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Department of Health and Aged Care

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This article is about the present-day Australian Government Department of Health. For the defunct Australian Government Department of Health that existed between 1921 and 1987, see Department of Health (1921–1987).

Department of Health
File:Department of Health (Australia) logo.png
Department overview
Formed18 September 2013[1]
Preceding Department
JurisdictionCommonwealth of Australia
HeadquartersCanberra
Employees3,487 (at June 2014)[2]
Ministers responsible
Department executives
Websitewww.health.gov.au
The Sirius Building, which houses part of the Department of Health.

The Australian Department of Health is a department of the Government of Australia charged with the responsibility to oversee the running of Australia's health system, including supporting universal and affordable access to medical, pharmaceutical and hospital services, while helping people to stay healthy through health promotion, participation and exercise and other disease prevention activities.

The head of the department is the Secretary of the Department of Health, currently Martin Bowles,[3][4] who reports to the Minister for Health and the Minister for Sport, currently the Hon. Sussan Ley MP, and Minister for Rural Health, currently the Hon. Fiona Nash MP.[5]

Scope

According to the Administrative Arrangements Order issued 18 September 2013, matters dealt with by the Department are:[6]

  • Public health, including health protection, and medical research
  • Health promotion and disease prevention
  • Primary health care
  • Hospitals funding and policy, including relationships and linkages within the continuum of health care
  • Implementation of the National Health and Hospitals Network
  • Health research
  • Pharmaceutical benefits
  • Health benefits schemes
  • Hearing services policy and funding
  • Specific health services, including human quarantine
  • Sport and recreation
  • National drug strategy
  • Regulation of therapeutic goods
  • Notification and assessment of industrial chemicals
  • Gene technology regulation
  • Medical indemnity insurance issues
  • Private health insurance
  • Blood, Organ and Dental policy and funding
  • Health workforce capacity
  • Mental health policy and primary mental health care

History

The Department of Health (I) was established in 1921 and was the precursor to today's Department of Health.[7] The first Department of Health was dissolved in 1987, when it was merged with the Department of Community Services to form the Department of Community Services and Health.[8][9]

In June 1991, the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services was formed when housing industry programs were transferred from the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce.[10] In March 1993 the Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs joined with the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services to form the Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services.[11] Subsequently, in December 1993, the Department was abolished and replaced with the Department of Human Services and Health.[8][12] Also in 1994, the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health was established.[8]

After a new government was elected in March 1996, the Department of Health and Family Services was formed.[8][13] The department also had responsibility for the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program from the former Department of Housing and Regional Development. Later, the department assumed responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health matters from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.[8]

After the October 1998 election, the Department was abolished and replaced by the Department of Health and Aged Care, named to reflect new responsibilities and functions.[14] Responsibility for Family and Children's Services, Disability Programs and the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service were transferred to the Department of Family and Community Services on 22 October 1998.[8]

Following the November 2001 election, the Department of Health and Aged Care was abolished and replaced with the Department of Health and Ageing.[15] Health and Ageing was abolished in 2013 and replaced by the current Department of Health on 18 September 2013 by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued by the Governor-General of Australia on the recommendation of the Abbott Government.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ CA 9436: Department of Health [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 9 April 2014
  2. ^ Australian Public Service Commission (2014), Main features:APS at a glance, archived from the original on 5 October 2014
  3. ^ Abbott, Tony (3 September 2014). "Appointment of Departmental Secretaries" (Press release). Archived from the original on 3 September 2014.
  4. ^ Mannheim, Markus (3 September 2014). "Chris Moraitis joins the top table in Abbott's latest reshuffle of department heads". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014.
  5. ^ "Abbott Ministry" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Commonwealth of Australia. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Administrative Arrangements Order of 18 September 2013" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2013.
  7. ^ CA 17: Department of Health, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013
  8. ^ a b c d e f Department of Health, History of the Department, Department of Health, archived from the original on 9 November 2013
  9. ^ CA 5985: Department of Community Services and Health, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013
  10. ^ CA 7297: Department of Health, Housing and Community Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013
  11. ^ CA 7660: Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013
  12. ^ CA 7853: Department of Human Services and Health, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013
  13. ^ CA 8246: Department of Health and Family Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013
  14. ^ CA 8616: Department of Health and Aged Care, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013
  15. ^ CA 8867: Department of Health and Ageing, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013
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