In 2023, an independent Expert Advisory Committee was established to consider how to improve access and equity of our health services for all Victorians. The Committee consulted with health service and sector leaders and found that although we have a world-class health services system with a committed and excellent workforce, like health systems across the world, it is under increasing strain and there is a need to deliver better, more connected care.
Overall, the Committee found that the system was often disconnected and hard to navigate, access to services was inequitable, and resources were sometimes insufficiently focused on patient care due to duplication and administrative inefficiencies. To provide solutions, the Committee developed the Health Services Plan.
The Plan recommended more collaboration and connection between services by creating Local Health Service Networks.
What is a Local Health Service Network?
The Local Health Service Networks will group health services within a geographical region and will be responsible for delivering better care, as close to home as possible.
The Networks will enable health services to work better together to deliver more accessible, higher quality care for Victorians. This may include coordinating clinical services and attracting and retaining the right workforce.
Consultation in early 2025 will help to finalise the details of how the Networks will prioritise work as well as their governance arrangements. The Networks will aim to deliver:
- A system that is easier to navigate, with more consistent pathways between hospitals
- Better and more consistent support for our precious health workforce
- Less duplication of administration, so that our hospitals can focus on what they do best - caring for patients
Each health service will keep its name, local leadership, identity and connection to its community – while working together in a Network to provide greater access to services, closer to home.
Networks will deliver stronger referral pathways that enable specialties to share expertise across the region. In addition, to support better access to high complexity care and expertise, each Network will establish a formal relationship with a tertiary, a women’s and a children’s hospital so that patients can more easily and quickly access specialist care when they need it.
Final Network groupings were determined following extensive consultation with health services, guided by principles drawn from the Health Services Plan.
Local Health Service Network Groupings
The final Network groupings were announced on Friday 10 January 2025 and can be found below. There will be 12 Networks across the state that will come into effect from July 2025.
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- Barwon Health
- Colac Area Health
- Great Ocean Road Health
- Hesse Rural Health Service
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- Alfred Health
- Bass Coast Health
- Calvary Health Care Bethlehem
- Gippsland Southern Health Service
- Kooweerup Regional Health Service
- Peninsula Health
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- Alexandra District Health
- Eastern Health
- St Vincent’s Health
- Yea and District Memorial Hospital
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- Bairnsdale Regional Health Service
- Central Gippsland Health Service
- Latrobe Regional Hospital
- Omeo District Health
- Orbost Regional Health
- South Gippsland Hospital
- West Gippsland Healthcare Group
- Yarram & District Health Service
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- Beaufort & Skipton Health Service
- Central Highlands Rural Health
- East Grampians Health Service
- East Wimmera Health Service
- Grampians Health
- Maryborough District Health Service
- Rural Northwest Health
- West Wimmera Health Service
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- Albury Wodonga Health
- Alpine Health
- Beechworth Health Service
- Benalla Health
- Corryong Health
- Goulburn Valley Health
- Kyabram District Health Service
- Mansfield District Hospital
- NCN Health
- Northeast Health Wangaratta
- Tallangatta Health Service
- Yarrawonga Health
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- Bendigo Health
- Boort District Health
- Cohuna District Hospital
- Dhelkaya Health
- Echuca Regional Health
- Heathcote Health
- Inglewood and Districts Health Service
- Kerang District Health
- Mallee Track Health and Community Service
- Mildura Base Public Hospital
- Robinvale District Health Services
- Rochester & Elmore District Health Service
- Swan Hill District Health
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- Austin Health
- Mercy Health (Mercy Hospital for Women)
- Northern Health
- Seymour District Health
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- Dental Health Services Victoria
- Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Royal Children’s Hospital
- Melbourne Health
- Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
- Royal Women’s Hospital
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- Monash Health
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- Casterton Memorial Hospital
- Heywood Rural Health
- Moyne Health Services
- Portland District Health
- South West Healthcare
- Terang and Mortlake Health Service
- Timboon and District Healthcare Service
- Western District Health Service
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- Mercy Health (Werribee Mercy Hospital)
- Western Health
Reviewed 23 April 2025