Human Services: Service Delivery Reform

Mr Fletcher asked the Minister for Human Services, in writing, on 13 October 2011:

What is the progress of Service Delivery Reform and improvements in the areas outlined on page 19 of her department's Reform of Government Savings Scorecard (November 2007 to May 2010).

Ms Plibersek: The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

In the past year, my department has made good progress on implementing key foundation elements to support Service Delivery Reform. Progress on initiatives outlined in the Scorecard includes:

Common service delivery: the Department of Human Services is achieving more cost effective and efficient service delivery by integrating Medicare Australia, Centrelink, and the Department of Human Services (including Chid Support Program) into a single department of state. An expanded range of services is available to customers through co-located Medicare, Centrelink and Child Support services. It is intended that all offices will be co-located by 2014 15.

Case management: my department is providing more intensive support for those who need it. Case coordination trials will involve assessing a customer's whole circumstances and providing more integrated support for vulnerable people and people facing complex or multiple challenges.

There are seven trial sites as at 26 October 2011, with 44 sites to be rolled out across Australia by 2014-15.

Local Connections to Work supports the Government's participation agenda through nine sites offering joined up services to long-term unemployed job seekers. This is a new initiative that provides joint interviews with a range of service providers for people in disadvantaged locations who have been unemployed for some time. There will be 24 Local Connections to Work sites in disadvantaged locations by 2014-15.

Automation, authentication and registration: my department is providing better online services for those customers who choose to self manage by moving towards simpler, easier and more efficient interactions through more automation, and streamlined and integrated registration processes.

Since February 2011, customers have been able to lodge Medicare claims online. Currently, customers can claim a number of common claim types through online services, without the need to visit a shopfront.

A single online entry point has been created for Human Services customers to access their online Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support accounts through australia.gov.au, rather than having to log into three separate accounts.

Customers will be able to 'tell us once', if they wish. This means that if a customer wishes to update their information such as changes to address and phone number across different departmental programs, they can do it once, rather than going to each part of the department they deal with. Information will only be shared across the department with the customer's consent.

Data management: as part of Service Delivery Reform, my department has carried out extensive work to ensure appropriate privacy protections, including regular consultation with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

The department will ensure that databases containing personal information collected for different programs remain logically separated.

Service Delivery Reform will not extend to any clinical health records.

Apart from the limited data that is already shared across the department, for example between Medicare Australia and Centrelink, personal information will only be shared between programs with customer consent or legislative authority.