The South Australian government has announced it will establish five Local Health Networks (LHNs) to manage public hospital and community health services from 1 July 2011.

 

The new structure will have three metropolitan networks: Northern, Central and Southern, along with two state-wide LHNs: one for Country and one for Children’s, Youth and Women’s services.

 

Under the new structure, the Adelaide Health Service will be dissolved with savings of around $1.5 million and a reduction in the number of senior bureaucrats.

 

Health Minister John Hill said the new system puts South Australia in line with the national process of reform, following recent COAG agreements on national health and hospital reform.

 

“People will continue to receive care from public hospitals and community health services as usual and for the vast majority of clinicians and staff, there will be little or no change to the way they work.”

 

“But these changes will both save money and strengthen the involvement of clinicians in the management of the health system,” Minister Hill said.

 

The LHNs will manage the delivery of public hospital services and community based health services as determined by the State Government.

 

Each LHN will have a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a governing council with members ideally including at least one doctor, nurse and patient representative as well as people with experience of business and/or financial management and those with other relevant skills and knowledge.

 

New CEOs will be appointed for the three metropolitan LHNs when they are established on 1 July 2011 and SA Health will advertise for nominations for membership of the governing councils.

Meanwhile, the South Australian Parliament's Social Development Committee will conduct an inquiry into several areas of country health, he removal of local hospital boards, changes to administration and community involvement in the SA Ambulance Service, and funding for the Keith, Moonta and Ardrossan hospitals.

The inquiry was passed by the Legislative Council after being proposed by Member for Stuart Dan van Holst Pellekaan.