The Nationally Funded Centres (NFC) program was established in 1990 by the Australian Health Ministers Conference (AHMC) to implement a national policy for public sector provision of high cost and highly specialised clinical practices and technologies with limited demand, to ensure equitable access to these practices and technologies for all Australians.
The objectives of the NFC program are to ensure that:
- there is optimal access to certain high cost, low demand, new and emerging technologies regardless of geographical location, in the context of workforce and resource availability
- these technologies are provided efficiently and effectively
- requirements for high quality and safe introduction and ongoing provision of these technologies have been defined and implemented
- health and cost outcomes of these technologies are monitored and evaluated.
For a technology to be considered for provision as a NFC, it must be an established clinical practice requiring a national population base for efficient and effective service provision. A technology may also be considered if it is a clinical practice in the establishment phase and has yet to be incorporated into standard clinical practice, but has the potential for broader diffusion into the Australian health system.
The scope of technology eligible for consideration as a NFC includes devices, prostheses, techniques, skills or expertise (or personnel with particular skills or expertise) and/or procedures, or combinations of these. High cost, low demand pharmaceuticals are not eligible to be considered for the NFC program unless they are an essential component of care in the provision of a particular practice or technology.
Funding is provided for the NFC program by the state and territory jurisdictions. This includes funding for individual NFCs, the cost of the NFC Secretariat and the cost of any relevant assessments and reviews.
AHMC appointed the Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Council (AHMAC) to oversee all aspects of the NFC program and associated policy. To manage the NFC program, AHMAC established the NFC Reference Group, which comprises of a representative from the Australian Government and each state and territory. The NFC Reference Group is supported by a secretariat to undertake the administration of the program. The NFC Secretariat is currently based in SA Health.
Refer to the Nationally Funded Centres Guidance for governance, management, funding, establishment, review for more information.
 Nationally Funded Centres Guidance (pdf 257kb) |