Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding to deliver report today

The Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding will today deliver its report to the office of the Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC.

The Special Commission, led by Justice Richard Beasley, has been a major review of the NSW public healthcare system and how it is funded. The Terms of Reference broadly covered the following key areas:

1. Funding of health services to support safe delivery of high-quality, equitable and patient-centred care
2. Governance and accountability structures
3. Funding for health services in public hospitals and community settings
4. Limiting wastage and increasing efficiency
5. Procurement processes
6. Workforce
7. Education and training
8. Innovation

With the Commissioner, a team of barristers and solicitors have undertaken extensive work for this Special Commission over the last twenty months. In addition to the public hearings, it has involved engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, from health consumers and frontline clinicians, to NSW Ministry of Health staff, and experts in health systems and funding.

As part of its work, the Special Commission:

1. Received over 226 written submissions, comprising more than 4,000 pages.
2. Sought input from numerous experts with knowledge and experience in a range of fields relevant to the Terms of Reference.
3. Held public hearings in Sydney, Wagga Wagga, Batemans Bay, Dubbo, Broken Hill, and Tamworth, where 225 witnesses were summonsed to give evidence across almost 70 hearing days
4. Visited every Local Health District and Speciality Health Network in metropolitan and regional NSW (as well as Albury-Wodonga Health), to meet with management, clinicians, health consumers, and healthcare providers such as General Practitioners, Non-Government Organisations, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and Aboriginal Medical Services.
5. Held an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation roundtable over two days in Sydney.

Information about the Special Commission, including submissions, transcripts and videos of public hearings, can be found on the Special Commission’s website.

The Commissioner has asked that his report be made public. Enquires about its release and the NSW Government response should be directed to the Health Minister’s Office.

Media seeking further information about the work of the Inquiry can visit our website or contact the Premier’s Department media team at [email protected]