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![]() The head office of the Department in Woden, ACT. | |
Department overview | |
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Formed | 1 July 2022 | under new name
Preceding agencies |
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Jurisdiction | Australian Government |
Headquarters | Canberra |
Employees | 5,693 (2022)[1] |
Annual budget | A$98.2 billion (2022–23)[2] |
Ministers responsible |
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Department executives |
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Website | www |
The Department of Health and Aged Care (DHAC), formerly the Department of Health, is a department of the Australian Government responsible for health research, funding, promotion and regulation in Australia. Primary health care and aged care services are overseen by DHAC, while tertiary health services are administered by state and territory governments. The department is responsible for programs such as Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and agencies such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the National Health and Medical Research Council.
The department is responsible to parliament through the minister for health and aged care, and is supported by four assistant ministers.[3] The department secretary, Blair Comley, is responsible for day-to-day accountability of the organisation. The chief medical officer is Paul Kelly, who oversees clinical operations.[4]