Healthcare
The largest health care provider in the NT is the Department of Health and Families. In 2011-12, $1.1 billion is contributed to healthcare from the Northern Territory Budget. The NT health department works in partnership with a range of non-government organisations to deliver ambulance services, dentistry, disability services, family support services and other community-related services.
Hospitals
There are five public hospitals and one private hospital in the Northern Territory:
Darwin Private Hospital and Royal Darwin Hospital are located in Darwin’s northern suburbs. Royal Darwin Hospital became a national critical care and trauma response centre in 2005 in recognition of its capacity to respond to large-scale disasters and emergencies. The hospitals provide general services ranging from primary screening and prevention to acute and chronic care and other hospitals across the Northern Territory also provide non-acute services to their communities.
All of the hospitals are connected with eHealthNT, a service which allows patients’ medical information to be transferred instantly between hospitals over a secure network. This service eliminates the need for paper-based medical information.
In towns and larger communities, health services are provided through regional hospitals, community care centres and health centres in remote areas, many of these services are provided through mobile units.
Aerial Medical Services
The Northern Territory Aerial Medical Service and CareFlight Choppers provide emergency and routine care to people in remote areas of the Northern Territory, ships at sea, oil rigs and parts of South East Asia. The Royal Flying Doctor Service provides similar services in Central Australia.
Dental Care
Free dental services are provided to infants, school children and priority groups. There are also many private dentists throughout the Territory.
Teaching and Research
Darwin is the base for the Northern Territory Clinical School which trains and provides placement opportunities for medical students from Flinders University and James Cook University. Additional campuses are located in Alice Springs, Katherine and Nhulunbuy to train students in a rural environment.
Northern Territory Clinical School
Royal Darwin Hospital is affiliated with the Flinders University of South Australia and the University of Sydney in NSW and also has links with Charles Darwin University to provide teaching and clinical experience for nursing students.
Royal Darwin Hospital also participates in research projects in a variety of fields with the Menzies School of Health Research, which is located on the hospital campus.
Aged Care
Aged care comprises a wide range of services funded from a variety of sources including the Australian Government, the Northern Territory Government and local governments.
The Australian Government funds:
- residential aged care facilities
- community aged care and extended aged care at home service providers.
The Australian Government and Northern Territory Government jointly fund:
- home and community care service providers
- aged care assessment teams
- transition care.
Disability
The Northern Territory Government provides support to people with a disability which is based on contemporary practice underpinned by partnerships and collaborative approaches.
Principles that guide services include: person centred, culture secure, collaborative, outcomes driven, future focused, equitable, sustainable, flexible and responsive. The Government's vision is for a society where people with disabilities have productive and fulfilling lives as valued members of their communities. The NT Disability Review provides the framework for reform.
Department of Health and Families, Aged and Disability
Allied Health Services
The Northern Territory Government provides a range of allied health professional services for the community in settings such as hospitals, community health centres, homes, communities, schools, rehabilitation units and childcare centres
Allied health professional services include:
- audiology
- clinical psychology
- dental therapy
- dietetics
- environmental health
- nutrition
- occupational therapy
- orthotics / prosthetics
- pathology
- pharmacy
- physiotherapy
- radiography
- social work
- speech pathology.
Medicare
Medicare is Australia’s universal health care system introduced in 1984 to provide eligible Australian residents with affordable, accessible and high-quality health care.
Medicare was established based on the understanding that all Australians should contribute to the cost of health care according to their ability to pay. It is financed through progressive income tax and an income-related Medicare levy.
Medicare provides access to:
- free treatment as a public (Medicare) patient in a public hospital
- free or subsidised treatment by medical practitioners including general practitioners, specialists, participating optometrists or dentists (for specified services only).
Most temporary visa holders are not eligible to enrol in Medicare, but there are some exceptions, such as people who have applied for a permanent visa and meet the necessary criteria.
Content current at 27 May 2011.
