Chief executives have been quick to point out the auditor’s report was critical of the department and not the PHNs themselves.
Primary health network CEOs have reacted positively to the Australian National Audit Office’s recent report, which showed the DoHAC had not demonstrated the effectiveness of the PHN model.
As reported by HSD, the Effectiveness of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s performance management of primary health networks report concluded that the department “had no evaluation plans for the PHN delivery model after 2018”.
“[DoHAC] has not conducted a comprehensive delivery model evaluation,” the audit team reported.
In response, the Victorian and Tasmanian PHN Alliance – Murray PHN, Western Victoria PHN, North Western Melbourne PHN, Eastern Melbourne PHN, South Eastern Melbourne PHN, Gippsland PHN, and Tasmania PHN – welcomed the ANAO’s report, saying it “did not directly consider whether the PHN model was effective; it only considered whether the department had collected the data to assess whether it was effective”.
“We see this review as timely, given the significant growth in the services delivered by the national network of PHNs in recent years,” said the Alliance.
“We believe the audit provides an opportunity to review and strengthen the performance measures to align with key outcomes and expectations.
“PHNs are an established and important part of our primary health system. They support service integration, capacity building and commission services based on the needs of individual communities.
“In particular, the report provides an opportunity to work together to determine the funding solutions that result in highest impact on health outcomes for communities.”
Prue Buist, the CEO of Coordinare (South Eastern NSW PHN), said she looked forward to “more robust and transparent systems” to support reporting and evaluation of PHN programs.
“The ANAO report was not an evaluation on the PHN delivery model or the effectiveness of PHNs, it was a report into the Department’s management of the PHN program as a whole,’’ Ms Buist said.
“Coordinare is committed to continuous improvement and adhering to improved performance measures to better serve our communities.
“As a regional organisation, Coordinare has a deep understanding of our community’s primary health care needs and can drive reform, integration and equitable access across the health and social care system.
“As regional commissioners, we reduce service fragmentation and address unmet needs by working with our stakeholders to develop innovative models of care to address local needs.
“Our whole team is looking forward to working with the Department to implement the recommendations outlined,” Ms Buist said.
The ANAO report made eight recommendations:
- The DoHAC should ensure that PHNs fully comply with transparency and accountability requirements established in grant agreements, including requirements to participate in and provide data and information for the purposes of evaluation. The DoHAC has agreed.
- The DoHAC should establish performance measures that are clearly aligned to the PHNs’ and delivery model’s objectives. The DoHAC has agreed.
- Where there is a reliance on PHN-supplied data, the DoHAC should establish a risk-based methodology for obtaining assurance over the data. The DoHAC has agreed.
- The DoHAC should report on PHN performance as soon as practicable following the year to which the majority of the performance information relates. The DoHAC agreed.
- The DoHAC should publish individual PHNs’ performance data and analysis in annual reports. The DoHAC agreed.
- The DoHAC should publicly report on performance measures (a) in compliance with the PHN performance framework by reporting all performance measures; and (b) in a way that is consistent with the intended purpose of conveying information about performance in addition to compliance with grant agreement requirements. The DoHAC agreed.
- The DoHAC should implement a fit-for-purpose IT system for administering PHNs that supports the accurate capture and reporting of compliance and performance information. The DoHAC agreed in principle.
- The DoHAC should (a) develop an evaluation plan for the PHN delivery model; and (b) evaluate the PHN delivery model to determine whether it is achieving its objectives. The DoHAC agreed.
Read the full ANAO report here.
Resource released for PHN suicide prevention programs
The Department of Health and Aged Care has released an information resource to help PHNs to engage with the work of projects funded under the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program.
The eight-year-old program was recently expanded with 31 organisations undertaking 40 projects over three years (2022-23 to 2024-25).
“One of the aims of the program is to support PHNs to lead a regional approach to service planning and integration for suicide prevention activities which meets the needs of individuals at the local level,” said the authors of The National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program Project Information for Primary Health Networks document.
The document includes information on each project funded under the program, in addition to organisational contact details for PHNs seeking further information.
The full document is available here.