Final Report on RREF 2001 - Department of Health

Part A: Background and Scope of the RREF Review
Figure 1 shows that considerable progress towards equity as defined by the current RREF has
been made over time:
• In 1995-96, three regions were 15% above equity, one was 14% below, and only
three were within 5% of equity.
• By 1999-2000, seven regions were within 2.5% above or below equity, a 5%
variation overall, and the other two regions were only 3% and 5% above equity.
How the RREF works at local and regional level
The Rural Shire of Jindyworobak has a total population of 11,038 as at the 1996
Census. The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) projections give a population of
11,520 for that LGA in 2001.
As the HACC target population covers only the population living in the
community, all those living in any kind of residential care facilities are excluded.
The number of people with a moderate, severe or profound handicap aged 0 to
85 in the LGA is estimated by applying the Statewide prevalence rates in the
1998 Disability, Ageing and Carers Survey to the age structure of the projected
population of Jindyworobak. This number is estimated as 1,136 people.
The total number of people aged 85 and over are included in the target
population. According to DOI projections, there will be 196 people aged 85 and
over living in the community in Jindyworobak in 2001.
The total HACC Target Population of Jindyworobak is 1,136 + 196 = 1,332
people.
Now consider rurality. The Shire of Jindyworobak has a density of 0.37 target
group persons per square kilometre. All LGAs with a density below 2 target
group persons per sq. km are assigned a 30% weighting for rurality. Weighting
of Jindyworobak’s HACC Target Population by 30 % gives a RREF Population of
1,732 people (1,332 x 1.30).
Jindyworobak is a small rural shire in the Eastern Rural Region, which has 17
LGAs in all, including a large provincial city. This exercise is repeated for each
LGA. When summed, the total regional HACC Target Population accounts for
8% of the State HACC Target Population, so the region will receive 8% of the
HACC Growth Funds that are allocated through the RREF for 2000/01. If these
growth funds were $15m, the region would receive $1.2m.
As Jindyworobak has 0.34% of the total Victorian HACC RREF Target
Population, it should notionally receive 0.34% of the growth funds, or $51,000.
However, most of the region’s Aboriginal population is located in Jindyworobak,
and following consultation on regional priorities, a decision is reached to provide
more than the notional share of funds to Jindyworobak.
<strong>Final</strong> <strong>Report</strong> July 2001 8