Medicare is the publicly funded universal health care insurance scheme in Australia operated by the nation's social security agency, Services Australia. The scheme either partially or fully covers the cost of most health care, with services being delivered by state and territory governments or private enterprises. All Australian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to enrol in Medicare, as well as international visitors from 11 countries that have reciprocal agreements for medically necessary treatment.
Health Canada is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for national health policy. The department itself is also responsible for numerous federal health-related agencies, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), among others. These organizations help to ensure compliance with federal law in a variety of healthcare, agricultural, and pharmaceutical activities. This responsibility also involves extensive collaboration with various other federal- and provincial-level organizations in order to ensure the safety of food, health, and pharmaceutical products—including the regulation of health research and pharmaceutical manufacturing/testing facilities.
The Ministry of Health is the public service department of New Zealand responsible for healthcare in New Zealand. It came into existence in its current form in 1993.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the medicine and therapeutic regulatory agency of the Australian Government. As part of the Department of Health and Aged Care, the TGA regulates the quality, supply and advertising of medicines, pathology devices, medical devices, blood products and most other therapeutics. Any items that claim to have a therapeutic effect, are involved in the administration of medication, or are otherwise covered by the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, the Therapeutic Goods Regulations 1990, or a ministerial order, must be approved by the TGA and registered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
The former Australian Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) was a department of the Australian Government located in Greenway in Canberra. It was formed in 2007 and absorbed the former Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. As a result of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013, the Department of Social Services was established and assumed most of the responsibilities of FaHCSIA; with indigenous affairs functions assumed by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs was an Australian government department that existed between January 2006 and December 2007. The department which preceded the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs was the Department of Family and Community Services (1998–2006).
The Minister for Health and Aged Care is the position in the Australian cabinet responsible for national health and wellbeing and medical research. The incumbent Minister is Labor MP Mark Butler.
The Minister for Social Services is the Australian federal government minister who oversees Australian Government social services, including mental health, families and children's policy, and support for carers and people with disabilities, and seniors. Amanda Rishworth was appointed as minister on 1 June 2022, following the Australian federal election in 2022.
Mark Christopher Butler is an Australian politician. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has served in the House of Representatives since 2007. He was a minister in the Gillard and Rudd governments and also served as national president of the ALP from 2015 to 2018.
Julie Maree Collins is an Australian politician. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has represented the Tasmanian seat of Franklin since the 2007 federal election. She held ministerial positions in the Gillard and Rudd governments, and is Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Small Business in the Albanese ministry.
Stephen John Duckett is a health economist and think-tanker who has occupied many leadership roles in health services in both Australia and Canada, including as Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. He is current health program director at the Grattan Institute, an Australian public policy think tank, Emeritus Professor of Health Policy at La Trobe University, and Chairperson of South Australia's Health Performance Council.
The Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council (APAC), active between 1996 and 2006, was "a consultative forum that brought together stakeholders from the medical, nursing and pharmacy professions, as well as industry, consumers and government, to advise the Australian Government Minister for Health and Ageing on medicines policy". In 1996 APAC contributed to the Industry Commission inquiry into the pharmaceutical industry. Over subsequent years the Council developed Australia's National Medicines Policy (NMP), and published several guidelines on medication management. Secretariat support for APAC was provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing - National Medicines Policy Strategies Section.
The Department of Health and Aged Care was an Australian government department that existed between October 1998 and November 2001.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) is a department of the Australian Government charged with the responsibility for national policies and programs that help deliver a strong and fair society for all Australians. The department develops and implements social policy.
The Australian Federal Department of Health and Ageing was an Australian government department that existed between November 2001 and September 2013.
The Department of Health and Family Services was an Australian government department that existed between March 1996 and October 1998.
The Department of Community Services and Health was an Australian government department that existed between July 1987 and June 1991.
Charles Christopher Halton was a senior Australian public servant.
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Australia is a major health issue. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia in Australia. Dementia is an ever-increasing challenge as the population ages and life expectancy increases. As a consequence, there is an expected increase in the number of people with dementia, posing countless challenges to carers and the health and aged care systems. In 2018, an estimated 376,000 people had dementia; this number is expected to increase to 550,000 by 2030 and triple to 900,000 by 2050. The dementia death rate is increasing, resulting in the shift from fourth to second leading cause of death from 2006 to 2015. It is expected to become the leading cause of death over the next number of years. In 2011, it was the fourth leading cause of disease burden and third leading cause of disability burden. This is expected to remain the same until at least 2020.
