Australian Healthcare: Frameworks, Strategies and Action Plans 2025

Australia's vision is for everyone to have safe and high quality care.

Australia is committed to an international agreement with the United Nations of Human Rights to improve standards on physical and mental health for all individuals. The agreement influences programmes and policies. Australia is the only western liberal democracy without its own legislated national Human Rights Act. 1 2

Since 1948, Australia has been an original signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It has a major role in promoting human rights in Indo-Pacific region and Australia. The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights has encouraged Australia to establish its own Human Rights Act to help form the framework in health care. 2 3

Australia's main focus of improving healhcare has been towards;

• indigenous individuals access to healthcare

• equal opportunities for safety regulations and preventions

• respect for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS

• privacy of people with HIV/AIDs

• transparency on hazardous waste disposal

• partnerships promoting health amongst countries. 3 4

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare uses international data to compare national experiences for researchers, policy makers and the general public so they can see a broader perspective. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is one of their most useful resources in providing comparisons amongst high-income economies. It provides important data on access to services, health issues, similar changes, the quality of health care and health care costs. 5

Success of a country is measured with indicators such as infant mortality, levels of disease and life expectancy. Past successes from OECD comparisons have advanced technological innovations such as the internet, increased range in health products, directed nations towards healthier living standards and grown economical trade. By aiming to promote better lives for people, improvements have been made to build resilient health systems through policy making. 3 6 7

Australia's National Health Plans

Australia's Long Term National Health Plan (2019)

Connecting Australian Healthcare – National Healthcare Interoperability Plan (2023-2028)

Australian National Frameworks

Australian Cultural Respect Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (2016-2026)

Australian National Framework for Action on Dementia (2015-2019)

Australian National Strategic Framework for Chronic Conditions (2017)

National Framework and Action Plan on Human Right (2005)

National Framework for Genomics in Cancer Control (2024)

National Framework for Prevocational (PGY1 and PGY2) Medical Training (2024+)

National Framework for Universal Child and Family Health Services (2011)

National Primary Health Care Strategic Framework (2013)

The Future Healthy Countdown (2030)

The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children (2021-2031)

Australia's National Strategies

Australian National Action Supporting Outcomes for Children with Disability or Developmental delay and their families (2020-2030)

Australian National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy (2015-2019)

Australian National Asthma Strategy (2018)

Australian National Autism Strategy (Ideas / Draft - (2023)

Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy (2019)

Australian National Consumer Engagement Strategy for Health and Wellbeing (Draft – 2023)

Australian National Diabetes Strategy (2022-2023)

Australian National Digital Economy Strategy (2030)

Australian National Digital Health Strategy (2016)

Australian National Drug Strategy (2016-2026)

Australian National Eating Disorder Strategy (2023-2033)

Australian National Health and Climate Strategy (2023)

Australian National Health Genomics Policy Framework (2018-2021)

Australian National Hepatitis Strategies (2023)

Australian National Injury Prevention Strategy (Draft)  

Australian National Medicines Policy (Strategy 2022)

Australian National Men’s Health Strategy (2020-2030)

Australian National Obesity Strategy (2022-2023)

Australian National Palliative Care Strategy (2018)

Australian National Preventive Health Strategy (2021 – 2030) Australian National Sport Pla (2030)

Australian National Statement on Health Literacy and Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (2014)

Australian National Strategy Directions to Maternity Services (2019)

Australian National Strategy for Aging Australia (2001)

Australian National Strategy for Australia’s Rare Metabolic Disease Workforce (2023)

Australian National Strategy for Care and Support Economy (Draft -2023)

Australian National Strategy for Disaster Resilience (2011)

Australian National Strategy for Food Security in Remote First Nations Communities (Draft – 2023)

Australian National Strategy for Identity Resilience (2023)

Australian National Strategy for Just Adaptation (2022)

Australian National Strategy for Nature (2019-2030)

Australian National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines (2002)

Australian National Strategy for Radiation Safety and Implementation Plan (Draft - 2023) 

Australian National Strategy for Rural and Remote Health (2016)

Australian National Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Australia (2022)

Australian National Strategy for Volunteering (2023-2033)

Australian National Strategy for Young Australians (n.d.)

Australian National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse (2021-2030)

Australian National Suicide Prevention Strategy for Australia’s Health System (2020-2023)

Australian National Syphilis Surveillance and Monitoring Plan (2021) 

Australian National Tobacco Strategy (2023- 2030)

Australian National Women's Health Strategy 2020–2030 

Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy (2023–2033)

Australia’s Disability Strategy (2021-2031) 

Australia’s Eighth National HIV Strategy (2018-2022)

Australia’s Fifth National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Bloodborne Viruses and Sexually (2018-(2022)

Australia's Fourth National Transmissible Infections Strategy (2018–2022)

Australia's National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy – 2020 and beyond

Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy (to 2040)

Australia's National Plans

Australian Government Diversity Action Plan (2019)

Australian National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Action Plan (2019–2022) Australian National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan (2021-2031)

Australian National Accessibility Action Plan (2016-2019)

Australian National Actions to support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Gender Diverse and Intersex Elders (2019) Australian National Action Plan for Endometriosis (2018)

Australian National Action Plan for the Health of Children and Young People (2020-2030)

Australian National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Strategic Action Plan (2018-2028) 

Australian National First Action Plan – Safe and Supported (2023-2026)

Australian National First Action Plan – Violence Against Women and Children (2023-2027)

Australian National Homelessness Action Plan (2023-2028)

Australian National Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (2021-2023)

Australian National Paediatric Palliative Care National Action Plan (2022)

Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Arthritis (2019) Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Blood Cancer (2020)

Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Childhood Heart Disease (2019)

Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Chronic Lung Disease (2019)

Australian National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children (2022-2023)

Australian National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (Elder Abuse) (2019-2023)

Australian National Stillbirth Action and Implementation Plan (2020)

Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Kidney Disease (2019)

Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Macular Disease (2019)

Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Osteoporosis (2019) Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management (2021)

Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Rare Diseases (2020)

Australian National Therapeutic Goods Advertising Compliance Education Strategy (2021)

Australian National Transition Action Plan - National Organ and Tissue Donation, Retrieval and Transplantation System (2022-2027) Australia's Long Term National Health Plan (2019)

Australia's National Action Plan for Asbestos Management and Awareness (2014 –2018)

Australia's National Action Plan for Health Security (2019–2023)

Australia's National Action Plan for Medical Devices (2019)

Australia's National Action Plan for Lung Conditions (2019) 

Australian National Aged Care Diversity Action Plans (2021)

Australia’s National Human Rights Action Plan (2012)

Australia’s National Oral Health Plan (2015–2024)

Australia's National Strategic Action Plan for Heart Disease and Stroke (2020)

Australia's National Health Statement

Australian National Statement on Health Literacy and Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (2014)

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