The First Steps Forward South Australian Health Reform (June 2003) document describes the focus the Government is taking to implement the recommendations of the Generational Health Review (GHR). The GHR was the first major overall review of the South Australian health system since the Bright Report in the early 1970s.
The GHR makes a strong case for reform of the mental health, concluding that the current system is not sustainable; and that key challenges in creating a sustainable health system for the 21st Century are:
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Population changes (people living longer and ageing faster in SA than any other state)
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Social determinants of health (especially socio-economic status)
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Changing disease burden (more people dying of cancer, heart disease and a growth in people with complex, chronic and multiple health problems)
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Distribution of services (based on decisions made more than 30 years ago; do not relate to population profiles)
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Fragmentation and duplication (of planning, assessment and delivery of services)
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Health inequities (some population groups have very poor health or limited access to health services. The groups include Aboriginal people, young people and people with a mental illness)
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Regional Initiatives
