About the Authority
The National Health Performance Authority has been set up as an independent agency under the National Health Reform Act 2011. It commenced full operations in 2012.
Under the terms of the Act, the Authority monitors and reports on the performance of Local Hospital Networks, public and private hospitals, primary health care organisations and other bodies that provide health care services.
The Authority’s reports give all Australians access to timely and impartial information that allows them to compare fairly their local health care organisations against other similar organisations and against national standards.
The reports let people see, often for the first time, how their local health care organisations measure up against comparable organisations across Australia.
The Authority’s activities are also guided by a document known as the Performance and Accountability Framework agreed by the Council of Australian Governments. The framework contains a set of indicators that form the basis for the Authority’s performance reports.
The Authority’s role includes reporting on the performance of health care organisations against these indicators in order to identify both high-performing Local Hospital Networks, primary health care organisations and hospitals (so effective practices can be shared), and Local Hospital Networks and primary health care organisations that perform poorly (so that steps can be taken to address problems).
In addition to publishing regular print-style reports, the Authority releases performance information on the website and the MyHealthyCommunities website, and presents other information about its activities.
The Authority consists of a Chairman, a Deputy Chairman and five other members, appointed for up to five years. Members of the Authority are:
- Ms Patricia Faulkner AO (Chairman)
- Mr John Walsh AM (Deputy Chairman)
- Dr David Filby PSM
- Professor Claire Jackson
- Professor Michael Reid
- Dr Michael Stanford
- Professor Bryant Stokes AM RFD (on leave)
- Professor Paul Torzillo AM.
The conclusions in this report are those of the Authority. No official endorsement from any Minister, department of health or health care organisation is intended or should be inferred.