October 2015
New Acting Secretary for the Department of Health & Human Services
Dr Pradeep Philip recently resigned from his position as Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) following his appointment by Premier Daniel Andrews to lead a new innovation initiative.
Pradeepwas asked by Premier Andrews to "lead the new entity constituting the Government's priority start-up initiative", which is being established to "foster, develop and accelerate entrepreneurship in the Victorian economy and to harness innovation as a driver of economic growth and performance."
Pradeep’s last day at DHHSwas 18 September 2015.
Kym Peake from the Department of Premier of Cabinet will act as Secretary of the DHHS while the Department undertakes the process of recruitment.
Health 2040: Victorian health reform discussion paper
The Victorian Government has released a discussion paper to stimulate conversation on health reform.
This discussion paper is the start of a conversation about how we can work together to build and strengthen our health system. It poses questions for you to consider when thinking about the design of our future health system. The outcomes will complement the concurrent work on our ten year mental health strategy.
This is an opportunity to put your view on key questions about the health system. What should our health system look like in two decades’ time? How can we make sure that all Victorians continue to have access to high-quality treatment and services, no matter where they live or what they earn?
The conversation started with the Ministers’ health reform summit, held in Melbourne on 18 September 2015. Consultation will continue through until 7 October 2015.
You can get involved by visiting the health reformwebsite at:
For more information, or to provide a writtensubmission, email:
National Disability Insurance Scheme update
On 16 September 2015, the Victorian and Commonwealth governments signed a Bilateral Agreement to roll out the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) across the whole of Victoria.
The Agreement, which was signed alongside a second Agreement which transfers responsibility for Health and Community Care Services to the Commonwealth (see below), is an important milestone in the development of the NDIS and outlines how the Scheme will roll out across Victoria from 1 July 2016.
The NDIS will be rolled out progressively in Victoria over a three year period from July 2016 and will affect people currently receiving disability support, some people who are receiving Home and Community Care Services (under the age of 65) and Mental Health Community Support Services (MHCSS). By July 2019, it is estimated that 105,000 Victorians will have transferred to the scheme.
The roll out in Victoria has been carefully planned to give Victorians with disability their families and carers the time, information and resources to move from the current state based system to the NDIS.
Further information about transition arrangements, including fact sheets for people with disability, their families and carers, and community sector organisations, is available on the Department’s website, at
The NDIS website ( also has information, including:
- the sequence of Victoria’s area-based transition
- information about eligibility and the NDIS Access Checklist
- an interactive map that shows when the NDIS is rolling out in each area
- a video about the NDIS.
HACC transition agreement
The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments recently signed the agreement on transitioning responsibilities for aged care and disability services in Victoria.
This agreement includes the transfer of HACC services for people aged 65 and over (50 and over for Indigenous people) to the Commonwealth for funding and management from 1 July 2016.
The Director, Ageing & Aged Care has written to all HACC funded providers about the agreement. The Department has also developed two fact sheets for funded organisations, and for people who currently receive HACC services and their carers. The fact sheets are available online, at
The main objective of both governments is a smooth transition for both service providers and clients and carers. DHHS will consult closely with the sector over the period to 1 July 2016 on the process for agreeing and transferring services for older people to a Commonwealth Department of Social Services funding agreement and transition arrangements more generally.
Please feel free to send any questions about the transition to
Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2015-2019
The second Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2015-2019 establishes a new and ambitious vision for the state: a Victoria free of the avoidable burden of disease and injury, so that all Victorians can enjoy the highest attainable standards of health, wellbeing and participation at every age.
Consistent with this vision, and the objective of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, the plan focuses on reducing inequalities in health and wellbeing.
The priorities identified in the plan are based on the most significant causes of poor health and wellbeing that are amendable to preventive action, and that cause the greatest inequalities in health and wellbeing outcomes. These are:
- Healthier eating and active living
- Tobacco-free living
- Reducing harmful alcohol and drug use
- Improving mental health
- Preventing violence and injury
- Improving sexual and reproductive health.
The plan also emphasises the importance of supporting healthy and sustainable environments and place-based and people-centred action across the life course.
The plan includes new mechanisms for coordinating, monitoring and reporting on the health and wellbeing status of Victorians. This involves the development of an Action plan and an Outcomes framework to guide regular reporting on the health and wellbeing of Victorians over time.
Chronic Disease Management Guidelines for Community Health
The Chronic Disease Management Guidelines for Community Health were first published in 2008 and the Department has drafted a revised version with input from a Reference Group in 2013-14.
To ensure the guidelines ‘stretch’ the sector and advance chronic disease management practice for the next 5-10 years, the Department will undertake further work on the guidelines. This will involve a quick scan of the DHHS regions to identify the latest innovative thinking, useful tools and case studies that demonstrategood models of care, the innovative use of technology and forward thinking of modalties in chronic disease management. The Department will be engaging a consultant to refresh the guidelines based on this scan.
If your PCP or member agencies would like to make comment on the refreshed guidelines (most likely due early 2016), please contact Jill Kelly, Principal Policy Officer, General Practice Partnerships on telephone 9096 2074, or by email,
Every toddler talking
Every Toddler Talking is an initiative of the Department of Education & Training, in collaboration with the Department of Health & Human Services. The program aims to improve language and communication outcomes for children aged 0-3 years.
Every Toddler Talking will trial a professional learning model that brings together speech pathologists from community health services and early childhood educators in 2016-2017. The initiative focuses on primary prevention through strengthening universal services.
The program will be delivered in early childhood centres.
Further information will be sent to the CEOs of integrated and registered community health services in the coming weeks, including information on how to get involved.
In the meantime, if PCPs have questions in relation to this initiative, please contact Tony Triado, Senior Project Officer, Community Health, on telephone 90967485, or by email
Victorian Active Ageing Partnership (VAAP)
The Ageing & Aged Care branch of DHHS has just completed a tender process for the new Victorian Active Ageing Partnership (VAAP). It is expected that the successful tenderer will be announced in October.
VAAP aims to increase opportunities for participation in physical activity options for older Victorians, especially in areas of socio-economic disadvantage and among isolated, lonely older people currently not involved in physical activity. VAAP will focus on the development of:
- partnerships (eg. networking and collaborating with peak bodies, sporting clubs, health services and primary care organisations such as PCPs)
- workforce and organisational capacity (eg. improving workforce skills to promote active ageing; improving age-friendliness of sporting and recreational facilities)
- pathways for engagement of older people in physical activity (eg. from supported rehabilitation to community gyms)
The Ageing & Aged Care branch is also planning to fund a small number of active & healthy ageing advisers across the state to promote, build and support the health and wellbeing of older people in Victoria, particularly those experiencing disadvantage and social isolation. The positions will focus on organisational change, workforce development and partnerships to maximise sustainability and impact.
For further information please contact Sarah Yallop by email, or telephone, 9096 1030.
Integrated services
The Victorian Government is committed to delivering an integrated system of community care, in collaboration with the sector, to ensure the wellbeing of all Victorians, and the protection and safety of the most vulnerable members of our community.
The Royal Commission on Family Violence has highlighted the devastating impact of family violence on the lives of many Victorians, particularly women and children, and the need to significantly improve the service response. One of the key themes identified by the Commission is better service integration.
Many of the themes that justified the trial of the Services Connect client support model have also been identified by the Royal Commission. This includes the need for integrated services and long-term structural reform across service systems. Bringing together leadership of, and responsibility for, health and social services under the one Department of Health and Human Services provides an opportunity to drive greater service integration across the different policies and programs at the forefront of addressing wellbeing and vulnerability. It will also enable a stronger focus on prevention and early intervention, to relieve the burden on the acute system.
This work will build on the findings from the department’s internal testing of an integrated client support model, the testing under way in the non-government sector through the Services Connect Partnerships to develop a broader, evidence-based approach to service delivery that is focused on better wellbeing outcomes for all Victorians, especially the most disadvantaged and vulnerable.
Applications are now open for Disability Self-help Grants 2015-17
Disability self-help grants are available to assist disability self-help groups in financing general expenses, minor works and equipment.
Grants of up to $10,000 are available to assist self-help groups to:
- strengthen the capacity of people with a disability to live independently in their own community and actively participate in community activities
- support members to make informed decisions about their own lives
- encourage a network of community peer support and information exchange for people with a disability and their families/carers
- increase opportunities for self help groups to provide information and education on the experiences of people with a disability.
More information, including theDisability self-help grant guidelines and application form,is available on the Department’s website at
Applications for the 2015-17 funding round close on Wednesday 21 October 2015.
DHHS Web Transformation Project
The DHHS website, Health.vic.gov.au is being completely rebuilt as part of the Web Transformation Project, which has already relaunched Seniors Online, and will be relaunching the Better Health Channel in October. The new website will have a renewed focus on the needs of health services and business.
The website will be released in three stages. The first stage was launched on 6 August, and includes primary and community health and mental health content.
The address for the new website is www2.health.vic.gov.au/primary-and-community-health
The new primary and community health content is accessible by going to using the navigational menu to go to primary and community health
There will be redirects in place to take people going to old bookmarks or using old website addresses to the new site.
The 2015 PCP reporting guidelines and templates are available from
Primary Health News
A reminder that the Primary Health News is an information sharing service for primary health service providers. It provides an opportunity to promote workforce development training, the development of resources and tools and updates on projects or health promotion initiatives.
If you would like to subscribe or submit to the Primary Health News please email your request to . The submission template can be found on the Primary Health news website (
General Practice and Partnerships team contacts
Carmel Benham’s contact details are 9096 0885 or
Donna Pearce’s contact details are 9096 5223 or
Louise Willis’s contact details are 9096 1322 or
Adrian Watson’s contact details are 9096 8041 or
Jill Kelly’s contact details are 9096 2074 or
Elisabeth Dunn’s contact details are 9096 2072 or
Primary Care Partnerships update October 20151