Prime Minister Kevin Rudd left his mark this week on the federal government departmental landscape with sweeping changes to departmental heads.

Three secretaries lost their positions, including Patricia Scott, former head of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy who moves to a full-time commissioner at the Productivity Commission with an expected focus on new human services projects drawing on COAG initiated research in areas including health and aged care.

Mr Peter Harris will become the Secretary of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy moving back to Canberra from his current post as Secretary of the Victorian Department of Sustainability and the Environment where he is responsible for Victoria's largest current public infrastructure project.

David Tune, formerly of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and prior to that with Treasury, takes up the role of Secretary of the Department of Finance & Deregulation.

Interestingly Health's position strengthened with Jane Halton remaining as Secretary of Health & Ageing plus the appointment of Lynelle Briggs to the Chief Executive role at Medicare Australia (a position that had been vacant for around nine months). Philipa Godwin who served as acting Medicare Chief Executive during that time moves to head the Child Support Agency. Ms Briggs' previous role was as Public Service Commissioner. Finn Pratt moves from Chief Executive of Centrelink to Secretary of the Department of Human Services.

The PM's 13 August media release is available at www.pm.gov.au/node/6116
Much media coverage ensued including:
+ Senior heads roll in shake-up at top of public service. Phillip Coorey, Sydney Morning Herald, 14 August 2009. Article….
+ Chiefs go in public sector purge. Patrick Walters, The Australian, 14 August 2009. Article....
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Indeed these are interesting times for Australia - a country poised for significant health system reform.

Clinicians do a great job now to deliver quality care despite the inadequacies of the current system BUT with a shrinking and ageing health workforce struggling under increased demands CHIK is a firm believer that we need to think outside the box and be smarter in our use of information and communications technology in health.

In a few days time
on Wednesday 19th August
CHIK's Health-e-Nation'09 conference
will be held in Canberra
www.health-e-nation.com.au



Last week Bill Ferris AC, Chair of the Health and Hospitals Fund Advisory Board said "if we fund everything else and not [electronic health records], it might result in lots of shiny engines and carriages rattling along different gauge health system tracks across the nation." He went on to say that the move away from paper-based records was one of the "obvious capital funding demands" that could be made of the fund.

In such an environment the Health-e-Nation conference is ideally timed and ideally located.

We encourage you to invest 1 day of your time to hear the latest details first hand.
Registrations start from $495 +GST for CHIK Subscribers
www.health-e-nation.com.au

CHIK's one day conference program features invited speakers from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, UK and USA with presentations and extended panel sessions to maximise interaction.

Each year Health-e-Nation events draw Government, Health and e-Health leaders together to share their knowledge, experiences and challenges - 2009 is no exception.

You should be there to hear the latest news first hand.

The program kicks off at 8.45 am with Health Minister, Nicola Roxon MP and concludes with Dr Andrew Pesce, President of the Australian Medical Association.

Take this opportunity to:
+ Connect with leaders from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, US and UK
+ Get a head start ….
+ Gain knowledge & fresh ideas ….
+ Expect lively debate and interaction ….
as CHIK's Health-e-Nation speakers take to the stage for presentations and extended panel sessions with health care providers, eHealth vendors and government.
www.health-e-nation.com.au
All in 1 day ….

We look forward to seeing you in Canberra!

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CHIK Services Pty Ltd ABN 43 100 748 552.

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