Australian Society, System, and Politics: An Analysis of Health Policy

This report provides a comprehensive evaluation of the Australian health policy, highlighting its key characteristics, historical evolution, and impact on Australian society. It examines the roles of both state and federal governments in shaping health policies and addresses the complexities faced by patients. The report traces the history of healthcare initiatives in Australia from the 19th century to the present day, noting significant changes such as the establishment of the Department of Health, the introduction of medical specialization, and the increasing involvement of private healthcare organizations. It further discusses the impacts of policy changes on public health issues like smoking rates, surgical interventions, aged care, childcare, and indigenous health. The report concludes that the Australian health policy is a national asset, effectively addressing various health-related issues and serving as a model for other countries. Desklib offers this and other solved assignments to aid students in their studies.

Running Head: AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
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1AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
Executive summary
Australian health system is identified as one of the impressive framework around the world.
There are a series of segments in the Australian health system that requires a better health policy
framework. In this regard, this report intends to evaluate the existing health policy of Australia
and tries to find out the key characteristics that make the system effective enough. In course of
the discussion, the report also emphasis on the history of the Australian health policy and
program in order to identify the significant changes that the Australian government carried out in
course of time. Moreover, the impact of those changes are also took part in the discussion.

2AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Description of the policy.............................................................................................................3
History of the policy....................................................................................................................4
Change in course..........................................................................................................................5
Impacts in the Australian society.................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Reference.........................................................................................................................................8

3AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
Introduction
In case of Australia both the state and the federal are equally responsible to set an
effective health policy. However, the policy is thorough and complex that creates much problem
for the patients to navigate. As far as life expectancy rate is concerned Australia enjoys sixth
position in the world for high life expectancy ratio. Moreover, the government also invests
around 8.8% of the GDP in better healthcare facility (Health.gov.au, 2018). Therefore, the
purpose of this report is to evaluate the health policy in Australia and analyse the public health
initiatives from a better perspective. Hence, the report incorporates the long history of the policy
and its different avenues. Side by side the changes in the health care policies and its impacts on
the Australian society are also taken into discussion for a more intense research.
Discussion
Description of the policy
As far as the health policy in Australia is concerned the government sets some policy
statement or some brief narratives for the patients so that they can check out all the government
initiatives in a short time. In this regard, the primary focus of the Australian government is to
develop a better health condition as well as facility so that no one will be deprived (Pc.gov.au.,
2018). In course of time there more complex the health policy becomes and it pushes the
government to incorporate a number of strategies to deal with the escalating health related issues.
For an example, the Australian government puts a deep thrust on the mental illness and obesity
programs that are the main health related threat in present day Australia. In the fifth National
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan the government ought to include the regional

4AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
integration to support the person-centred service system and build up a more effective healthcare
plan (Health.gov.au, 2018). As a matter of fact, the Australian government also reviews its
private health insurance plan in recent times in order to give the private healthcare institutions
more leverage to attract more customers (Oecd.org., 2015). It will solidify the healthcare system
both publicly and privately because the primary focus is on the benefits of the patients not on the
profit maximisation.
History of the policy
Australia has witnessed a rich history of healthcare initiatives since the middle of
Nineteenth century. At that time there was no centralised government department that took all
the responsibilities related to health in the country. It was more like a fragmented form of
healthcare system where every region or state had its own medical services. However, the
primary focus was on infectious disease and sanitation. However, in due course in Department of
Health was established in 1921 and it got a legal backbone to deal with the health related issues
more profoundly (Mossialos et al., 2016).
The Australian Federation was established in 1901 and it was considered to be the
foundation of the unified healthcare policies in Australia (Baum & Fisher, 2014). A drastic
change in the role among the Australian hospitals was seen and the government wanted to ensure
medical assistance with nine public healthcare systems. It was in the period of 1930s that the
government introduced medical specialisation where the medical practitioners begun to start
their practice on the basis of the UK model (McGorry, Bates & Birchwood, 2016). As a result of
that the policy of the Commonwealth government was also followed the UK medical policy
where sanitation and local diseases got the major importance. During the time of the Second
World War more advanced methods and policies were incorporated into the system in the light

5AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
of aiding the allied forces and Australian forces better and quick treatment. As a result of that the
idea of quality medical service was emerged. In the aftermath of the world war there was a huge
migration in Australia and subsequently the number of hospitals and medical care facilities were
installed in a rapid manner.
Since the late 1990s the private healthcare organisations were also taking interests in
doing quality medical services to not only the white Australians but a great care was installed for
the local aboriginals too. This was a cornerstone of equal medical care facility that coincided
with both private and public intervention (Briggs et al., 2014). Surgery and chronic epidemics
were considered to be the most important segments to follow. With the advent of the post-
modern era the psychological treatments and policy making process was initiated by the
Australian government due to a major change in the demography and social cohesion.
Change in course
In this context, changes can be seen quiet effectively in course of setting up the
healthcare policies by the Australian government. Introduction of technological advancement
and private healthcare facilities the Australian government tries to make some amendments into
the policy. For an example, reconsidering the private health insurance reforms are quiet relevant
and effective enough to deal with the growing change of time (Hall, 2015). It will help to reduce
the extra pressure on the public hospitals and incorporate the private bodies into the healthcare
programs more effectively.
However, change in the Australian health policy was a new phenomenon but since
entering into the new era of post modernity it becomes more and more complex for the
government to resettle its policy again and again. More initiation towards the Australian

6AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
aboriginals is quite a great step for the government through community engagement program and
direct government intervention (Jowsey et al., 2014). Besides this, there is always an open threat
of obesity and other health related issues mainly addiction to suicide among the Australian
youths and psychological problem are seemed to the major challenges.
On the other hand, the Australian authority takes a great care of the evidence based
clinical practices where the government is going to establish an expert panel of clinicians to
evaluate and advise the government in this dire situation. It is also linked with the health policy
of the government that puts emphasis on the cost effectiveness policy so that each and every
Australian citizen could get better quality patient care with cost effective advantages
(Health.gov.au, 2018).
Impacts in the Australian society
There are a series of impact that can be seen in the Australian society due to effective
initiatives taken by the government through adequate health policy making. The advantages are
as follows,
 The public health initiatives help Australia to achieve one of the lowest smoking rates
across the world. As per the report it can be stated that policies and programs related to
not only the health but also tobacco packaging and advertisements are also played a
significant role that made only 12.8% Australians to smoke daily (Oecd.org, 2015).
 Moreover, the government encouragement towards better use of specialisation made the
country high rates of surgical interventions. It proves that the medical facilities are
effective and efficient enough in order to provide quality treatment to the patients.

7AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
 Besides this, the government effort for the aged people and the child care policy are
effective enough to prevent high mortality ratio. The Australian children and aged people
have all the government assistance to deal with health related issues. Moreover, there are
several private medical ownership that are also entitled to give quality patient care
services.
 Inclusion of the aboriginals through the National Rural Health program is also a drastic
step for the Australian government to incorporate the indigenous interests in the health
policy. It proves a government purpose to enhance the quality of healthcare for all and
irrespective of age barrier (Browne, Hayes & Gleeson, 2014).
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the Australian health policy is
identified as one of the effective and legitimate policy that tries to include all the health related
issues existed in Australia. From that point of view the Australian health policy is a national
pride and excellent example to the world.

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Reference
Baum, F., & Fisher, M. (2014). Why behavioural health promotion endures despite its failure to
reduce health inequities. Sociology of health & illness, 36(2), 213-225.
Briggs, A. M., Towler, S. C., Speerin, R., & March, L. M. (2014). Models of care for
musculoskeletal health in Australia: now more than ever to drive evidence into health policy
and practice. Australian Health Review, 38(4), 401-405.
Browne, J., Hayes, R., & Gleeson, D. (2014). Aboriginal health policy: is nutrition the ‘gap’in
‘Closing the Gap’?. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 38(4), 362-369.
Hall, J. (2015). Australian health care—The challenge of reform in a fragmented system. New
England Journal of Medicine, 373(6), 493-497.
Health.gov.au. (2018). Department of Health | Achieving integrated regional planning and
service delivery. Retrieved from
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-health-intergrated-reg-
planning
Jowsey, T., Pearce‐Brown, C., Douglas, K. A., & Yen, L. (2014). What motivates Australian
health service users with chronic illness to engage in self‐management behaviour?. Health
Expectations, 17(2), 267-277.
McGorry, P., Bates, T., & Birchwood, M. (2013). Designing youth mental health services for the
21st century: examples from Australia, Ireland and the UK. The British Journal of
Psychiatry, 202(s54), s30-s35.

9AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY, SYSTEM AND POLITICS
Mossialos, E., Wenzl, M., Osborn, R., & Sarnak, D. (2016). 2015 international profiles of health
care systems. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health.
Oecd.org. (2015). Health policy in Australia. Retrieved from
http://www.oecd.org/australia/Health-Policy-in-Australia-December-2015.pdf
Pc.gov.au. (2018). Improving Australia's health system: what we can do now. Retrieved from
https://www.pc.gov.au/news-media/pc-news/previous-editions/pc-news-may-2015/improving-
australia-health-system