The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) is calling on all parties in this 2025 Federal Election to commit to and invest in strong national stewardship that enables regional health services to innovate and reform care delivery.
‘Realising this requires acknowledging that innovation in regional areas is driven by necessity rather than opportunity, and that the systematic adoption of these innovations is often hindered by the absence of critical environmental enablers,’ says AHHA CEO Kylie Woolcock.
‘We know that achieving a healthy Australia supported by the best possible healthcare system requires a structural shift from activities to outcomes, challenging the ways in which we currently manage, fund, deliver and receive care.
‘For meaningful and sustainable progress, we need coordinated leadership and policy action that empowers regions to develop models of care that are not only suited to their unique needs but are structurally supported to be sustained.
‘A commitment to national stewardship would provide the foundation for real transformation, enabling evidence-based improvements that reflect the needs of people and communities.’
AHHA is calling for:
- An expanded role for the Australian Centre for Evaluation in developing a nationally consistent framework to measure healthcare service impact—focusing on outcomes that matter to people and communities—to guide government program design and funding toward greater value.
- Investment in Learning Health Systems, to foster a culture of continuous improvement by systematically integrating data, research, and practice to enhance health outcomes.
‘Regional expertise and experience are essential in shaping meaningful healthcare solutions, sustainably,’ Ms Woolcock continued.
‘By embedding stewardship and accountability at a national level, we can ensure that investment in health care translates to real, measurable improvements for communities—particularly in rural and remote areas.’
AHHA urges all parties to prioritise system-wide reform that supports locally led innovation while strengthening national governance to drive systemic, long-term improvements.
For more information, read the AHHA 2025 Election Statement on the AHHA website.
