AGY-6926 | Sydney Local Health District

Full description

Sydney Local Health District was established from 1 July 2011 by the Health Services Amendment (Local Health Districts and Boards) Act 2011 (Act No.4, 2011). (1)

Sydney Local Health District covered the following local government areas: Ashfield, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Strathfield and Sydney (part). (2) Sydney Local Health District was responsible for the following public hospitals: Balmain, Canterbury, Concord and Royal Prince Alfred. (3)

The principal reason for constituting local health districts was to facilitate the conduct of public hospitals and health institutions and the provision of health services for residents of the areas of the State in respect of which the districts are constituted. The primary purposes of a local health district in its area were:(a) to provide relief to sick and injured persons through the provision of care and treatment, and (b) to promote, protect and maintain the health of the community. (4)

The functions of local health districts were:
(a) generally to promote, protect and maintain the health of the residents of its area,
(b) to conduct and manage public hospitals, health institutions, health services and health support services under its control,
(c) to give residents outside its area access to such of the health services it provides as may be necessary or desirable,
(d) to achieve and maintain adequate standards of patient care and services,
(e) to ensure the efficient and economic operation of its health services and health support services and use of its resources,
(f) generally to consult and co-operate (as it considered appropriate) with the Health Care Complaints Commission, health professionals practising in its area, and other individuals and organisations concerned with the promotion, protection and maintenance of health,
(f1) to co-operate with other local health districts and the Health Secretary in relation to the provision of services involving more than one public health organisation or on a State-wide basis,
(g) to investigate and assess health needs in its area,
(h) to plan future development of health services in its area,
(i) to establish and maintain an appropriate balance in the provision and use of resources for health protection, health promotion, health education and treatment services,
(j) to provide services to persons with whom it has contracted or entered into an agreement under section 37 (2),
(k) to administer funding for recognised establishments and recognised services of affiliated health organisations where that function has been delegated to it by the Minister under section 129,
(l) to provide training and education relevant to the provision of health services,
(m) to undertake research and development relevant to the provision of health services,
(n) to make available to the public information and advice concerning public health and the health services available within its area, and
(o) to carry out such other functions as were conferred or imposed on it by the Health Services Act 1997 (Act No.154, 1997) or any other Act or as may have been prescribed by the regulations. (5)

Each local health district was to be governed by a local health district board of between 6 and 13 persons to be appointed by the Minister. (6)

While a local health district could not employ any staff, its staff could be employed under Part 1 of Chapter 9 in the NSW Health Service to enable a local health district to exercise its functions. (7)

Endnotes
1. Health Services Amendment (Local Health Districts and Boards) Act 2011 (Act No.4, 2011) Schedule 1 amending the Principal Act, Health Services Act 1997 (Act No.154, 1997) Schedule 1; Commencement Proclamation (2011 No 313) notified NSW Legislation Website, 1 July 2011.
2. Health Services Act 1997, s.17 (1); Schedule 1.
3. NSW Health website Sydney Local Health District http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/lhd/Pages/sydlhd.aspx (accessed 19 March 2018).
4. Health Services Act 1997, ss.8 and 9.
5. Ibid., s.10.
6. Ibid., s.26.
7. Ibid., s.22 (2).