Our Strategic Plan 2023-27 (2026 update)

The 2026 update to the Department of Health Strategic Plan 2023–27 comes at a time of significant change across Victoria's health system. Expectations of the health system continue to evolve. Patient needs are becoming more complex, including due to ageing populations and people living with multiple chronic conditions. Demand for hospitals and urgent care remains high and, at the same time, patients are increasingly accessing virtual care.

As we enter the final year of this strategic plan, our vision for Victorians to be the healthiest people in the world remains the foundation for how we improve care, strengthen the system and deliver better health outcomes for all Victorians. Achieving this vision means looking beyond treating illness alone. It requires us to think about prevention, reduce inequalities, deliver safe and connected care, and build a sustainable health system.

This plan continues our focus on keeping people healthy and safe in the community. Through our Local Public Health Units, harm reduction initiatives and continued investment in public health protection, we are strengthening the systems and services that keep communities safe while supporting Victorians to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

We know people achieve better outcomes when care is accessible, connected and delivered closer to where they live. That is why we continue to expand virtual care, community-based services and community pharmacy care, helping more Victorians receive timely support outside hospital settings. These initiatives are making it easier for people to access care earlier while reducing pressure on emergency departments and ambulance services.

Innovation continues to drive improvement across our health system. We are progressing major reforms in mental health and wellbeing, specialist care and planned surgery, strengthening maternal and child health and continuing to develop and progress digital capability and new models of care that improve access, quality and patient experience.

Improving Aboriginal health and wellbeing remains central to this plan. We will continue working with Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and the Aboriginal health sector to strengthen self-determination and cultural safety. Treaty and truth-telling continue to challenge us to address inequity and build a health system that better reflects the strength, knowledge and aspirations of Aboriginal communities.

The future of healthcare depends on stronger collaboration across the system. The Local Health Service Networks are helping health services collaborate better and plan more effectively and have delivered more integrated and coordinated care closer to home.

A capable, supported and sustainable workforce remains the foundation of our health system. We are continuing to deliver Victoria's 10-year Health Workforce Strategy, grow critical workforces and strengthen capability across metropolitan, rural and regional Victoria. By supporting workforce wellbeing, safety and development, we are investing in the people who make quality care possible every day.

As demand grows and community needs become more complex, stewardship of Victoria’s health system matters more than ever. Strengthening financial sustainability, improving cyber security, embracing digital transformation and reducing our environmental impact are all critical to ensuring our health system remains safe, resilient and sustainable into the future. Through careful stewardship today, we can continue delivering high-quality care for generations to come.

I want to thank everyone across the department, our health services, community organisations, Aboriginal partners, the mental health and wellbeing sector, health professionals, researchers and the many others who contribute to the health of Victorians. Realising our vision would not be possible without Victoria’s highly valued health workforce, who bring skill, commitment and compassion to some of life’s most important moments.

This plan is a shared commitment to delivery. It asks us to continue putting people and communities at the centre of everything we do, to work across boundaries, to learn from evidence and experience, and to continuously improve so we can meet the needs of Victorians today and into the future.

Together, we are building a system that helps people stay well, supports them earlier and cares for them closer to home, so that Victorians can be the healthiest people in the world.

Jenny Atta PSM
Secretary
Department of Health

Our vision is that Victorians are the healthiest people in the world.

To make this vision a reality, we have seven strategic directions:

1. Keeping people healthy and safe in the community
2. Providing care closer to home
3. Keep innovating and improving care
4. Improving Aboriginal health and wellbeing
5. Moving from competition to collaboration
6. A stronger and more sustainable workforce
7. A safe and sustainable health, wellbeing and care system

Our values

1. Responsiveness
2. Integrity
3. Impartiality
4. Accountability
5. Respect
6. Leadership
7. Human rights

Our strategic directions¹ set out what we are doing to support Victorians to be the healthiest people in the world.

Each strategic direction has priority initiatives and priority outcomes that we measure ourselves against.

Together, these can be understood as follows:

• strategic directions – what we want our health, wellbeing and care system to move towards
• priority initiatives – what we need to focus on to drive the strategic directions
• outcomes – how we measure our success.

This section outlines the strategic directions. It provides an overview of the priority initiatives and outcomes associated with each strategic direction.

Note:

• The priority initiatives reflect existing departmental commitments and ministerial priorities.
• The initiatives do not detail everything the department does, but a subset of the work the department is doing to pursue each strategic direction.
• The outcomes are from the Department of Health priority outcomes framework (included in this document).

^{1 Strategic directions' are called 'objectives' in Budget Paper 3.}

To be healthy and safe, Victorians need information and tools that allow them to make good choices.

This includes navigating the health, wellbeing and care system to achieve the best possible individual outcomes.

Prevention and early intervention are central to this empowerment. We want Victorians to know how to stay healthy. We also want them to recognise early when they need to access healthcare.

When they do seek the support of Victoria’s health, wellbeing, and care services, they will experience high-quality care that is respectful, delivered with integrity, inclusive and culturally safe. This experience will extend across the full spectrum of services from hospitals to mental health and wellbeing support. It includes Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), and everywhere else Victorians need the health, wellbeing, and care system.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who access care in the mainstream system will experience early intervention and prevention services that are culturally safe. They will have much greater choice and access to care.

The Treaty and truth-telling processes will help us address the social, cultural, and historical determinants of health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Flowing the other way, general healthcare has much to learn from the holistic health and wellbeing principles of the First Peoples community. This includes through connectedness, community, and self-determination.

Our role is to continue to partner, engage and consult with communities. We do this so Victorians have a system that gives them control over their physical and mental health. We want them to understand the effect of harmful behaviours like drug, alcohol, and substance abuse so they can be part of the solution.

We want to work together so that every program, initiative, and service is built by and for the communities we serve.

We will work with other parts of government (including those focussed on families, fairness, housing, education, and justice) to improve the cultural, spiritual, social and economic determinants of health and wellbeing. As the government plans new precincts, we will ensure these environments are created to help Victorians live healthy lives.

We will use data and analytics to identify priority issues. We will respond to emergencies, provide protection from hazards, and build resilience and emergency readiness in the workforce and community. And we will do it all in line with our regulatory and legislative responsibilities to prevent harm and deliver a safe and high-quality health, wellbeing, and care system.

Priority initiatives include:

• Local Public Health Units – Enable Local Public Health Units to deliver frontline health protection services and proactively identify, prevent, and mitigate public health risks across Victoria.
• Digital Health Roadmap 2026-2031 – Align future data and digital investments to drive transformation of the healthcare system.
• Harm reduction initiatives – Deliver the 10-year Victorian alcohol and other drugs strategy with a focus on reducing Alcohol and Other Drugs related harms.
• Strengthening Public Sector Residential Aged Care services – Maintain the delivery of high-quality aged care services as close to home as possible and seek opportunities with the Commonwealth to improve care options for older adults.
• Victorian Cancer Plan 2024-2028 – Continue to deliver the Victorian Cancer Plan 2024-28 including setting goals and priorities to reduce the cancer burden and enhance care for all Victorians.

Outcomes

Population health

Local communities are the lifeblood of Victoria. They are where we live, learn, love, and laugh. And they should also be where we find the health, wellbeing and care services that meet our needs.

We are finding new ways to help Victorians access as many health, wellbeing, and care services as possible in their local communities.

At their doorsteps, Victorians will find community-based services, virtual care services and modern, safe facilities. These services improve access, outcomes and satisfaction for patients and health workers across the state.

Whether in major metropolitan areas or regional and rural towns, this place-based approach links to prevention and early intervention by reducing the chances of untreated health conditions worsening to the point of needing hospital care.

And if they do go to hospital, it will be at the right time. They will not fall through the cracks or wait too long. They will move from community-based services to the appropriate hospital for only as long as necessary, before returning to home and community care.

With rapid technological advances, people can also access more services from home. Virtual care, telehealth and other innovations like wearables and home monitoring can overcome geographical inequalities.

Providing care closer to home will see improved health outcomes for Victorians in their local communities. This ranges from newborns to our elderly, from those with chronic disease to those contending with addiction and mental health challenges – and everyone in between.

Priority initiatives include:

• Expanding community pharmacy care – Expand community pharmacists’ scope to deliver common, low-risk primary care and improve access through community pharmacies.
• Virtual care expansion (Victorian Virtual Emergency Department and Hospital Pilot) – Scale virtual care to reduce pressure on emergency departments and ambulance services, deliver admitted hospital care remotely in patients’ homes and regional settings, and pilot a virtual care approach to managing chronic disease.

Outcomes

Individual experience of care

Healthcare innovation never stops. Every treatment, discovery and cure is possible because of the countless days, years and decades of work that came before. To innovate is to improve, and every improvement takes us one step closer to our vision of Victorians being the healthiest people in the world.

With people at the centre of everything we do, we will harness advances in science, advanced data, and digital technology to continuously improve the quality, appropriateness, accessibility and safety of care.

We are fortunate that some of the world’s leading medical research teams are right here in Victoria. This means we can capitalise on the advances that are being made on our doorstep. We will also scour the globe for the latest and best practice models, and we will be a world leader in innovating and transforming healthcare delivery to improve consumer outcomes.

Our system will have a positive learning culture that encourages applied research and experimentation. Victorians who need emergency, urgent care or planned surgery will experience improved care experiences. We will prioritise, trial, and evaluate new virtual care technologies. We will scale up those that are evidenced as safe, improve outcomes, and demonstrate value. Women’s health and mental health will receive priority attention in our ongoing pursuit of improvement and excellence.

Innovations in clinical practice will enable exceptional, more person-centric models of care, particularly for Victorians with chronic conditions. Data and digital infrastructure will also be priority investments that will drive proactive safety interventions. This will help us prevent illness and pave the way for seamless, integrated care.

Priority initiatives include:

• Progressing mental health and wellbeing reform – Continue to deliver the Mental Health Royal Commission recommendations to improve care quality, safety and experience and enhance local mental health and wellbeing services.
• Timely access to Emergency care and planned surgery – Improve access to emergency care by connecting patients to the right care at the right time, reducing avoidable delays and increasing system capacity, while ensuring timely and equitable access to planned surgery.
• Maternal and child health reform – Improve access, quality, consistency and connection of Maternal and Child Health services in Victoria.
• Specialist care reform blueprint – Deliver system-wide reform to improve access, equity and patient experience in specialist care.

Outcomes

Individual experience of care

Equity

Connection to culture is integral to the health and wellbeing of our strong and proud Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. We will ensure culturally safe access to holistic, safe, equitable health, social and emotional wellbeing services for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. We recognise the importance of having a sustainable Aboriginal community-controlled health, wellbeing, and care sector to achieve this. This includes strengthening early intervention and prevention.

Our continued partnership with ACCHOs is designed to strengthen and build sustainability in the sector and drive self-determination across the health, wellbeing, and care system.

Improved access to culturally safe mainstream health, wellbeing and alcohol and other drugs services is critical. To do this, we are investing in approaches that embed self-determination in all matters that impact Aboriginal health and wellbeing. We are also supporting Aboriginal research that is self-determined and culturally respectful.

We are deeply committed to ensuring Aboriginal people determine the health and care received by Aboriginal people. We will pursue this through legislative reform, governance structures and Treaty.

Treaty in Victoria is the embodiment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination in recognition of the sovereignty of First Peoples. It provides a path to negotiate the transfer of power and resources to First Peoples so they can control matters that affect their lives. The Treaty Negotiation Framework sets out the principles that will guide Treaty-making in Victoria. It ensures Traditional Owner groups can choose their own pathways and timelines for negotiating Treaties that reflect their priorities and aspirations. Our vision to be the healthiest people in the world is for all Victorians, including First Peoples.

Priority initiatives include:

• Delivery of Cultural Safety priorities - Strengthen cultural safety across mainstream health services to deliver culturally safe care under the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Forum Agreement.

Outcomes

Equity

Together, we achieve more. It’s that simple. We are not in a competition. We are partners in creating better, safer, more sustainable health outcomes for Victorians. We are in it together. And we are in it for each other.

This includes the people of Victoria, our health, wellbeing and care workers, the department, the health and mental health sectors, our local communities, national bodies, ACCHOs, states and territories, public, private, and non-government organisations. It also includes the people who are invested in, responsible for, and passionate about the health and wellbeing of Victorians.

By sharing data, knowledge, research, and resources, we can design and deliver better and more integrated services that lead to better health outcomes for all. We will have a unified health, wellbeing and care system that delivers exceptional patient care.

Data, health information and evidence will be brought together by advanced platforms that speak to each other. This will ultimately provide a seamless patient experience and improved health outcomes for individuals and communities.

As the number of people with chronic conditions that require multiple care providers increases, it is more important than ever that care teams are all on the same page and working towards a common goal.

Priority initiatives include:

• Local Health Service Networks - Continue to embed Local Health Service Networks to strengthen collaboration, and support consistent, equitable access to high quality care.

Outcomes

Sustainable healthcare

Health, wellbeing, and care workers are the backbone of the health system. The Victorian health workforce is among the best in the world.

The people who deliver care to Victorians deserve a first-rate employee experience. To do this, we are focusing on future roles, capabilities, and professional development. This includes considering what the jobs of tomorrow will look like, what skills our people will need, and how we will support them to learn, stretch and grow.

Our healthcare system is evolving rapidly, and it requires our workers to have greater autonomy and agility. They also need to be able to operate in multidisciplinary teams.

We will make sure there are enough skilled and talented people across Victoria. This includes building the workforce that supports our rural and regional communities.

Attracting and retaining the right type of workforce is critical for Victorians to get the best-quality care. This includes addressing critical workforce gaps in areas such as Aboriginal health, mental health and wellbeing, addiction services, specialist medical roles, allied health, nursing, lived experience and public health.

Building modern health and care precincts that enhance worker wellbeing and reduce occupational violence will be a key focus. We will prioritise sector resilience and preparedness for disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and other emergencies. This includes providing sector capability uplift and flexible and adaptable surge response capacity.

We know that health sector workplaces can be high pressure environments. We will accept nothing less than a culture of respect that is free from violence and other threats to employee wellbeing.

Priority initiatives include:

• Building a sustainable health workforce - Continue to deliver the Victorian 10-year Health Workforce Strategy to build a modern, sustainable and engaged workforce, while increasing the mental health and wellbeing workforce to 8,000 workers by 2030.

Outcomes

Healthcare workforce

Now is the time for change. Now is the time to build on our successes. We will continue developing a modern, safe, and sustainable health, wellbeing and care system.

We know the challenges: budgets are constrained; climate change is upon us. But we also have a unique opportunity to improve the health of Victorians today and for generations to come.

To build a sustainable health system that delivers strong health outcomes, we need to use resources where they will make the biggest difference. This means improving performance, managing the system well, and focusing services on the outcomes that matter most for Victorians.

Switching to a more global viewpoint, we must also reduce the environmental impacts of our health system. Victoria is home to massive amounts of property, equipment, and other carbon emitting assets. We have enormous scope to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the health, wellbeing, and care sector. This will improve population and patient health outcomes. It will also deliver savings and strengthen the financial sustainability of the system.

Energy efficiency, solar projects, reduced electricity consumption and enhanced monitoring will all be key components of reducing our environmental impacts and transitioning to a low carbon health system.

Priority initiatives include:

• Safer Digital Healthcare – Safeguard Victoria’s health services and enhance cyber protection through centrally delivered statewide programs and supports.
• Health sector financial sustainability – Collaborate with health services to drive efficiency and productivity, ensuring all funding supports delivery of world-class care.
• Departmental financial sustainability – Oversee departmental efficiency commitments and ensure targeted budget outcomes are achieved.

Outcomes

Sustainable healthcare

Victoria’s health system is building on strong foundations as it responds to the needs of a growing and changing population. Lasting, system-wide reforms are strengthening health policy, planning and service delivery. As demand increases and becomes more complex, Victoria continues to improve care through a skilled health workforce and growing digital capability.

The sector continues to benefit from advances in technology, high standards of care, and expanding services and supports. Demand is especially visible in emergency care, where high patient volumes and pressures continue to affect timely access to care. At the same time, the system continues to improve health outcomes for Victorians through better coordination and innovation.

Improving patient flow remains a key focus because it supports shorter wait times, smoother ambulance to hospital handover and more timely care, while helping make the best use of available workforce and capacity. This includes improving timely access to emergency department care, strengthening urgent care in the community through Urgent Care Clinics, improving access to planned surgery, and specialist and outpatient care.

Supporting these improvements over the long term also depends on sustainability. This means making the best use of available funding, with clear responsibilities, strong oversight and a continued focus on delivering safe, effective care. By supporting health services to deliver efficient and sustainable services, we ensure these improvements are maintained. Strengthening financial sustainability supports a resilient and high-performing health system into the future.

Delivering these priorities relies on a skilled, capable and well-supported workforce. Our health workforce is at the heart of the system, and their expertise, commitment and care make reform possible. Building a sustainable workforce means strengthening training pathways, supporting wellbeing and safety, and continuing to attract, develop and retain staff - particularly in rural and regional communities and specialist areas. Team-based models of care also play an important role, helping multidisciplinary teams work effectively together to meet the needs of Victorians.

Victoria’s population is ageing, driving increased demand for aged care, community supports and health services. Supporting older Victorians to age well includes strengthening residential aged care, expanding community-based supports, and enabling more people to receive care in their homes or communities. This includes initiatives such as delivering hospital-level care in aged care settings, improving safety and quality standards, and supporting independence and participation through community programs, helping older Victorians remain connected and live well.

Reform is also continuing across mental health and wellbeing, building on the significant progress made following the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Priorities include improving access, strengthening community-based care, and improving connections between services so people can access the right support at the right time, including following hospital care. This includes progressing mental health and wellbeing reform, strengthening Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals, and continuing initiatives such Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention and response.

Reducing the incidence and impact of AOD relation harm in Victorians and over the longer term continues as a key focus including delivering key actions of the Statewide Action Plan harm reduction initiatives.

Major hospital infrastructure projects are progressing across Victoria. New and expanded hospitals will add capacity and improve access, while ongoing investment in health infrastructure is delivering modern, safe and fit-for-purpose environments. Bringing these services into operation requires coordinated effort to ensure they are ready to deliver care, with the workforce, systems and models needed to meet growing demand.

At the same time, care closer to home continues to expand. Virtual care, including the Virtual Emergency Department, is supporting significant volumes of care and providing advice and treatment when it is safe to do so. Over the year ahead, we will expand the Virtual Emergency Department, continue the virtual hospital pilot, expand new models of care for chronic disease management, and broaden community pharmacy care. Together, these initiatives will improve access to care and support care closer to home, where appropriate. This work also supports prevention and public health by helping people access advice, screening, treatment, and support earlier, reducing avoidable illness and unnecessary hospitalisation. Our next Digital Health Roadmap will further support this work by strengthening the foundations for safe, connected care.

Supporting children and families remains a key part of strengthening long-term health outcomes. Victoria’s statewide maternal and child health services provide universal access to early health, developmental and parenting support. These services play a critical role in giving children the best possible start in life, supporting early intervention and improving outcomes for families, particularly those with more complex needs.

Local Health Service Networks are being embedded to support more joined-up care. They support stronger coordination, shared planning and more integrated care across regions. This creates clearer pathways for patients and more consistent service models across local areas, while helping services work together on workforce and sustainability challenges.

At a broader system level, stewardship is being strengthened through clearer roles, shared accountability and more connected planning with health services and partners. Better use of data and evidence supports shared understanding of system performance and where support can have the greatest impact. This creates a stronger foundation for consistent approaches across the system that improve access, safety and outcomes for Victorians.

Improving Aboriginal health and wellbeing remains a core priority. Work continues in partnership with Aboriginal communities and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector to support self-determination, strengthen cultural safety, and improve outcomes for First Peoples. This includes delivering cultural safety priorities linked to Treaty and the Yoorrook Justice Commission.

Equity remains central to all reforms, helping ensure care is accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of all Victorians, including people in rural and regional communities, multicultural communities, and people with disability. This includes targeted work to improve access to women’s health care, helping more Victorians access timely, affordable and appropriate care across a broader range of reproductive and women’s health needs.

Together, these priorities support a connected, culturally safe and sustainable health system. By continuing to strengthen services, workforce capability, stewardship and access to care, we can help ensure Victorians receive the care they need, when and where they need it, and achieve better health outcomes into the future.

The Department of Health helps Victorians stay safe and healthy. It delivers a world-class health system that leads to better health outcomes for all Victorians.

The department helps manage the public health system. This provides all Victorians with high-quality public hospitals and services for their acute health needs.

The department has leadership responsibility for:

• acute health services
• public health
• primary, community and dental health
• health regulation
• ambulance services
• mental health and wellbeing services
• alcohol and other drug services
• ageing, aged and home care.

We work with health services, agencies and other partners to clarify responsibilities, reduce overlap where possible, and improve the experience of patients, families and the health workforce.

We are also implementing changes to bring some functions currently delivered through portfolio entities into the department or other parts of the portfolio, to reduce duplication and strengthen service delivery.

The executive board assists the Secretary with strategic leadership to meet the department’s objectives (including vision, purpose and direction setting); improve performance and outcomes; and implement complex reform priorities.

The executive board operates under terms of reference and comprises the Secretary and the following departmental representatives:

• all deputy secretaries
• the chief executive officer of Hospitals Victoria
• the Chief Communications Officer and
• the Chief Aboriginal Health Adviser.

The chief executive officer of Safer Care Victoria, an administrative office of the department, is also a member of the executive board.

Our functions

Health System Reform and Partnerships

The Health System Reform and Partnerships Division leads the commissioning, stewardship and oversight of Victoria’s hospitals and health services.

The division leads system reform, policy and program design and implementation, issues management, system improvement and cross sector collaboration across ambulance and emergency, planned care, system access, aged care services, end of life care, cancer and specialist services, specialist programs, health workforce capability and strategy, and whole of system planning with a focus on improving integration, equity and outcomes for priority communities.

The division is the department’s primary liaison and engagement partner for health services and works collaboratively with them to inform policy and program design and implementation, commissioning and funding decisions and supports continuous improvement in service delivery and system performance.

The division also leads health service governance and accountability and leads the delivery of the Local Health Service Network reforms to strengthen collaboration between health services and improve how care is delivered to local communities.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Division leads the commissioning, stewardship and oversight of Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing services and alcohol and other drugs services.

The division provides system level leadership, upholds quality and safety in clinical services through the Office of the Chief Psychiatrists, leads priority alcohol and other drugs and harm reduction and reform initiatives from design through to implementation, and provides system wide monitoring, analysis and performance reporting.

The division stewards mental health reform governance, service planning and system design, leads prevention and promotion initiatives including mental health prevention, suicide prevention and gambling harm, embeds lived and living experience, and supports culturally informed approaches to improve equity and outcomes across the mental health and wellbeing system.

Community and Public Health

The Community and Public Health division provides system wide leadership on public and community health policy, protection, prevention and promotion to improve population health and reduce preventable illness.

The division provides statewide public health expertise and responses to communicable diseases and environmental health risks, delivers regulatory policy and public health programs, and provides advice, performance oversight and governance for public health activities and programs.

The division drives prevention strategy and health promotion initiatives, oversees community and women’s health programs including maternal and child health, leads emergency management preparedness and response, and supports population health outcomes through coordinated, evidence informed policy and system improvement.

eHealth

The eHealth Division leads the department’s digital health, data, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and cybersecurity functions.

It is responsible for setting system-wide direction and standards for digital platforms, data governance and security, and for delivering the core digital infrastructure and data and analytics that underpin how the health system operates. This includes shared services for the department and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH).

Through this role, eHealth enables data-driven decision-making, supports quality, safety and performance oversight, and drives digital integration and transformation across the department, Safer Care Victoria and public health services.

Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing

The Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Division works in partnership with the Aboriginal community, health and wellbeing sectors and governments to support the development of a health and wellbeing system that is equitable, culturally safe and driven by Aboriginal self-determination.

It delivers strategic initiatives and reforms, including funding and legislative reform, Aboriginal budget strategy, and Treaty preparedness and implementation. In addition, the division engages in whole of government approaches to improving outcomes for First Peoples in Victoria.

The division demonstrates leadership through close collaboration with Aboriginal communities and organisations, driving improvements in health outcomes and equity for Aboriginal Victorians through culturally informed policies, programs, and system reform.

Corporate Strategy and Operations

The Corporate Strategy and Operations division provides strategic, legal, governance and corporate leadership to support effective departmental operations and decision making.

It leads communications and public affairs, provides authoritative legal and governance advice, and oversees audit, risk and integrity functions to ensure lawful, ethical and accountable practice.

The division drives enterprise strategy, performance and evaluation, delivers improvement and capability building initiatives, and provides people, industrial relations and workforce support to strengthen organisational and health sector performance and future readiness.

Budget, Finance and Investment

The Budget, Finance and Investment division aims to provide assurance of all investments, through financial governance, control and strategic advice to support sustainable departmental and system operations.

It oversees budgeting, appropriations, financial reporting and procurement frameworks, supports divisions to align proposals with whole of government financial strategy, and leads intergovernmental funding negotiations.

The division develops and governs commissioning and investment frameworks, identifies and drives investment reform, and provides oversight of commercial and infrastructure planning to ensure effective stewardship of public resources and delivery of long-term system priorities.

Hospitals Victoria

Hospitals Victoria stewards health service sustainability and performance through system-level funding, and accountability.

The division leads systemwide strategy, planning and performance oversight for Victorian health services, with a focus on driving efficiency, financial sustainability and service performance.

The division leads and coordinates efficiency initiatives, provides oversight, quality assurance and risk management, and delivers insights and analytics to monitor progress across the system. It oversees health service performance assessment, funding policy, costing and pricing arrangements, and systemwide financial governance, supporting health services to implement improvement programs and informing executive decision making to ensure sustainable, high-quality hospital services.

Safer Care Victoria

Safer Care Victoria is the state lead for quality and safety in publicly funded health services and across the sector. We drive safety and quality of care improvements in partnership with health services, the department, clinicians, consumers and carers, safety bodies, research bodies and other key stakeholders.

Safer Care Victoria is an Administration Office of the Department of Health and works towards three strategic priorities:

• Leadership – As Victoria’s lead for quality and safety, we work to improve care across the state by providing and enabling leadership, and influence reforms nationally
• Insights – We work with our partners by harnessing a range of insights to reduce avoidable harm across the Victorian healthcare system.
• Improvement – We work with our partners to drive continuous improvement in the quality and safety of health care by enabling effective accountability, acting on insights and focusing on what matters most.

We consider risk in our planning and decision making. This ensures we understand and manage threats and opportunities as we work towards our vision.

The department faces many types of risks. These range from healthcare consumer risk, workforce risk, financial risk, information and systems security and risks in being able to deliver the objectives of the government.

The department's risk management policy supports us to achieve our outcomes. It follows accepted standards and guidelines for managing risk, particularly those used by public sector agencies and departments.

We apply a three-tier approach to managing risks:

• strategic risks – risks that affect the achievement of the department's strategic priorities
• operational risks – risks that affect our day-to-day operations
• project risks – risks that relate to activities linked to election commitments, budget initiatives, and priority programs and projects.

An effective risk management framework allows the department to focus on the things that matter for Victorians and Victorian communities.

We continually monitor our performance to check whether we are on track to achieve our objectives and desired outcomes.

The department has a priority outcomes framework, consistent with Victoria’s broader public sector reform outcomes policy. This also complements our performance reporting obligations under the Financial Management Act 1994.

The outcomes show what success looks like. They reflect our ambitions for Victoria’s public health services.

They are clear, unambiguous, and high-level statements about the things that matter for people and communities.

The outcomes help the department to:

• set its priorities based on evidence about what is working and what is not
• deliver health services that match Victorians’ needs
• be accountable for the performance of those services.

The priority outcomes framework is organised around five domains and 11 priority outcomes. There are 33 indicators across the priority outcomes.

The domains align with the strategic directions set out in this strategic plan.

We will continually update the framework as new priorities emerge and more data becomes available.

We report on our performance against the outcomes framework in the department’s annual report.

The department also has a Public health and wellbeing outcomes framework and a Mental health and wellbeing outcomes framework. These frameworks are specific to those areas of healthcare. The latter was recommended by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

A data dashboard will also help us to monitor progress against domains and outcomes of the Victorian Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Agreement and Action Plans.

We are working on this in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

Department of Health priority outcomes framework

Victorians are the healthiest people in the world

Notes

^{1 Indicators to be disaggregated wherever possible by: Aboriginal people in Victoria; cultural and linguistic diversity; gender identity; presence of disability; household disadvantage; access to primary care; household remoteness; age; sex; asylum seeker; mental health presentation and hospital peer group. There are more than 20 indicators that will have four or more disaggregations.}

^{2 Indicator is also an 'objective indicator' in the Department Performance Statement (DPS)}

^{3 Indicator is also an 'objective indicator' in the DPS.}

Financial outlook

The table below sets out the department’s total funding as per the State Budget 2026-27. The State Budget 2026-27 Budget Papers provide detailed descriptions of objectives and outputs, and key performance indicators.

Victorians are the healthiest people in the world

Source: State Budget 2026-27 Budget Papers, 2026-27 Department Performance Statement, Department of Health.

Notes:

^{(a) The higher 2026-27 target is due to new funding provided for government policy commitments and a revision to estimated hospital revenue.
(b) The higher 2026-27 target is due to new funding provided for government policy commitments and increased contribution from Commonwealth Government.
(c) The higher 2026-27 target is due to new funding provided for government policy commitments.
(d) The higher 2026-27 target is due primarily to enterprise bargaining agreements and government policy initiatives.}

Output initiatives – Department of Health ($ million)

The following table sets out the department’s output initiatives in the State Budget 2026-27.

Notes:

^{(a) These initiatives contribute to activity that attracts Commonwealth Government funding under the National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA). Estimates of the Commonwealth Government’s contribution are included.}

Workforce outlook

Our workforce is vital to delivering this plan. We will focus on building our workforce’s capability and capacity. We will also create a great employee experience using culture, development, and inclusion.

We will do this through initiatives that employ and retain great people. This includes projects that improve workplace culture, health, safety, and wellbeing. It also means engaging and enabling our workforce and growing and developing our people.

Examples of our work in this area include uplifting our leadership capability, improving our writing capability across the department, and continuing our culture journey and wellbeing work. We will develop a culture where people get the job done and do it well, strive for excellence, work as a team, solve problems and think outside the box, and develop others.

We also know that support for diversity, inclusion and cultural safety is essential. Our approach to creating a great employee experience is underpinned by complementary initiatives such as:

• Aboriginal workforce strategy
• Getting to work: disability employment implementation plan
• Gender equality action plan
• LGBTIQA+ inclusion strategy
• Health safety and wellbeing framework
• Victorian Public Sector Commission employment guidelines.

Asset outlook

The department has an asset total estimated investment (TEI) of $13.6 billion in planning and delivery as detailed in State Budget 2026–27 Budget Papers, Budget Paper 4.

New projects

Source: State Budget 2026–27 Budget Papers, Budget Paper No. 4, Department of Health

Existing projects

Source: State Budget 2026–27 Budget Papers, Budget Paper No. 4, Department of Health

Approved use of accumulated State Administration Unit

The Resource management framework (section 3.5.2) sets out the order of funding for approved asset investments.

The department follows this order. If required, funds will be drawn down from accumulated State Administration Unit (SAU) funding, after seeking approval from the Treasurer as required under s. 33 of the Financial Management Act 1994. Any funds accessed from accumulated depreciation funding will be reported each yea