Directions 2010 is intended as a policy guide to the VHA's top policy priorities in this election year. If there is a single word to sum up the theme of these recommendations it is transparency.
There is a need for more transparency in:
- Health service funding to ensure our health services have a guarantee of their budgets by June each year
- The rollout and funding of HealthSmart information management and communication technology to ensure the product selection meets the needs of health services and consumers
- The allocation of capital projects to ensure there is a methodology that prioritises projects based on need and the likelihood of productivity gains
Overarching all these recommendations is the need for a comprehensive 2020 Health Plan similar to Victoria's water and transport plans. The Victorian Government must invest in such a plan to coordinate fragmented health policy and create a vision for the public healthcare system of the future.
The demographic challenges being faced by Victoria are outlined in the Health Challenges section that follows, as are the VHA's top six policy priorities. The remainder of Directions 2010 provides a more detailed overview of the VHA's policy recommendations across the themes of funding, governance, information management, population health, service reform and workforce.
Directions 2010 is a guide to the VHA's policy work that is based on years of research and consultation with members. We commend it to you as a reflection of the VHA's ongoing commitment to "optimise health outcomes for all Victorians".
The VHA's top six policy priorities in the lead up to the Victorian state and federal elections are:
1. Funding - To ensure transparency and forward planning, governments must provide health services with a guarantee of their operational budgets by June each year
2. Governance - To strengthen governance of healthcare organisations, governments must invest in ongoing governance training for Boards that includes developing new governance indicators and a reporting template that incorporates population health indicators
3. Information Management - The Victorian Government must urgently review its product selection for information management and communication technology projects (HealthSMART) and incorporate information management and communication technology funding into its overall funding of health services
4. Population Health - All levels of government, as well as health, social and welfare agencies should adopt the VHA’s definition of population health and population health planning, developed in collaboration with Monash University
5. Service Reform - The Victorian Government must develop a 2020 Health Plan to coordinate fragmented health policies and plan for rapidly increasing demand for healthcare services
6. Workforce - To address the shortage of healthcare professionals, governments must develop new workforce strategies for Victoria that look at workforce redesign
Download a copy of Directions 2010 
