A performance audit of the ACT Health Directorate’s System-Wide Data Review program has found it too early to be implemented.
In his report, Management of the System-Wide Data Review Implementation Program, Auditor-General, Michael Harris said the governance arrangements to support the program were still under development and “not yet mature enough to effectively support its implementation”.
Mr Harris said the audit found there was no documented governance plan for the program and roles and responsibilities were not adequately defined.
“A series of committees and working groups that have been identified as supporting the implementation of the System-Wide Data Review are not yet effective,” Mr harris said.
“And risk management arrangements to support the implementation of the program are in the early stages of development.
“The audit found that there is neither transparency nor clarity about how and when the three-year program will be delivered.”
He said however that conducting the performance audit at an early stage of the implementation program meant that its findings might inform the ACT Health Directorate’s program management arrangements for the future phases of the implementation.
He said that at the same time it would inform the Territory’s wider community of the Directorate’s approach to managing the program.
Mr Harris noted that in a modern health care system, accurate health data was essential for the delivery of efficient and high quality care and to help ensure that health funding was appropriately allocated.
The audit made five recommendations relating to the program’s governance and planning.
The Auditor-General’s 55-page report can be accessed at this PS News link and the audit team was Erika Hudleston and Karen Ruse with support from Rachel Gilbertson and David Kelly.
