EmailHospital Circular 06/2008
Date Issued: 9 April 2008
Subject: Rural Public Health Care Agencies Alliances
Policy
Distribution: CEOs of rural health services, rural hospitals, rural multipurpose services, rural standalone community health centres
This circular is replaced by 17/2008
This Rural public health care agencies alliances policy (Alliance Policy) outlines government requirements for the operation of rural health information and communication technology (ICT) alliances.
Common ICT platforms are important for supporting public health care coordination and delivery, and ensuring efficient use of government funds. The Department of Human Services recognises the alliances’ achievements and intends to ensure that they continue to facilitate access to core ICT services, including Government initiatives such as HealthSMART, for all publicly funded rural health care agencies.
Public hospitals, public health services, multipurpose services and community health centres which are established or declared under the Health Services Act 1988 Vic (the Act), must enter into the alliance for the region in which they operate, in accordance with the terms of the template joint venture agreement (JVA).
These requirements are imposed as a condition of funding under the service agreements entered into by the Department of Human Services, or under the relevant statements of priorities, in relation to each of these health services.
This Alliance Policy is the primary source document in relation to the alliances. The joint venture agreement must be read in conjunction with, and subject to, this Alliance Policy. In the event of any inconsistency, this Alliance Policy prevails. If there are material changes to this policy in the future, the department may require changes to the JVA to ensure consistency between the two documents.
All alliance members must acknowledge the need to comply with all applicable law, regulations, orders, rules and government policies, including the Alliance Policy, and to take all steps necessary to ensure such compliance as may be required from time to time.
Unless the contrary intention appears, words used in this policy have the same meaning as in the JVA.
This Alliance Policy supersedes Policy contexts and strategic directions for rural health ICT alliances (2 May 2006), and Rural health alliances working paper (May/June 2007).
The contents of this policy include:
- Introduction
- Member agencies
- Alliance membership
- Customers
- Governance and management
- Services and products
- Risk management and insurance
- Operating principles
- Provision of non-core products and services to members, or any services to customers
- Procurement
- Probity
- Conflicts of interest
- Reimbursement of lead member costs incurred on behalf of the alliance
- Members’ contributions
- Cash payments to the alliance
- Asset management
- Cost efficiency
- Financial management
- Transition requirements
Attachment 1 - Core services and products
Attachment 2 – list of agencies required to participate in each alliance
- Barwon South Western
- Gippsland
- Grampians
- Hume
- Loddon Mallee
Chris Brook
Executive Director
Rural and Regional Health and Aged Care Services
