The Department of Health and Aged Care (the Department) is seeking to fill the position of Chief Health Economist (CHE). This is the first time the Department has appointed someone to this role. The CHE will provide well-considered, strategic economic advice to the Department. They will support health and aged care policy and program development, implementation, regulation, and evaluation.

The CHE will be able to represent the Department credibly in the public sphere and to advance the health and aged care system’s efficiency and effectiveness for program service design and delivery. They will provide broad, strategic advice from a whole of health and aged care system perspective as well as specific advice on how to use health economics to address specific issues in the Department. The advice will be timely, targeted and acutely aware of political and economic realities for practical and actionable recommendations. The CHE will provide this advice by utilising an evidence base, that includes driving the national vision for the use of integrated data.

Engagement will be undertaken by the CHE with stakeholders across the APS, other state and territory government agencies, health and aged care providers, academia, industry, and community groups. They will represent the Department in the Chief Economist Network, at senior interdepartmental and stakeholder meetings that are of economic relevance.

The CHE will be supported by a small office which they will establish.