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APHA Taskforce Reports


Policy and Advocacy

Richard Royle, APHA Vice-President and Chair of Policy and Advocacy Taskforce

This taskforce directs the policy arena for APHA. Taskforce members include:

  • Leon Clark, Sydney Adventist Hospital
  • Peter Freeleagus, Cura Day Hospital Group
  • Lisa O’Brien, Skin & Cancer Foundation
  • Alan Kinkade, Epworth Health Care
  • Christine Gee, Toowong Private Hospital

Key achievements for this committee include improvements to the 2008 Medicare Levy Surcharge legislation, the defeat in the Senate of the 2009 Bill that would have means- tested the private health insurance rebate and working in coalition with other groups to ensure adverse changes to reimbursement for intravenous chemotherapy did not proceed.

Although the NSW Government has passed legislation to allow it to charge private hospitals for blood and blood products (even though these have already been paid for under the National Blood Agreement), the new tax regime has not yet been implemented. APHA has been strong in its advocacy about both the unfairness of this proposal and its sheer unworkability. At the time of writing, APHA is awaiting further advice from the NSW Health Department.

The Productivity Commission released its draft report on the Performance of Public and Private Hospitals on 15 October 2009. On 22 October, the Productivity Commission held a roundtable discussion for invited stakeholders from the public and private hospital sectors, the medical and nursing professions, the health insurance industry, the Safety and Quality Commission and other parties. APHA was represented by Director Policy and Research Dr Barbara Carney. The Roundtable discussed the Commission’s draft report in detail, and participants were free to make comments and suggestions for inclusion in the final report.

APHA also made a submission to the Commission in response to the draft report. This submission, and APHA’s original submission, can be read in its entirety at www.apha.org.au/advocacy/submissions. The final report of the Commission was released on 10 December.

Safety and Quality Taskforce

Stephen Walker, Chair of Safety and Quality Taskforce

The S&Q Taskforce has had another busy and productive year. The group meets on a bi-monthly basis and has excellent representation from a wide and diverse mix of Australian Private Hospitals.

Members of the Safety and Quality Taskforce include:

  • Leon Clark, Sydney Adventist Hospital
  • Mark Stephens, Chesterville Day Hospital
  • Glenna Parker, Ramsay Healthcare
  • Bernadette Lyons, Healthe
  • Christine Gee, Toowong Private Hospital
  • Maureen Willson, Epworth Health Care
  • Moira Munro, Perth Clinic
  • Sue McKean, UnitingCare Health

Some of the key highlights of the Taskforce have been:

The development of a National Measurement and Reporting of Safety and Quality Indicators program

The objective of the program is to provide participating hospitals with analysis and feedback for learning, benchmarking and performance improvement. At this stage the program is in its pilot phase with the following progress having been made:

  • Agreement on 11 S&Q Indicators
  • Selection of 25 hospitals to participate in the pilot phase of the program
  • Pilot hospitals have now contributed data for the 11 indicators for the four quarters of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009
  • Engagement of an IT company to collect and report on the data
  • Currently reviewing the type of graphs to be used for reporting and benchmarking.

Ultimately it is our intention to role this program out across all Australian private hospitals and indeed New Zealand who have also expressed an interest in participating. The taskforce will also ensure that the program is consistent with what is happening at a federal government level in relation to performance measurement.

The continued excellent relationship between APHA and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC)

The Taskforce is an excellent liaison and review mechanism between the private hospital sector and the ACSQHC. The taskforce is kept up to date with the various Commission projects and is able to provide appropriate feedback on issues particular to the private sector. All ACSQHC projects have private sector representation and commitment.

Implementation of the National Hand Hygiene initiative

The S&Q taskforce met with the HHA CEO (Phil Russo) and supported the initiative across the private sector. A number of HHA workshops have now been held in most states and we look forward to a positive participation rate.

Review of ACHS Equip 4 Standards

The taskforce met with the ACHS to provide feedback on the draft standards and a number of private hospital representatives participated in the Standards Review Working groups. The taskforce will continue to meet with the ACHS to ensure regular dialogue on accreditation issues.

The taskforce is keen to be at the forefront of the national safety and quality agenda and to clearly demonstrate the private hospital sectors commitment and contribution to this extremely important area of health care. We would welcome any suggestions or input as to how we can advance our cause.

Health Workforce Taskforce

John Amery, Chair of Health Workforce Taskforce

The APHA Health Workforce Taskforce was formed in 2009 and members include:

  • Lisa O’Brien, Skin and Cancer Foundation
  • Andrew Mereau, Healthe
  • Gavin O’Meara, Ramsay Health Care
  • Philip Currie, Sydney Adventist Hospital
  • Steve Atkins, Healthe
  • Anne Copeland, UnitingCare Health

The taskforce has engaged this year with the National Health Workforce Taskforce (NHWT), including meeting their CEO and making submissions into NHWT’s studies into clinical placements data capture and clinical training governance.

The commencement of this APHA taskforce has been timely with federal legislation passed this year to set up the National Health Workforce Agency (NHWA). APHA has representatives on the five national working groups that have been set up to manage the transition to the NHWA.  APHA has also been represented on the State planning groups in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia that are currently working on health workforce reforms. More states will follow in the next year and APHA will work to be part of their groups as well.

The most important issue for this taskforce this year has been the Awards Modernisation process. APHA members participated in the very important data collection phase and thanks to efforts of Lucy Fisher and Lynda Hepworth a positive outcome has been reached. The new awards which will apply to the private hospital industry from 1 January 2010 are:

  • Nurses Occupational Industry Award 2010
  • Health Professionals & Support Service Industry and Occupational Award 2010

There is to be a five year transitional period during which the changes are to be reviewed and in some cases adopted. The Transitional Clause that explains how this process is to work will not be released until mid-2010 but we understand it is to address the intent that employees are not to be disadvantaged overall and there are to be no cost increases for employers.

Financial Sustainability Taskforce

Danny Sims, Chair of Financial Sustainability Taskforce

This taskforce was established in February 2009 to work with the Policy and Advocacy taskforce on key issues affecting the financial future of private hospitals.

Members of the Financial Sustainability Taskforce are:

  • Grant Rudman, Nephrocare
  • Alan Kinkade, Epworth Health Care
  • George Toemoe, St Luke’s
  • Gordon Ford, Healthe
  • Amanda Quealy, The Hobart Clinic

This taskforce has also been instrumental in assisting with the Awards Modernisation process, the Productivity Commission Inquiry into the performance of public and private hospitals and the work around the proposed means testing of the 30% Private Health Insurance rebate. They have also worked on issues such as prostheses and single use devices. The Taskforce is currently advocating ways to improve the access by private hospitals to the decision-making forums for prostheses listing and funding

The Federal Government’s response early in 2010 to the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission’s report has potentially significant impact for this taskforce, as does the prospect of a national patient health record. APHA is ensuring that it keeps up to date on developments in these areas.

Rehabilitation

Danny Sims, Chair of Rehabilitation Taskforce

APHA’s Rehabilitation taskforce provides private hospital representation to the National Consultative Committee on Private Rehabilitation (CCPR).  The CCPR is an industry forum that deals with issues such as treatment guidelines, Private Health Insurance benefits, information to consumers, patient classification and data needs.

Members of the Rehabilitation taskforce are:

  • Bronwyn Mace, Epworth Rehabilitation Hospital Camberwell
  • Robyn Ashe, Lawrence Hargrave Hospital

The APHA Rehabilitation taskforce and the CCPR work with the Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre to review systems for the measurement of outcomes in rehabilitation. In 2009 they have been involved in on-going negotiations to finalise the Guidelines for recognition of private hospital based rehab services for Private Health Insurance benefits. The most significant issue in 2009 has been the Guidelines. In November, private hospital and health fund representatives reached agreement on the Guidelines.

Psychiatric Committee

Christine Gee, Chair of Psychiatric Committee

The APHA Psychiatric Committee has had a very busy 2009 working hard to ensure that the views and interests of member private mental health services have been represented and included in the national agenda.  The Committee usually meets six times a year on a face-to-face basis but also conducts business as required by teleconference.  The Committee is certainly looking forward to a well earned break now the end of the year is approaching and we would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and New Year – especially to all of our fellow mental health facilities!

2009 has been a busy year in terms of the review (or continuing review in some cases) of a number of significant national policy documents.  Reviews have been progressing for the National Mental Health Plan, the National Standards for Mental Health Services and the Guidelines for Determining Benefits for Health Insurance Purposes for Private Mental Health Care.  These important platform issues have seen all members of the Committee devote many hours to meticulous reading, debate and the provision of seemingly endless submissions to the various bodies charged with the reviews.

Barbara Carney, Director Policy and Research provides the secretarial support – thank you Barbara.  Membership of the Committee is drawn from APHA psychiatric member hospitals, allows for each state to be represented and includes the participation of the Chair of the Private Mental Health Consumer Carer Network.  Members of the APHA Psychiatric Committee are currently:

  • Sue McLean, Albert Road Clinic – Victoria
  • Anne Mortimer, Northside Clinic – New South Wales
  • Moira Munro, Perth Clinic – Western Australia
  • Amanda Quealy, The Hobart Clinic – Tasmania
  • John Smith, Belmont Private Hospital – Queensland
  • Carol Turnbull, Adelaide Clinic, Kahlyn Private Hospital and Fullarton Private Hospital – South Australia
  • Janne McMahon, Chair of the Private Mental Health Consumer Carer Network

Members represent APHA on numerous bodies, steering committees and working groups such as the Private Mental Health Alliance, the Mental Health Workforce Strategy, and the Review of National Standards for Mental Health Services and the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards.

A major focus of the Committee is to participate, contribute and support the Private Mental Health Alliance (PMHA) and its Centralised Data Management Service.  It is in this role that the APHA Psychiatric Committee has a remit to provide the representation on behalf of all private mental health services.  The private hospital representatives on the PMHA are Moira Munro and Carol Turnbull and I would like to acknowledge and commend both for the sheer volume of work they accept in this role and for the amount of time they dedicate to PMHA activities and also for the additional representation roles they accept in the name of PMHA on significant national bodies.

The Committee considers and advises on various Private Health Insurance issues and arrangements and aims to ensure the APHA membership is provided with proactive and timely information.

I would like to acknowledge the support given to APHA’s psychiatric member hospitals by Lisa Ramshaw, Public Affairs Manager in particular for providing a focus on mental health issues and facilities in the March edition of Private Hospital Magazine.  It provided a wonderful opportunity for member organisations to highlight the important initiatives and services provided by the private sector.

Finally I would like to thank all psychiatric members for the feedback they provide in support of the Committee’s work program.  I look forward to Chairing the Committee next year.