John Menadue considers the ability of the Department of Health to develop good health policy and manage health reform. 

I have frequently raised my concerns about the ability of the Department of Health to develop good health policy and manage health reform. A test of the Minister Sussan Ley is whether she can help facilitate the necessary reform. See below links to two earlier articles I wrote on this problem. The first is a capability review of the Department of Heath and Ageing by the Australian Public Service Commission. The second is a report by the Australian National Audit Office of the department’s administration of the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement.

Both reports raise very serious issues.

http://johnmenadue.com/blog/?p=3411

http://johnmenadue.com/blog/?p=3453

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John Menadue is a founder and fellow of the Centre for Policy Development. He was formerly Secretary of the Department of Immigration in the Fraser Government 1980 – 1983, when the Immigration Minister was Mr Ian McPhee. John was also previously Secretary of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, Ambassador to Japan, and CEO of QANTAS.