiently at scale

Of the 27 recommendations in the report, the Government has accepted 26 recommendations.

The single recommendation not accepted is the forced consolidation of health services. Any consolidation will be voluntary and led by health services and communities.

There is contingency in Department of Health 2024-25 budget to support voluntary consolidations that align with the HSP.

EWHS will be in a better position to respond to the plan once there has been time for the Board and executive to consider the content.