NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
HEALTH SERVICE ACT 2021
As in force at 1 July 2022
Table of provisions
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1
2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1
3 Purpose ........................................................................................... 1
4 Principles ......................................................................................... 1
5 Effect of purpose and principles ...................................................... 2
6 Act binds Crown .............................................................................. 2
7 Application of Criminal Code ........................................................... 2
Part 2 Interpretation
8 Definitions ........................................................................................ 2
9 Meaning of health service ................................................................ 3
Part 3 Health service
Division 1 NT Regional Health Services
10 Establishment of NT Regional Health Services ............................... 4
11 Functions and powers of NT Regional Health Services ................... 4
Division 2 Executive
12 Appointment of persons to constitute Executive .............................. 5
13 Role of Executive ............................................................................. 5
14 Functions of Executive .................................................................... 5
Division 3 System Manager
15 CEO to be System Manager ............................................................ 6
16 Functions and powers of System Manager...................................... 6
17 Delegation ....................................................................................... 7
Division 4 Service plan
18 Service Plan .................................................................................... 7
19 Variation of Service Plan ................................................................. 8
20 Service Plan to be publicly available ............................................... 8
Health Service Act 2021 ii
Division 5 Advisory panels
21 Establishment .................................................................................. 8
22 Membership ..................................................................................... 8
23 Meetings .......................................................................................... 9
Part 4 Financial matters
24 Bank account ................................................................................... 9
25 Acquittal of funding .......................................................................... 9
26 Audit of acquittal of funding ............................................................. 9
Part 5 Other matters
27 Protection from liability .................................................................. 10
28 Offence to disclose certain information .......................................... 10
29 Annual report ................................................................................. 11
30 System Manager to report quarterly to Minister ............................. 11
31 Regulations.................................................................................... 11
Part 6 Repeal and transitional provisions
Division 1 Definitions
32 Definitions ...................................................................................... 12
Division 2 Repeal
33 Repeal ........................................................................................... 12
Division 3 Transitional matters
34 Abolition of former Health Services ............................................... 12
35 Transfer of property, rights, liabilities and obligations and
substitution of parties ..................................................................... 12
36 Superseded references ................................................................. 13
37 Bank account ................................................................................. 13
38 Money held on trust ....................................................................... 13
39 Financial reporting and audit requirements.................................... 13
40 Service Plan for 2021-2022 financial year ..................................... 13
41 Validity of things done under this Division ..................................... 14
ENDNOTES
NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
As in force at 1 July 2022
HEALTH SERVICE ACT 2021
An Act to provide for a framework for health services and for related
purposes
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Health Service Act 2021.
2 Commencement
This Act commences on 1 July 2021.
3 Purpose
The main purpose of this Act is to provide for a health system that
provides high quality health services to persons in the Territory.
4 Principles
This Act recognises and gives effect to the following principles:
(a) the Medicare principles as defined in the National Health
Reform Agreement;
(b) that the best interests of the users of health services should
be the main consideration in all decisions and actions under
this Act;
(c) a commitment to ensuring access to safe, high-quality health
services in the Territory;
(d) a commitment to achieving health equity for Aboriginal people,
including by:
(i) working with Aboriginal communities to design
approaches tailored to their needs, recognising and
enabling Aboriginal leadership and local decision-making
processes; and
Part 2 Interpretation
Health Service Act 2021 2
(ii) working with Aboriginal people to achieve cultural
security in the health system by co-developing and
co-delivering culturally safe and secure health services;
(e) engagement with clinicians, consumers, community members
and local primary healthcare organisations in planning,
developing and delivering health services and, in particular,
shaping local service delivery according to local needs;
(f) an acknowledgement that private providers and community
organisations play a significant role in delivering health
services to the community and will continue to be partners
with government to achieve coordinated, integrated health
services.
5 Effect of purpose and principles
A person performing a function or exercising a power under this Act
must:
(a) have regard to sections 3 and 4; and
(b) exercise the power or perform the function in a manner
consistent with those sections.
6 Act binds Crown
This Act binds the Crown in right of the Territory and, to the extent
the legislative power of the Legislative Assembly permits, the
Crown in all its other capacities.
7 Application of Criminal Code
Part IIAA of the Criminal Code applies to an offence against this
Act.
Note for section 7
Part IIAA of the Criminal Code states the general principles of criminal
responsibility, establishes general defences, and deals with burden of proof. It
also defines, or elaborates on, certain concepts commonly used in the creation of
offences.
Part 2 Interpretation
8 Definitions
In this Act:
acquittal of funding means the acquittal given under
section 25(1).
Part 2 Interpretation
Health Service Act 2021 3
advisory panel, see section 21.
Executive, see section 12.
Health Funding Act means the National Health Funding Pool and
Administration (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2012.
health service, see section 9.
health support service means a service provided in aid or support
of a health service, including a professional, a technical or an
educational service.
National Health Reform Agreement, see section 3(1) of the
Health Funding Act.
NT Regional Health Services, means the entity established by
section 10.
Service Plan, see section 18.
System Manager, see section 15.
Note for section 8
The Interpretation Act 1978 contains definitions and other provisions that may be
relevant to this Act.
9 Meaning of health service
(1) A health service includes any of the following:
(a) a service provided by or on behalf of a public hospital;
(b) a service, related to ensuring the health of a person, that is
provided by:
(i) a health practitioner within the meaning of the Health
Practitioner Regulation National Law (NT); or
(ii) a person who is a member of a class of persons
prescribed by regulation;
(c) a paramedical service;
(d) a community health service;
(e) an environmental health service;
(f) the supply or fitting of any prosthesis or therapeutic device;
Part 3 Health service
Division 1 NT Regional Health Services
Health Service Act 2021 4
(g) any other service (including any service of a class, or
description, prescribed by regulation) relating to the
maintenance or improvement of the health, or the restoration
to health, of persons, or the prevention of disease in, or injury
to, persons.
(2) Despite anything to the contrary in subsection (1), a regulation may
prescribe that a service is not a health service for this Act.
Part 3 Health service
Division 1 NT Regional Health Services
10 Establishment of NT Regional Health Services
(1) NT Regional Health Services is established.
(2) NT Regional Health Services is the local hospital network for the
purposes of the National Health Reform Agreement.
(3) NT Regional Health Services forms part of the Agency and is not a
separate legal entity.
11 Functions and powers of NT Regional Health Services
(1) The main function of NT Regional Health Services is to provide the
health services and health support services set out in the Service
Plan to the standards, and within the budget, set out in the Service
Plan.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), NT Regional Health Services has
the following functions:
(a) to ensure health services and health support services are
delivered in an efficient, effective and economical way;
(b) in delivering health services and health support services to
meet the health needs of the community:
(i) to consult and collaborate with other providers of those
services; and
(ii) to minimise service duplication and fragmentation;
(c) to develop local clinical and other governance arrangements
and best practice guidelines or standards consistent with the
requirements of the Service Plan;
Part 3 Health service
Division 2 Executive
Health Service Act 2021 5
(d) to provide training and education relevant to the provision of
health services and health support services;
(e) to collect data on its performance and report to the System
Manager on that performance, including its administration and
financial performance;
(f) any other function conferred by this Act or any other Act.
(3) NT Regional Health Services has the powers necessary to perform
its functions.
Division 2 Executive
12 Appointment of persons to constitute Executive
(1) The System Manager may appoint one or more public sector
employees in the Agency to be a member or members of the
Executive.
(2) A person appointed to be a member of the Executive holds that
office in conjunction with the person's employment as a public
sector employee.
(3) Termination of the appointment of a person as a member of the
Executive has no effect on the person's employment as a public
sector employee.
13 Role of Executive
The Executive is responsible to the System Manager for:
(a) the administration and management of NT Regional Health
Services; and
(b) the performance and exercise by NT Regional Health Services
of its functions and powers.
14 Functions of Executive
(1) The functions of the Executive are as follows:
(a) to administer and manage NT Regional Health Services;
(b) to perform the functions and exercise the powers of NT
Regional Health Services;
Part 3 Health service
Division 3 System Manager
Health Service Act 2021 6
(c) to ensure that the health services and health support services
that NT Regional Health Services provides under the Service
Plan meet the standards, and are within the budget, set out in
the Service Plan;
(d) to manage and monitor, and report to the System Manager on,
the administration and financial performance of NT Regional
Health Services, as required by the System Manager;
(e) to monitor and report to the System Manager on the outcomes
for persons provided with health services;
(f) any other function specified by the System Manager.
(2) The Executive has the powers necessary to perform its functions.
Division 3 System Manager
15 CEO to be System Manager
The Chief Executive Officer of the Agency is the System Manager
for this Act.
16 Functions and powers of System Manager
(1) The System Manager has the following functions:
(a) planning for the delivery by NT Regional Health Services of
health services and health support services, including
planning for the provision of infrastructure;
(b) negotiating and entering into agreements in relation to the
provision of health services, health support services and
capital works with other parties, including the Commonwealth
and non-government health providers;
(c) preparing and publishing an annual Service Plan;
(d) monitoring the delivery of health services by NT Regional
Health Services in accordance with the Service Plan;
(e) collecting data on the performance of NT Regional Health
Services and reporting on that performance to the Minister,
the Commonwealth and the public;
(f) ensuring there are appropriate mechanisms for consultation
between NT Regional Health Services and persons interested
in the delivery of health services;
(g) establishing advisory panels as required;
Part 3 Health service
Division 4 Service plan
Health Service Act 2021 7
(h) any other function conferred by this Act or another Act.
(2) The System Manager has the powers necessary to perform the
System Manager's functions.
17 Delegation
The System Manager may delegate any of the System Manager's
functions or powers under this Act to a public sector employee who
the System Manager is satisfied has the appropriate qualifications
or experience for the delegation.
Division 4 Service plan
18 Service Plan
(1) The System Manager must prepare, in consultation with the
Executive, an annual Service Plan for NT Regional Health Services.
(2) The Service Plan must be prepared by 30 June of each year and
applies to the following financial year.
(3) A Service Plan must include the following:
(a) a list of the health services and health support services to be
provided by NT Regional Health Services;
(b) the funding to be provided to NT Regional Health Services for
the provision of health services and the way in which the
funding is to be provided;
(c) the standards of patient care and health service delivery to be
met by NT Regional Health Services;
(d) the performance standards, targets and measures for the
delivery of health services and health support services by
NT Regional Health Services;
(e) the performance data and other matters to be reported to the
System Manager by NT Regional Health Services and the
frequency of that reporting;
(f) a performance management process for NT Regional Health
Services.
(4) A Service Plan may include any other matter or provision the
System Manager considers appropriate, including a provision that:
(a) limits a function or power of NT Regional Health Services; or
Part 3 Health service
Division 5 Advisory panels
Health Service Act 2021 8
(b) specifies how a function or power of NT Regional Health
Services is to be performed or exercised.
(5) A Service Plan cannot and must not purport to:
(a) extend the powers of NT Regional Health Services, the
System Manager or the Executive; or
(b) require NT Regional Health Services, the System Manager or
the Executive to act in a manner inconsistent with this Act.
19 Variation of Service Plan
A Service Plan may be varied in writing by the System Manager
after consultation with the Executive.
20 Service Plan to be publicly available
Within 14 days of making or varying a Service Plan, the System
Manager must make the Service Plan or variation publicly available.
Division 5 Advisory panels
21 Establishment
(1) The System Manager may establish any advisory panel that the
System Manager considers appropriate.
(2) An advisory panel is to consist of:
(a) the members appointed by the System Manager that the
System Manager considers appropriate; and
(b) a chair appointed by the System Manager.
(3) The function of an advisory panel is to give the System Manager or
the Executive the advice the System Manager requests.
(4) An advisory panel has the powers necessary to perform its function.
22 Membership
(1) A member of an advisory panel:
(a) is appointed for the period the System Manager specifies; and
(b) may be removed from office by the System Manager by
written notice given to the member; and
(c) may resign from the panel by written notice given to the
System Manager.
Part 4 Financial matters
Health Service Act 2021 9
(2) Subject to subsection (1), the terms and conditions of office of a
member of an advisory panel are as determined by the System
Manager.
23 Meetings
(1) A meeting of an advisory panel may be convened by the System
Manager or by the chair of the advisory panel.
(2) Subject to this Division, the procedure for the calling of, and for the
conduct of business at, a meeting of an advisory panel is as
determined by the advisory panel.
Part 4 Financial matters
24 Bank account
(1) Subject to section 27 of the Financial Management Act 1995,
NT Regional Health Services must maintain a bank account with an
ADI in the name of NT Regional Health Services.
(2) All funding received under the Health Funding Act must be
deposited into the bank account maintained under subsection (1).
25 Acquittal of funding
(1) NT Regional Health Services must give the System Manager an
annual acquittal of all funding received under the Health Funding
Act.
(2) The acquittal of funding must be given by 31 July of each year in
relation to funding received during the previous financial year.
(3) As soon as practicable after receiving the acquittal of funding, the
System Manager must give a copy of it to the Auditor-General.
26 Audit of acquittal of funding
(1) The Auditor-General must conduct an audit of the acquittal of
funding after receiving it under section 25(3).
(2) The Auditor-General must give a report on the audit of the acquittal
of funding to the System Manager by 30 September.
Part 5 Other matters
Health Service Act 2021 10
Part 5 Other matters
27 Protection from liability
(1) A person is not civilly or criminally liable for an act done or omitted
to be done by the person in good faith in:
(a) the exercise of a power or performance of a function under
this Act; or
(b) giving information or a document to an advisory panel.
(2) Subsection (1) does not affect any liability the Territory would, apart
from that subsection, have for the act or omission.
(3) In this section:
exercise of a power includes the purported exercise of the power.
performance of a function includes the purported performance of
the function.
28 Offence to disclose certain information
(1) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person obtains information in the course of performing a
function connected with the administration of this Act or
exercising a power under this Act; and
(b) the information is confidential and the person is reckless in
relation to that circumstance; and
(c) the person intentionally engages in conduct; and
(d) the conduct results in the disclosure of the information and the
disclosure is not:
(i) for a purpose connected with the administration of this
Act, including a legal proceeding arising out of the
operation of this Act; or
(ii) to a person who is otherwise entitled to the
information; and
(e) the person is reckless in relation to the result and
circumstance referred to in paragraph (d).
Maximum penalty: 200 penalty units or imprisonment for
2 years.
Part 5 Other matters
Health Service Act 2021 11
(2) Strict liability applies to subsection (1)(a).
(3) If the information referred to in subsection (1) relates to a person, it
is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against that subsection
if the person has consented to the disclosure of the information.
Note for subsection (3)
In addition to the circumstances mentioned in this section, a person who
discloses information mentioned in this section will not be criminally responsible
for an offence if the disclosure is justified or excused by or under a law (see
section 43BE of the Criminal Code).
(4) For, but without limiting, subsection (1)(b), information that
identifies, or is likely to identify, a person who gives information or a
document to an advisory panel, is confidential.
29 Annual report
(1) The System Manager must give the Minister an annual report by
31 October of each year in relation to the financial year that ended
on 30 June preceding that date.
(2) The annual report must include the following:
(a) details of the operations and performance of NT Regional
Health Services;
(b) the acquittal of funding and the report on the audit conducted
by Auditor-General in relation to the acquittal of funding;
(c) any other information the System Manager considers
appropriate or necessary of which to inform the Legislative
Assembly in relation to the performance of NT Regional
Health Services during the financial year.
(3) The Minister must table a copy of the report in the Legislative
Assembly within 6 sitting days after the Minister receives the report.
30 System Manager to report quarterly to Minister
The System Manager must report quarterly to the Minister about
the performance of NT Regional Health Services against the
requirements of the Service Plan.
31 Regulations
(1) The Administrator may make regulations under this Act.
Note for subsection (1)
See section 65 of the Interpretation Act 1978.
Part 6 Repeal and transitional provisions
Division 3 Transitional matters
Health Service Act 2021 12
(2) A regulation may:
(a) prescribe fees payable under this Act; and
(b) apply, adopt or incorporate (with or without changes) the
whole or part of a document as in force or existing at a
particular time or from time to time.
Part 6 Repeal and transitional provisions
Division 1 Definitions
32 Definitions
In this Part:
commencement means the commencement of section 33.
former Health Service means a Health Service established under
section 17(1) of the repealed Act.
repealed Act means the Health Services Act 2014 as in force
immediately before the commencement.
Division 2 Repeal
33 Repeal
The Health Services Act 2014 (Act No. 18 of 2014) is repealed.
Division 3 Transitional matters
34 Abolition of former Health Services
Each former Health Service is abolished.
35 Transfer of property, rights, liabilities and obligations and
substitution of parties
(1) On and from the commencement, all property, rights, liabilities and
obligations of a former Health Service are taken to be the property,
rights, liabilities and obligations of the Agency.
(2) If a former Health Service is a party to any contract, agreement or
arrangement immediately before the commencement, the Agency is
substituted for the former Health Service as a party to that contract,
agreement or arrangement.
Part 6 Repeal and transitional provisions
Division 3 Transitional matters
Health Service Act 2021 13
36 Superseded references
Without limiting section 35, on and from the commencement, in any
instrument, contract or document of any other kind:
(a) a reference to the repealed Act or a provision of the repealed
Act is taken to be a reference to this Act or the most
equivalent provision of this Act (as the case requires); and
(b) a reference to a former Health Service is taken to be a
reference to the Agency.
37 Bank account
(1) The Operating Account held in the name of the former Health
Service known as the Top End Health Service immediately before
the commencement is taken on and from the commencement to be
the bank account of NT Regional Health Services under section 24.
(2) In this section:
Operating Account, see section 3(1) of the Financial Management
Act 1995.
38 Money held on trust
(1) Within 14 days after the commencement, the System Manager
must arrange to transfer any money a former Health Service held
on trust immediately before the commencement to the Accountable
Officer's Trust Account of the Agency.
(2) In this section:
Accountable Officer's Trust Account, see section 7 of the
Financial Management Act 1995.
39 Financial reporting and audit requirements
Despite the repeal of the repealed Act, any requirement of
section 10 of the Financial Management Act 1995 that applied to a
former Health Service in relation to the financial year ending on
30 June 2021 continues to apply until that requirement has been
completed in respect of that financial year.
40 Service Plan for 2021-2022 financial year
Despite section 18(2), the Service Plan for the financial year
beginning on 1 July 2021 must be prepared by 1 September 2021.
Part 6 Repeal and transitional provisions
Division 3 Transitional matters
Health Service Act 2021 14
41 Validity of things done under this Division
Nothing effected by, or done or suffered under, this Division
(including any regulations made under section 42):
(a) places any person in breach of contract or confidence or
otherwise makes any person guilty of a civil wrong; or
(b) places any person in breach of or constitutes a default under:
(i) any law of the Territory; or
(ii) any provision in any agreement, arrangement or
understanding including, but not limited to, any provision
prohibiting, restricting or regulating the assignment or
transfer of any property or the disclosure of any
information; or
(c) fulfils any condition that allows a person to exercise a right or
remedy in respect of, or to terminate, any agreement or
obligation; or
(d) gives rise to any remedy for a party to a contract or an
instrument or causes or permits the termination of any
contract or instrument because of a change in the beneficial or
legal ownership of any property, right or liability; or
(e) causes any contract or instrument to be void or otherwise
unenforceable; or
(f) frustrates any contract; or
(g) releases any surety or other obligee wholly or in part from any
obligation.
ENDNOTES
Health Service Act 2021 15
ENDNOTES
1 KEY
Key to abbreviations
amd = amended od = order
app = appendix om = omitted
bl = by-law pt = Part
ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule
cl = clause rem = remainder
div = Division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired rep = repealed
f = forms s = section
Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule
hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision
ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation
lt = long title sub = substituted
nc = not commenced
2 LIST OF LEGISLATION
Health Service Act 2021 (Act No. 10, 2021)
Assent date 20 May 2021
Commenced 1 July 2021 (s 2)
3 LIST OF AMENDMENTS
s 42 rep No. 10, 2021, s 42(5)
pt 7 hdg exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
pt 7
div 1 hdg exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
ss 43 – 44 exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
pt 7
div 2 hdg exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
ss 45 – 46 exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
pt 7
div 3 hdg exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
ss 47 – 48 exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
pt 7
div 4 hdg exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
ss 49 – 50 exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
pt 7
div 5 hdg exp No. 10, 2021, s 51
s 51 exp No. 10, 2021, s 51