Selecting Members of Victorian Community Health Boards

Abstract

The Victorian State Government has changed the method of selection of community health centre board of management members from election by community members to government appointment. The Government argued in Parliament that this was to ensure more expert and accountable boards, while the Opposition regretted a loss of democratic election and community participation. A survey of board presidents shows that health centre selection panels accomplished their new task with dispatch and efficiency, in spite of Department of Human Services delays. Presidents consider their new boards on the whole an improvement, with added expertise though not necessarily improved accountability. Some concerns remain about a loss of local accountability and identification, and community health centres now face a government policy aimed at greater horizontal integration of the whole primary health care sector.