Historical Development and Comparison of Australian Community Services

This research-based essay provides a comprehensive overview of community services in Australia. It begins with an introduction defining community services and their significance in improving the quality of life. The main body delves into the historical development of community services in Australia, highlighting key milestones and changes in healthcare and community service delivery. It then compares and contrasts government and non-government service organizations, discussing their roles, funding, and the services they offer. The essay covers important aspects such as Medicare, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare, and various non-government organizations like the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and emphasizes the importance of both government and non-government entities in providing essential health and community services to the Australian population. The essay is supported by references to relevant literature and reports.

RESEARCH BASED ESSAY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Historical development of community services in Australia......................................................1
Comparison between government and non-government service organisation...........................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
The community services can be defined as those services that are performed by people or
group of people either through formal or informal consultation and focus on improving quality of
life for the residents of community. This is a group of people or institution and required
resources which aims at delivering health-care services for meeting the health needs to
community people. The present report discusses about the historical development of community
services within Australia. The different types of community services organisations that have
developed are also discussed in brief. The comparison between government and non-government
organisation is explained in brief.
MAIN BODY
Historical development of community services in Australia.
The Australian community services and health-care system aims at providing voluntary
services to community people in order benefit the them and improvise their quality of life. The
community and healthcare services also focus on ensuring that residents of rural area have
enough resources in order to maintain and also improvise their health and quality of life. The
health care services has been developed so much from the early times. The quality of health care
and community services has changed and improved and this includes level of value that is
provided by the various resources of health-care.
It is completely acceptable that basic concepts of community and health care promotion
services are developed as compared with last two decades, Brophy & et.al., (2014). 21st century
health and community care systems focuses on delivering effective efforts to improvise the
quality of life of community people through improving the quality and value of health care
services. The value and quality of care services is effectively improved by various innovations in
the health-care financing, workforce diversity and improvements in care deliver facilities. The
workforce of community service organisation of recent times focuses on encountering the ideas
and solutions that can effectively benefit the community people. Whereas, history of community
care quality prior to 1960 is just the disunited collection of various unconnected events rather
than having a streamlined and organised efforts of workforce, Duckett & Willcox (2015).
There was a rise in social justice movements in 1970s that also gave rise to movements of
community health. Various progressively minded professionals and educated persons led the
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increase of health care and community service movements. The brief tenure of federal
government in 1972-75 provided intense boost to the community health care systems. Policy for
working with states and passing of universal health care insurance helped in developing
regionalised services. It also lent support for establishment of local community and health
services. The various factors effectively contribute to well being and health services such as
social, political and economic conditions. The model of community health was developed for
offering responsive and integrated approach in order to address different needs of various
disadvantaged communities. Various community development approaches such as patient led
groups, support groups, preventive health education, accessible and localised systems have
become important strategies of the model of community health (brief history of community
health in australia, 2016). Community health model has developed from early times and majorly
focuses on improving the quality of life of people in a community.
The health system of Australia is funded by the Medicare. This is a financing system that
aims at funding large part of health service's cost. In order to effectively address the Medicare,
responsibility is given to Medicare Australia that aims at providing subsidies for various
community and health services, Booth & et.al., (2016). Medicare Australia is considered as the
master program and is primarily concerned regarding payment for staff such as doctors and
nurses, and also other financing of state-run hospitals, Downes & Marchant (2016).
Comparison between government and non-government service organisation.
There are various government and non-government services organisation in Australia that
aims at providing voluntary health care services to community people and improves the quality
of life. The health care system of Australia is a mixed system delivered by universal health care
and also by private providers. The most of the health care facilities and services are delivered to
community people by public hospital and also by primary health care systems like general
practitioners. The health care services are also delivered private sectors through private hospitals,
various allied health care systems such as dental and physiotherapy.
Government services:
There are most of the services which are being provided by government health care
organisations such as: Medicare benefits schedule, to support effectiveness and quality in
primary health care that also includes after hour care. Government of Australia focuses on
looking after the national policies of health care with its various key elements like hospital
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operations which are operated by state governments, Dodson, Good & Osborne (2015). Medicare
is one of the publicly funded health and community services that supports community people of
Australia. This also coexist with privately funded health care system. Australian state and
territories are provided with primary responsibility for operating public hospitals, ambulance,
community and public health, mental health programs and public dental services. In addition to
this, The government service organisation are created and managed by the legal authority in the
nation. Employees working in non government organisation are provided with salaries as well as
additional facilities for delivering services to the public. Such type of organisations are generally
self- funded. The revenue earned by non-profit organisation are invested in the development of
nation.
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health-care: this aims at leading and
coordinating national improvements regarding safety and quality for health care services across
Australia, McMurray & Clendon (2015). This commission aims at developing and supporting
clinical standards and national safety. This also aim at formulating and implementing the
national accreditation schemes and developing national health related data sets.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: this is national agency regarding health and
welfare information and statistics. This institute focus on collecting and reports the information
on wide range of issues and topics, Graves & Zheng (2014). It ranges from health and welfare
expenditure, disease, injury, mental health and hospitals.
Australian Council of Social Services: This is the peak body of health care and community
services and welfare sector. This is the national voice for people's need which are affected by
inequality and poverty.
Non-Government services:
Those health care organisations who are non-government they also provides various
services to people of Australia. The main of this type of organization is to do greater good for the
society by providing health care services, Abimbola & et.al., (2014). It provides specialist
equipment-and disability aids for helping those people who are suffering from life threatening
diseases. It also focuses on promoting women empowerment by providing educational services
and financial assistance for women. The main aim of providing this service is to make women
financial independent. In addition to this, on-profit organisations that are set up and operated
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independently from local, state or international governments, but can receive government
funding in some cases. They usually address social and political issues. The non – government
service organisation are created by people not part of the government. But as these types of
firms are providing the services to public, therefore they are provided by funds by government
in the nation.. Employees working in the non government organisation are not provided with
salaries or wages. The revenue earned through the charity are used further for development of
an organisation.
They also provide free schooling services for poor children. Non-government
organisations provide shelter, food and other Medicare services for the orphans, McCalman &
et.al., (2016). It is estimated that almost 10 million NGOs worldwide are working in this field. It
is also trying to provide free surgeries to those who are from poor family and can not afford. To
provide services to rehabilitation to drug addicts.
Australian Red Cross Blood Service: This organisation aims at collecting blood donation and
then delivers this to Australian Healthcare Providers, Dodson, Good & Osborne (2015). It is the
body that is primarly responsible for blood donation and various other related services across
Australia. This organisation provides employment to approx 3700 employees.
National Health and Medical Research Council: This non-government body aims at funding
for competitive health and medical research facilities. This also develops policy statement for
various issues.
CONCLUSION
Community services refers to the voluntary work or unpaid work that is intended to help
people within a particular area. The healthcare systems refers to the method through which
healthcare is organized, financed and delivered to group of people. There is rapid grwoth and
development in the health-care system and community services from the historic times. There are
different types of community service organisations that have achieved great development and
success through their programs. Different government and non-government organisation focus
on providing health and community services to people in Australia. Both government and non-
government organisations provides different kinds of health-care and community services to
people.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Abimbola, S. & et.al., (2014). Towards people-centred health systems: a multi-level framework
for analysing primary health care governance in low-and middle-income
countries. Health Policy and Planning. 29(suppl_2). ii29-ii39.
Booth, M. & et.al., (2016). The new Australian Primary Health Networks: how will they
integrate public health and primary care. Public Health Res Pract. 26(1),. e2611603.
Brophy, L. & et.al., (2014). Impact of care coordination on Australia’s mental health service
delivery system. Australian Health Review. 38(4). 396-400.
Dodson, S., Good, S., & Osborne, R. (2015). Health literacy toolkit for low and middle-income
countries: a series of information sheets to empower communities and strengthen health
systems.
Downes, T., & Marchant, T. (2016). The extent and effectiveness of knowledge management in
Australian community service organisations. Journal of Knowledge Management. 20(1).
49-68.
Duckett, S., & Willcox, S. (2015). The Australian health care system (No. Ed. 5). Oxford
University Press.
Graves, N., & Zheng, H. (2014). Modelling the direct health care costs of chronic wounds in
Australia. Wound Practice & Research: Journal of the Australian Wound Management
Association, 22(1), 20.
McCalman, J. & et.al., (2016). The effectiveness of implementation in Indigenous Australian
healthcare: an overview of literature reviews. International journal for equity in
health. 15(1). 47.
McMurray, A., & Clendon, J. (2015). Community health and wellness-e-book: Primary health
care in practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Online
brief history of community health in australia. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.cohealth.org.au/about/our-history/brief-history-community-health-
australia/>
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