This white paper is the Consumers Health Forum of Australia’s philosophy and aspirations for the future role of consumers shaping health. Over twenty consumers, researchers, clinicians and leaders at the forefront of health policy in Australia have contributed to the paper.

Australia spent nearly $181 billion on health in 2016–17. This is more than $7,400 per person and 10% of overall economic activity. This represents higher growth in spending than in recent years.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) introduced a new approach to inspecting and rating health and social care providers in 2013. The authors of this report developed a new framework for understanding the impact of regulation that describes eight ways in which regulation can affect provider performance. It shows that impact can occur before, during and...

This updated guide provides an overview of Australia’s complex health system: what governments do, the role of private health insurance, how much we spend on health care, how Australian health outcomes compare internationally, the health care workforce and links to further information and resources.

This article draws on a recent New Zealand Productivity Commission inquiry into state sector productivity and discusses the implications of this work for the health sector.