Strategic Directions

Achieving the best health and wellbeing for all Victorians

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In August 2009 the Victorian Government established the new Department of Health to focus on improving services to Victorian communities and families.

One of the key documents that has been developed to support the newly established Department of Health is Strategic Directions.

The strategic directions provide a high level overview of what we as a department will do to 'achieve the best health and wellbeing for all Victorians'.

The work we do in Health should directly contribute to these priorities. They provide us with a strong direction and focus in the work we do.

It is important for us to become familiar with and to regularly consider the strategic directions when going about our work.

All work that the department undertakes supports one of the following six strategic directions.

• Improve health service performance
  We will provide access to the best health care possible for all Victorians.

• Reform our response to mental health and drug and alcohol services to meet client needs
  We will develop better systems to provide help earlier, deliver effective treatment and support recovery outcomes for those with, or at risk of, mental health and drug use problems.

• Strengthen prevention and health promotion
  We will reduce the incidence of preventable disease through education, programs and regulation.

• Develop our health service system and organisation
  We will provide high quality relationship management, policy development and performance management to ensure a sustainable Victorian health system.

• Respond to an ageing population
  We will design and adapt services to meet the health and wellbeing needs of an increasing number of older Victorians, maximise independence and promote healthy ageing.

• Reduce health inequalities
  We will tackle the differences in health access and outcomes, especially for disadvantaged groups in our community.

Our role

The strategic directions set out our role as a department.

“Planning and policy development and funding of healthcare activities to promote and protect the health of all Victorians”

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Strategic directions - achieving the best health and wellbeing for Victorians (323kb, pdf)