Annual Report 2017-18: Victorian Department of Health and Human

Annual report 2017–18 Victorian Department of Health and Human Services The department proudly acknowledges Victoria’s Aboriginal communities and their rich culture and pays respect to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal people as Australia’s first peoples and as the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land and water on which we rely. We recognise and value the ongoing contribution of Aboriginal people and communities to Victorian life and how this enriches us. We embrace the spirit of reconciliation, working towards the equality of outcomes and ensuring an equal voice. To receive this publication in an accessible format, email corporate reporting <[email protected]>. Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne. © State of Victoria, Australia (Department of Health and Human Services), September 2018. With the exception of any images, photographs or branding (including, but not limited to the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo or the Department of Health and Human Services logo), this work, Annual report 2017–18: Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The terms and conditions of this licence, including disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability are available at Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode>. You are free to reuse the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria, Australia (Department of Health and Human Services) as the author and/or owner of the work, indicate if any changes have been made to the work and comply with the other licence terms. In this document, ‘Aboriginal’ refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Koori/Koorie’ is retained when part of the title of a report, program or quotation. ISSN 2205-5398 (print) ISSN 2205-5401 (online) Available at Department of Health and Human Services annual reports <https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/publications/annual-reports> Printed by Impact Digital, Brunswick on 100 per cent recycled, FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified and carbon neutral paper. (1806027) 2 Department of Health and Human Services annual report 2017–18 Responsible body’s declaration The Hon. Jill Hennessy MP Minister for Health Minister for Ambulance Services Martin Foley MP Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Minister for Mental Health Jenny Mikakos MP Minister for Families and Children Minister for Youth Affairs The Hon. John Eren MP Minister for Sport The Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP Minister for Women Minister for Prevention of Family Violence The Hon. Gavin Jennings MLC Special Minister of State, in role as responsible Minister for Family Safety Victoria Dear ministers In accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994, I am pleased to submit to you the Department of Health and Human Services annual report for the period 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. Kym Peake Secretary Department of Health and Human Services Department of Health and Human Services annual report 2017–18 3 Contents Responsible body’s declaration 3 Secretary’s foreword 5 Introduction 7 The department’s ministers 13 Key achievements 17 Year in review 19 Performance reporting 77 Finance and budgetary performance 103 Governance 105 People 111 Disclosures 134 Environmental sustainability report 162 Department of Health and Human Services: Financial statements for the financial year ended 30 June 2018 178 Appendices 255 4 Department of Health and Human Services annual report 2017–18 Secretary’s foreword It has been a busy year for the Department of We are also reconceiving the role we play in Health and Human Services, as we pursue our supporting community-led initiatives that deepen aspiration for all Victorians to be safe, healthy and informal networks and maximise people’s able to lead a life they value. participation in social, cultural, economic and sport and recreation activities. This is because Over the past twelve months we have focused we recognise that individuals need a combination our efforts on: of evidence-informed services and community > taking a more data driven approach to connections if they are to lead a life they value. improving health and wellbeing outcomes > seizing opportunities to innovate across our Our achievements portfolios, focusing on prevention, earlier intervention and more connected services The achievements of the department are set out in more detail in this report. These achievements > supporting community-led actions to tackle would not be possible without the efforts of disadvantage and foster more inclusive and hundreds of thousands of people who work across resilient communities the health and human services sector. Every day, > encouraging broader participation in sport, they continue to respond to the evolving priorities recreation and community life and needs of patients, clients and victim survivors. > advancing Aboriginal self-determination across all of our portfolios Some of the highlights of the past twelve months include: > stronger strategies around the prevention of family violence and violence against women > the passage of Australia’s first Voluntary with the aim of changing cultures that allow Assisted Dying legislation family violence to occur in the first place, while > record lows in waiting lists for elective surgery supporting the safety and recovery of victim > a trial of a Medically Supervised Safe Injecting survivors and strengthening perpetrator Room that is already saving lives accountability and rehabilitation > the roll-out of a new model of kinship care to > embedding a culture of safety in all of the better support children who cannot live safely services we deliver, fund and regulate at home, by helping them to have a consistent > expanding clinical trials and providing greater relationship with an adult who loves them support to translate innovative research into > the transfer of the guardianship of 32 Aboriginal optimal models of care children to Aboriginal organisations to provide > modernising our approach to regulation and improved cultural safety emergency management, to better identify and > the transfer of ownership of 463 public housing mitigate emerging risks, keep communities properties to Aboriginal Housing Victoria informed, and protect Victorians from harm. > exceeding the 50 per cent target of We recognise that the people who use our services representation of women on paid government are experts in their own lives. We are therefore on boards a journey to adopt new ways of working that give > growth in female and child participation in patients, clients and victim survivors a stronger sport and recreation. voice in the design of services and in their own care. Department of Health and Human Services annual report 2017–18 5 New ways of working require us to be curious, real choices about services and community caring and collaborative. supports that matter to them. We need to listen to the people and communities More than 42,204 Victorians across the state are we serve, as well as our staff and our partners so now supported through the NDIS. While for many we can benefit from different perspectives and people this has been a positive experience, there expertise. are still too many people with a disability, especially those with more complex needs, for whom planning We need to lead, but to also recognise that processes, crisis responses and utilisation of leadership takes many forms. This includes services are not working effectively. Interfaces modelling quality and safety in our own services, between the NDIS and other mainstream services being respectful of our partners and facilitating the require ongoing improvement – based on the leadership of others. principles of collective responsibility. We need to continually learn and adapt as we test For our part, we are well aware that there must new evidence, new ideas and new ways of working. be a strong and effective partnership between Over the past year we have increased our the Victorian Government, the National Disability investment in our own staff – recognising we need Insurance Agency and the Commonwealth to do more to promote their health and wellbeing, to Department of Social Services to get the NDIS right reinforce positive workforce cultures and to invest – and we are working hard to make this happen. in internal systems, tools, capabilities and supports. We are deeply committed to supporting people Here too we are on a journey, with work underway with a disability, their families and carers, and to align professional development to key points in our staff through the transition to the full people’s careers, to raise the profile of corporate scheme of the NDIS, including the transfer professions in the department and to strengthen of departmental accommodation and respite how we support staff through organisational services to non-government services. changes. I am immensely grateful for the input of staff from across the department who have taken We also recognise that, while our role will change the time to provide considered feedback on how as the NDIS reaches full scheme, our commitment we can improve the experience of working at the to people with a disability will continue. We take Department of Health and Human Services. very seriously our ongoing role in promoting social and economic participation and ensuring all of our Changes within the department services are inclusive. The last twelve months have also seen significant change in how the department looks, as well as Thank you important decisions on the functions it performs. Finally, my sincere thanks to our Ministers and to the thousands of dedicated staff across the This includes clearly establishing the roles and Department of Health and Human Services responsibilities of three administrative offices: and all our partner agencies. The breadth and Family Safety Victoria, Safer Care Victoria and the volume of our work is immense – and the outcomes Victorian Agency for Health Information. We also we achieve influence millions of lives.

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