Michael was appointed Administrator of the National Health Funding Pool in July 2018.
Michael’s career has covered four broad areas: public sector policy and finance; investment banking; Non–Executive director roles; and working in areas related to the health sector. Michael spent 17 years in a range of senior state government positions culminating in the role of NSW Treasury Secretary. Michael has also held Non–Executive Directorships within the health sector, including the NSW Northern Suburbs Area Health Board and the NSW Cancer Council. Michael is currently a Non–Executive director with the Sax Institute, a not for profit organisation that seeks to align health research to health policy and programs in order to improve health outcomes.
Michael holds an Honours and Masters degree in Economics, a Masters in Philosophy and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
The year ahead
During the coming year, the Administrator and NHFB CEO will actively engage with all jurisdictional stakeholders, industry partners, and with other national bodies such as the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA), the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). Building on our achievements over the last three years, our future priorities include the following:
- Working with all jurisdictions to ensure the successful implementation and operation of the 2020-2025 Addendum to the National Health Reform Agreement;
- Working with the AIHW and all jurisdictions to improve the transparency, consistency and timeliness of public hospital funding information;
- Undertaking funding integrity in full consultation with all jurisdictions;
- Exploring with the ACSQHC and the IHPA ways to encourage and facilitate improved quality and safety in health care and avoiding unnecessary hospitalisations;
- Working with the IHPA to ensure financial neutrality between private and public patients in public hospitals; and
- Progress further enhancements to the Payments System and website to improve the transparency of public hospital funding.