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Health Services Amendment Bill 2005
Health Services Amendment Bill 2005
Explanatory Notes
Short title
Health Services Amendment Bill 2005
Policy objectives
The policy objective of the Health Services Amendment Bill 2005 is to
implement recommendations of the Queensland Health Systems Review
relating to the establishment of Area Health Services as a part of the
restructuring of Queensland Health.
Reasons for the Policy Objectives
An independent review of Queensland Health's administrative, workforce
and performance management systems was announced by the Queensland
Government on 26 April 2005.
The Final Report of the Queensland Health Systems Review (the Review)
was tabled in Parliament on 30 September 2005.
The Review found that Queensland Health has a bureaucratic, mechanistic
structure characterised by highly centralised formal authority and
hierarchical layers of decision making.
The Review recommended an improved structure in which the current
Health Service Districts would be retained but 3 new Area Health Services
would be established: Southern, Central and Northern.
The Review also recommended that each Area Health Service be led by a
General Manager who reports to the Director General, and that District
Managers within each Area would report to the General Manager of the
Area Health Service.
The Report also noted that it is important that the General Manager
positions be recruited promptly so that the reforms driven from the Areas
can commence.
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Health Services Amendment Bill 2005
How the policy objectives will be achieved
The policy objectives will be achieved by amending the Health Services Act
1991 to:
· enable the Governor in Council to declare a health service area
comprising one or more districts, and assign a name to the health
service area;
· require that there be a general manager appointed to each health
service area;
· describe the general manager's functions; and
· describe the relationship between the chief executive, general
managers and district managers.
Administrative cost to Government of implementation
All costs associated with implementing the amendments will be met
through funding available to implement the Queensland Government's plan
to renew Queensland Health's services.
Consistency with Fundamental Legislative Principles
The Bill is consistent with fundamental legislative principles.
Consultation
Consultation was undertaken as part of the conduct of the Queensland
Health Systems Review.
Notes on Provisions
Clause 1 states the short title of the Act.
Clause 2 states that the Act amends the Health Services Act 1991.
Clause 3 inserts a definition of "health service area".
Clause 4 inserts a reference to areas into the heading of part 2 of the Health
Services Act 1991.
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Health Services Amendment Bill 2005
Clause 5 inserts a reference to areas into the heading of division 1 of part 2
of the Health Services Act 1991.
Clause 6 inserts a new s 6A that enable the Governor in Council to declare
a health service area.
Clause 7 inserts a new s 21A that requires a general manager to be
appointed for each health service area. The new s 21A also describes the
general manager's functions.
Clause 8 amends s.22, which relates to managers for districts, to provide
that managers for districts are subject to the general manager as well as the
chief executive.
© State of Queensland 2005