Strategic review of Department of Health funding of third sector organisations - bassac policy response

bassac generally welcomes the proposals set out in the strategy, particularly the move to develop strategic partners within the sector. However, we urge that the strategy provides much more direct recognition and support for the community sector’s key roles in:

• preventing poor health outcomes through a range of community focused projects which complement direct state-led healthcare interventions;
• brokering better local healthcare by acting as a bridge between healthcare providers and excluded and disadvantaged communities who need the services most; and
• articulating the voices, concerns and issues of local people so that health care can be planned and delivered more effectively for and with excluded communities.

bassac, March 2008