Page 4924 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
the job done. Achieving accreditation was significant, and the final report observed that ACT Health underwent significant transformation to address the improvements required.
It further noted that ACT Health has taken the necessary steps to ensure the implementation of sustainable systems and processes that provide direction and strong governance—again, ignored by the opposition. The surveyors were so impressed by the improvements that they encouraged ACT Health staff to publish and submit the improvement activities for national quarterly improvement reports. Minister Rattenbury and I have both congratulated and thanked ACT Health staff for their enormous effort, professionalism and dedication to this achievement.
Following accreditation, ACT Health got on with the work required to separate into two distinct organisations. On 1 October these two organisations—the ACT Health Directorate and Canberra Health Services—were established. Over the course of this year we have also observed an improvement in how our health system operates. Staff who deliver front-line health services to the Canberra community now work in a dedicated health service delivery organisation—Canberra Health Services. The directorate is responsible for strategic policy, research and planning that will set the strategic direction for the health system and health services across the ACT and region.
The creation of these two organisations has enabled a clearer focus on efficiency and effectiveness for clinical operations and enabled the directorate to undertake core strategy and system stewardship functions, like almost every other jurisdiction. This has been an essential evolution for our growing population and expanding health system and has brought greater clarity about the distinct roles and responsibilities of front line and corporate staff supporting the delivery of health care for our community. It will ensure that as our city continues to grow and age we will keep delivering quality health services into the future.
I have not once shied away from some basic facts: we have a very good public health system in Canberra but we can improve. There have been challenges that require patient and thoughtful leadership and collaboration to put in place the reforms that futureproof our health system. There have been changes that go to the core of good governance, good structure, good culture and good leadership—all the components of a high performing health system that delivers for patients.
I, along with the government, have made record investments in territory-wide health services to deliver better care to the community when and where they need it. All these are things that the opposition have utterly failed to recognise in their year of Liberal negativity and their complete denial of the complexity and scale of delivering public health services. The shadow health spokesperson even said this year that this is not a complicated system. Well, everyone who works in them knows healthcare systems are inherently complex. It is in their nature to be so, in response to the dynamic and variable healthcare needs of our community.
Most of all I am utterly dismayed at the impact that their relentless negativity and pure politics has had on staff. We all accept the role of oppositions to hold governments to account, but this Liberal opposition have thrown out responsibility and leadership in
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video