In an effort to streamline and specialise Victoria’s public health service, the Premier John Brumby has announced the establishment of the Department of Health, a service responsible for handling the challenges associated with our ageing population.

As a breakaway from the existing Department of Human Services, the Department of Health is specifically focused on infrastructure relating to Aged Care, as well as hospital performance and the mental health sector.

For Gerard Mansour, the CEO of the organisation Aged and Community Care Victoria (ACCV), the news is extremely welcome. He described the new Department as a way of easily coordinating effective strategies in the aged care sector, without the large amount of red tape associated with the former department.  

The Victorian aged and community care industry looks forward to working with the State Government and the new health and human services departments to ensure the best possible coordination of strategies and services at central, regional and local levels.” he said.

By 2030, over 1.4 million Victorians will be over the age of 65.