The basis used to determine National Health Reform (NHR) payments to Local Hospital Networks (LHNs) in the Northern Territory was advised by the NT Department of Health to be as follows:
The annual funding allocation for the Top End and Central Australian Health and Hospital Services of Northern Territory has been determined on a historical basis for both the Activity-Based Funding (ABF) and block service streams, supplemented by a level of growth based on Northern Territory Government Wage and Consumer Price Index parameters. Projected activity increases are not budgeted for and both LHNs are required to meet demand increases from within existing resources as a cost containment strategy.
Variations to monthly payments to the Northern Territory LHNs are made based on cash requirements. Cash requirements are impacted by the Northern Territory Salary payment cycle and other monthly variations, such as contractual obligation payment cycles which the LHNs are engaged in. The LHNs in the Northern Territory have been in a transitional phase and payments during this period have varied based on costs held centrally being transitionally transferred over.
In May 2014, the Commonwealth provided Northern Territory with additional public hospital funding of $183,371.57 under the 2013-14 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) funding measure: Public Hospital System – additional funding. This funding was provided to offset the downward adjustment to 2013-14 NHR funding applied at the MYEFO due to the application of updated NHR funding indexation parameters. A requirement of the provision of this funding was that the funding be provided to LHNs through the National Health Funding Pool and/or State Managed Fund.