This policy brief examines how systemic racism in Australian hospitals continues to affect the experiences and outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, and outlines the evidence needed to drive reform. It highlights the need for a nationally coordinated approach led by Indigenous voices and backed by clear policy direction, consistent standards and comprehensive...

This paper reviews the COMPASS model, developed in response to the demand for paediatric mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model effectively enhanced clinician confidence in managing child and adolescent mental health disorders, reduced reliance on specialists’ services, fostered collaborative care and supported clinician wellbeing. The paper suggests the model could be scaled...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare with a promise to improve clinical decision-making, patient outcomes and hospital systems’ efficiency. Yet, challenges related to patient safety and model bias, validation and integration into existing systems remain. This brief offers specific actions that will contribute to a national strategy to develop an AI ecosystem suited to Australia’s...

In Australia, dentistry is expensive. Most oral healthcare in Australia falls outside the universal healthcare insurance scheme. This brief outlines a clear, staged and evidence-based funding strategy to transition from ad hoc responses to a sustainable, equitable and high-value oral health system. It provides three recommendations.

Rural and remote communities in Australia continue to face entrenched barriers to accessing timely, person-centred care. This paper calls for national leadership to shift from siloed, input-focused service models to coordinated, outcome-driven approaches. It identifies four key areas for reform to support policy alignment for place-based health solutions.