The plan had an initiative to increase the number of public surgery admissions in private hospitals. Nearly half of the plan's budget was allocated to this initiative. 

However, fewer private hospitals entered into contracts with public health services than the department expected. The initiative fell short of its target by 19,991 admissions. This represents around two-thirds of the shortfall against the plan's overarching target of 240,000 surgeries in 2023–24.

The plan reduced the waiting list and backlog from the pandemic, but the department did not fully meet its key targets. 

Health services delivered 209,925 planned surgeries in 2023–24. This is an increase of 5 per cent from before the pandemic in 2018–19. But it is around 30,000 fewer than the plan's target of 240,000. 

Under the plan the number of patients on the waiting list decreased by 35 per cent from 88,434 in March 2022 to 57,476 in June 2024. The department was close to reaching its target of 55,400 patients remaining on the list in June 2024. 

We made 2 recommendations to address our findings. The Department of Health has accepted the recommendations in full or in principle. 

What we examined

Our audit followed 2 lines of inquiry: 

1. Did the Department of Health (the department) deliver all elements of the COVID Catch-up Plan (the plan)?

2. Were the plan's outcomes achieved?

To answer these questions, we examined the department and the following health services:

Download a PDF copy of Appendix C: Audit scope and method.

Download a PDF copy of Appendix B: Abbreviations, acronyms and glossary.

Download a PDF copy of Appendix A: Submissions and comments.

Departments we examined did not actively assess how savings affected either frontline or back-office services. 

Departments’ existing performance measures do not track savings' impacts and do not consistently measure all outputs across all business areas. 

Without targeted metrics or specific monitoring, departments cannot show if savings affected service delivery.

Covered in this section:

All departments told us that they delivered their 2023–24 DER savings targets, but only DEECA tracks implementation at the initiative level.

Other departments monitored progress against their overall budgets, which include a mix of savings and other funding decisions.

This means they could not easily show if they delivered the specific initiatives approved in their DER implementation plans.

Covered in this section:

Most departments planned to deliver DER savings without reducing frontline roles. 

But DPC and DTF did not give clear guidance to departments on how they should apply the government's commitment to protect frontline roles when departments developed their savings proposals.

Not all departments could show how they applied their frontline worker definitions. 

Covered in this section: