Agency Details

As part of the move to decentralise the operations of the Department of Health three regional hospital boards were established in 1989 and 1990 to manage and maintain hospitals and nursing centres. This was paralleled by a restructuring of the community health services managed by the Department to match the three regions. By legislation the hospital and community health functions were merged from 1 July 1991. Following the merger of the Health and Community Services Departments in 1993 administrative arrangements became increasingly complicated and the regional structure was bypassed in the administration of many programs. The Board became increasingly irrelevant and was finally abolished by the Health Act 1997 from 1 July that year. The staff and administrative responsibilities were transferred to the department and a single Hospitals and Ambulance Service Advisory Board was established to provide a statewide forum for community consultation.

The Board administered the local application of a range of legislation committed to the Department.

Health (Regional Boards) Act 1991