Northern Territory Numbered Acts Northern Territory Numbered Acts(1) A Health Service Directive is a written directive issued by the System Manager to a Service or the COO of a Service, directing the Service or COO to do, or not do, certain things or take certain actions.
(2) The System Manager may develop and issue Health Service Directives to Services for any of the following:
(a) promoting coordination and integration in the provision of health services:
(i) between Services; and
(ii) between Services, the Department and other service providers;
(b) optimising the effective and efficient use of available resources in the provision of health services;
(c) setting standards and policies for safe and high quality provision of health services;
(d) ensuring consistent approaches to the provision of health services;
(e) supporting the application of public sector policies, Acts of the States and the Commonwealth, and agreements entered into by the Territory;
(f) any other purpose the System Manager considers necessary to ensure the effective operation, management and performance of a public health service or the Public Health System.
(3) Without limiting subsection (1), a Health Service Directive issued to a Service may do any of the following:
(a) set standards and policies for the rights of users of public health services;
(b) set standards and policies for improving the quality and integration of public health services;
(c) require the Service to use or purchase certain goods and services from the Department, another Agency, another Service or another provider;
(d) require the Service to provide certain information to the System Manager (for example, about coronial inquiries, Sentinel events or matters referred to the Ombudsman or the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission) or another entity (for example, the Commonwealth);
(e) set standards about how information held by Services should be dealt with;
(f) provide direction about how to respond to public emergencies;
(g) provide direction about the setting of fees and charges.
(4) The System Manager may, by a Health Service Directive issued to a Service, determine or vary the role, functions and activities of any hospital or health service facility controlled by the Service.
(5) In this section:
"provision", of health services, includes:
(a) matters that support the provision of health services, including:
(i) the establishment and operation of clinical networks; and
(ii) the training of health professionals in public health service facilities; and
(iii) the engagement of independent contractor visiting medical officers or other contracted health professionals; and
(iv) private practice arrangements for health professionals; and
(v) the management of information, including the way in which information is captured, collated, shared and reported; and
(vi) research, innovation and the application of intellectual property; and
(b) undertaking capital works for proposed public health service facilities; and
(c) the provision of health services to public patients in private health facilities.