​Australia's Long-Term National Health Plan charts the way forward over the next 10 years in the key areas of mental health, primary care, hospitals, preventive health and medical research. The plan will provide accelerating benefits as it is continued to be rolled out and expanded.  

The plan - developed hand in hand with consumers and the health sector - will make our health system better at preventing disease and promoting health, more focused on patients’ multidisciplinary needs, more affordable, and more accessible to all Australians, wherever they live and whoever they are.

There are four key pillars in our reform plan:  
 
  1. Guaranteeing Medicare and improving access to medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). 
  2. Supporting our public and private hospitals, including improvements to private health insurance. 
  3. Prioritising mental health and preventative health.
  4. Investing in health and medical research.

The third pillar focuses on a system that is more integrated, efficient, focused on patients, and is equitable. It aims to ensure that Australians will receive better support to manage chronic conditions and be better supported to stay healthy in the community.

There are six Integrated Care programs and initiatives that focus on improving population outcomes:
  1. Planned Care for Better Health
  2. ED to Community 
  3. Residential Aged Care  
  4. Paediatrics Network 
  5. Specialist Outreach to Primary Care 
  6. Vulnerable Families 

Aged care

Residential Aged Care, one of the five scaled integrated care initiatives, ties in specifically with the ‘Aging Well and Aged Care’ focus within the Australian National Long-Term Health Plan. 

The Residential Aged Care (IC RAC) initiative recognises that outcomes for people living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) could be improved during periods of illness by enabling people to be cared for at their place of residence, where appropriate, rather than unnecessary transfers to hospital. This work aligns with the Australian National Long-Term Health Plan and the commitment to improve the delivery of aged care services.

Additional funding will support:

  • an expansion of Commonwealth-funded aged care places
  • an extension of home care packages
  • an increased investment in rural aged care.
Current as at: Thursday 17 September 2020
Contact page owner: System Performance Support