The Western Australian Government has established five Local Health Networks to guide and oversee hospitals and health services across the State.

 

Health Minister Kim Hames said creating Local Health Networks (LHNs) was the most significant reform in years to the governance of WA’s public health and hospital system.

 

"The reform will create five new Local Health Networks, each with a Governing Council of community members and clinicians representing a broad range of interests, skills and experience,” he said.


Mr Hames said the move will be cost neutral and result in no net increase in the number of boards and committees, or the level of administrative activity.


“Health advisory bodies are doing great work right across WA and this reform will extend on these by formalising and strengthening local communities’ role in health service governance.”


The new structure aligns with national reforms, meeting WA’s commitments under the National Health Reform Agreement.


“This model strikes the right balance between strong State-wide planning and reform in relation to areas like infrastructure planning and delivery; clinical services planning; and resource allocation; and greater local input into the way health services are delivered,” Mr Hames said.


The new structure builds upon the existing Area Health Service governance model, which has been in place for the past decade.


The metropolitan area will be served by north and south metropolitan LHNs and a child and adolescent LHN.


The governance structure of the WA Country Health Service will be reformed into two distinct LHNs - one serving north country WA, the other serving southern country areas. 


The Department of Health will retain responsibility for setting the overall direction of the public health system. The Minister for Health will remain the board of each LHN, ensuring that strong system-wide control and coordination is retained.


The Governing Council of each LHN will be appointed by the Minister for Health and support the Minister by taking responsibility through the LHN chief executive officer (CEO) for defined governance functions. These will include local service planning; performance monitoring and evaluation; and engagement with community and clinical stakeholders.


All existing and future community advisory committees will have strong linkages to the LHN Governing Councils.


The day to day management of each LHN will be carried out by a CEO, with a single CEO administering both of the country LHNs.


Chief executive officers will work to Governing Councils and to the Director General of Health to deliver responsive, accountable and quality health services to their community.

 

Positions on Governing Councils will be advertised publicly and appointees selected to bring a breadth of skills and expertise to bear in planning and controlling our health services.


Mr Hames said advertisements for members of Governing Councils would be placed in coming months, with the aim of having the new governance structure operational by early in 2012.