What is the government sector?

Federal (Commonwealth) Government. Funds and runs the national schemes that make the system universal: Medicare (rebates for medical services), the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for subsidised medicines, private health insurance rebates, and a share of public-hospital funding paid to the states under National Health Reform Agreements. It also funds population-specific care - Aboriginal community-controlled health, residential aged care and veterans' health - and the 31 Primary Health Networks.

What is federal Government?

Funds and runs the national schemes that make the system universal: Medicare (rebates for medical services), the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for subsidised medicines, private health insurance rebates, and a share of public-hospital funding paid to the states under National Health Reform Agreements. It also funds population-specific care - Aboriginal community-controlled health, residential aged care and veterans' health - and the 31 Primary Health Networks.

What are state and Territory Governments?

Operate and co-fund public hospitals, run ambulance services in most jurisdictions, deliver community and public/mental health programs, and run preventive services such as immunisation and cancer screening. They are the level that actually RUNS most hospital-based care.

What is local Government?

Handles environmental health (waste and water safety, food-premises inspection), local prevention (immunisation clinics, health-promotion programs) and, in some areas, home- and community-based support services. Smaller in scale, but it is where prevention reaches the local population.

What is anchor with a named organisation and a dated figure?

Replace "charities help" with "NACCHO's network of about 145 ACCHOs across 550+ sites delivered roughly 3.6 million episodes of care in 2024" - a named organisation plus a figure WITH a year earns marks a vague claim cannot.

§-Syllabus dot point

NSWHealth and Movement ScienceSyllabus dot point

How do government and non-government organisations share responsibility and collaborate to provide person-centred health care?

Examine how government and non-government organisations share responsibility and collaborate to provide person-centred health care, including the roles of the federal, state/territory and local governments, and the private and not-for-profit sectors

A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on how federal, state/territory and local government, and the private and not-for-profit sectors, share responsibility and collaborate to deliver person-centred, coordinated health care. Covers each sector's role, what person-centred care means (the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights), and how care is coordinated.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.89 min answerUpdated 2026-06-28

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

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What this dot point is asking

NESA wants you to explain how responsibility for health care in Australia is SHARED between government organisations (federal, state/territory, local) and non-government organisations (private and not-for-profit), how those organisations COLLABORATE and coordinate, and what makes the resulting care person-centred. Strong responses define person-centred care precisely (the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights), name the sectors and real organisations, and show how coordination turns shared responsibility into joined-up care rather than fragmented care.

The answer

Australia's health system is delivered by many organisations that each hold part of the responsibility and then collaborate so the patient receives care that is organised around them. Two ideas run through this dot point: shared responsibility (who does what) and person-centred care (care built around the individual, coordinated across providers).

The government sector: three levels, shared responsibility

Federal (Commonwealth) Government: Funds and runs the national schemes that make the system universal: Medicare (rebates for medical services), the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for subsidised medicines, private health insurance rebates, and a share of public-hospital funding paid to the states under National Health Reform Agreements. It also funds population-specific care - Aboriginal community-controlled health, residential aged care and veterans' health - and the 31 Primary Health Networks.
State and Territory Governments: Operate and co-fund public hospitals, run ambulance services in most jurisdictions, deliver community and public/mental health programs, and run preventive services such as immunisation and cancer screening. They are the level that actually RUNS most hospital-based care.
Local Government: Handles environmental health (waste and water safety, food-premises inspection), local prevention (immunisation clinics, health-promotion programs) and, in some areas, home- and community-based support services. Smaller in scale, but it is where prevention reaches the local population.

The three levels share responsibility rather than duplicate it: the Commonwealth largely FUNDS the system; the states largely RUN the hospitals; local government covers LOCAL prevention and environmental health. This split is efficient but, on its own, it can leave a patient navigating several separate organisations.

The non-government sector: private and not-for-profit

Private sector. For-profit providers funded through private health insurance and out-of-pocket fees: private hospitals (a large share of elective surgery), private specialists, and most allied-health practices. The private sector adds choice of provider and elective capacity, taking pressure off public waiting lists.

Not-for-profit / community-controlled sector. Mission-driven organisations that fill gaps and serve priority populations: Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) for remote Australia, and charities such as the Cancer Council and the Heart Foundation that run prevention, support and advocacy. The peak body for the ACCHO sector is NACCHO; in 2024 the network had about 145 member ACCHOs operating from more than 550 sites, delivering roughly 3.6 million episodes of care per year to about 410,000 people. ACCHOs are government-funded (Commonwealth Indigenous-specific grants, Medicare, some state grants) but community-governed - a clear example of government and non-government collaboration.

What "person-centred care" means

Person-centred care is care planned and delivered around the individual patient - their needs, values, preferences and circumstances - with the person treated as an equal partner in decisions about their own care. The benchmark in Australia is the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019), published by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). It sets out seven rights: Access, Safety, Respect, Partnership, Information, Privacy and Give feedback. The second edition deliberately strengthened the focus on partnership and shared decision-making - the heart of person-centred care.

How care is coordinated (collaboration in action)

Shared responsibility only becomes person-centred care if the organisations COLLABORATE so the patient is not left to join the system up themselves. The main coordinating mechanisms:

The GP as the "medical home". General practice provides first contact, continuity, referrals and care plans (e.g. a Chronic Disease Management plan), so the patient has one continuous point of coordination.
Primary Health Networks (PHNs). The 31 Commonwealth-funded PHNs plan, commission and coordinate local services so the right care exists in the right place and providers are joined up.
Shared records. Tools such as My Health Record let every provider see the same information, reducing repeated tests and conflicting advice.
Integrated, community-governed services. ACCHOs wrap clinical care, cultural safety and community governance around the patient at once - person-centred care built into the model.

Each mechanism does the same essential job: it organises the system around the patient instead of forcing the patient to organise the system.

Key fact

The sectors and the standard. Government responsibility is split across three levels - Federal (Medicare, PBS, funds hospitals and national schemes), State/territory (runs public hospitals, ambulance, community and mental health) and Local (environmental health, local prevention). Non-government care comes from the private sector (for-profit, insurance-funded, choice and elective capacity) and the not-for-profit sector (mission-driven: ACCHOs, RFDS, charities). Person-centred care is benchmarked by the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019, ACSQHC) and its seven rights: Access, Safety, Respect, Partnership, Information, Privacy, Give feedback. The figure to quote, with a year: NACCHO's network had about 145 ACCHOs across 550+ sites, delivering roughly 3.6 million episodes of care a year (2024). Collaboration tools - the GP medical home, the 31 PHNs, shared records and care plans - are what turn shared responsibility into coordinated, person-centred (not fragmented) care.

Worked exam answers

Worked example 1 - distinguishing the sectors (5 marks)

Question. Distinguish between the roles of the government, private and not-for-profit sectors in delivering health care in Australia, using one example of each.

Model answer. The government sector is publicly funded and largely publicly delivered: it funds the universal schemes (Medicare, PBS) and runs public hospitals and public health - for example, a public emergency department that is free at the point of care and co-funded by the Commonwealth and the state. The private sector is for-profit and funded through private health insurance and out-of-pocket fees; its defining role is to add choice of provider and elective capacity - for example, a private hospital knee replacement funded by private health insurance with a shorter wait. The not-for-profit sector is mission-driven rather than profit-driven and typically fills gaps for priority populations - for example, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, or the Royal Flying Doctor Service serving remote Australia. The key contrast is the driver of each: universal public funding, versus for-profit insured care, versus mission-driven gap-filling.

Marker's note: markers reward the funding/role of EACH sector, an explicit contrast (not three lookalike descriptions), and a fitting Australian example each. Naming sectors with no contrast, or examples with no role, caps the band.

Worked example 2 - a data/stimulus response (5 marks)

Question. A described dataset (owned) summarises the NACCHO network in 2024: about 145 member ACCHOs across more than 550 sites, delivering roughly 3.6 million episodes of care per year to about 410,000 people. Describe what these figures show, and explain how this sector collaborates with government to provide person-centred care.

Model answer. The figures show a large, national community-controlled sector: about 145 member organisations operating from more than 550 sites and delivering roughly 3.6 million episodes of care each year to around 410,000 people (NACCHO, 2024) - a high-volume network, not a handful of small clinics. This sector collaborates with government rather than standing apart from it: ACCHOs are not-for-profit and governed by the Aboriginal communities they serve, but they are funded through Commonwealth Indigenous-specific grants and Medicare (federal) plus some state grants. That collaboration produces person-centred care because community-controlled governance builds cultural safety and trust - the patient is treated with respect and as a partner, in a place that feels safe - which mainstream services frequently miss. Government supplies the funding and the national schemes; the not-for-profit sector supplies the local, culturally informed delivery.

Marker's note: about 2 marks for an accurate read of the figures with a year, about 2 marks for the government-funded/community-governed collaboration, and 1 mark for the explicit link to person-centred concepts (cultural safety, partnership, respect). A description with no collaboration, or "they help people" with no government link, caps at 3.

Worked example 3 - an extended-response paragraph (analyse)

Question (paragraph only). Analyse how government and non-government organisations collaborate to provide person-centred care. Write one body paragraph on coordination.

Model paragraph. Sharing responsibility across the levels of government and the private and not-for-profit sectors lets each do what it is best placed to do, but it also means a patient with a chronic condition can face a GP, a public hospital, a private specialist, a pharmacy and several allied-health providers, each funded and run separately. Person-centred care depends on the collaboration that closes that gap. The 31 Commonwealth-funded Primary Health Networks commission and coordinate local services so the right care exists in the right place; the GP acts as the continuous "medical home", writing a Chronic Disease Management plan and holding the overall record; shared records such as My Health Record let every provider see the same picture; and community-controlled organisations such as NACCHO's 145 ACCHOs (2024) wrap clinical care, cultural safety and governance around the patient at once. Each mechanism does the same essential thing - it organises the system around the individual rather than forcing the individual to organise the system - which is exactly what the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (2019) means by Partnership and person-centred care.

Marker's note: markers reward a thesis that ANALYSES (shows how collaboration produces person-centredness) rather than describing the system; at least two NAMED coordinating mechanisms or organisations (PHNs, the GP medical home, ACCHOs/NACCHO) with a dated figure where used; correct use of person-centred care and the Charter; and explicit coordination language. A "who-does-what" list with no collaboration cannot reach the top band.

Common traps

Describing the system instead of analysing collaboration: For "analyse"/"examine", you must show HOW shared responsibility plus coordination produces person-centred care - not just list who funds and runs what.
Defining person-centred care as "kind care": It has a specific meaning: care organised around the individual's needs and preferences, with the patient as an equal PARTNER. Anchor it to the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019) and its seven rights.
Mixing up the levels of government: The Commonwealth largely FUNDS (Medicare, PBS, hospital share); the states largely RUN public hospitals and ambulance; local government does environmental health and local prevention. An answer that makes them all "provide health care" misses the shared-responsibility point.
Forgetting the not-for-profit sector or naming no organisation: ACCHOs/NACCHO, the RFDS and charities (Cancer Council, Heart Foundation) are the named examples that lift an answer above abstract claims; quote a figure with a year (the 145 ACCHOs / 550+ sites, 2024).
Ignoring coordination: Listing sectors without the GP medical home, PHNs, shared records or care plans describes fragmentation, not person-centred care.

Exam technique

Match the command word to the depth: "Identify/outline" wants the sectors and roles; "examine"/"analyse" wants you to show how shared responsibility PLUS collaboration produces person-centred care, with a judgement on how well it works. Listing who-does-what for an "analyse" question caps your band.
Use a two-part spine: who does what, then how it joins up: First map the sectors (three levels of government + private + not-for-profit); then name the coordination mechanisms (GP medical home, PHNs, shared records, care plans). The second part is what most students forget and what separates a description from an analysis.
Define person-centred care precisely and cite the Charter: Say "care organised around the individual's needs, values and preferences, with the patient as an equal partner" and name the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019) with one or two of its seven rights (Partnership, Information). Vague "good care" loses the definition mark.
Anchor with a named organisation and a dated figure: Replace "charities help" with "NACCHO's network of about 145 ACCHOs across 550+ sites delivered roughly 3.6 million episodes of care in 2024" - a named organisation plus a figure WITH a year earns marks a vague claim cannot.

In plain English

Think of looking after your health like building a house. No single tradie builds the whole thing - you have an electrician, a plumber, a carpenter and a roofer, and each is brilliant at their own job. In health care it works the same way: the federal government is like the bank that pays for the big stuff (Medicare and medicines), the state government actually runs the hospitals and ambulances, and the local council looks after the basics around you like clean water and food safety. Alongside them are private clinics (you pay, often through insurance, and you get more choice and shorter waits) and not-for-profit groups that step in where people would otherwise miss out - like Aboriginal community-run health services or the Flying Doctors out in the bush. The problem is the same as on a building site: if the tradies never talk to each other, you get a kitchen with no power points and a bathroom with no water. So health care needs a "site foreman" to join it all up. That is what your GP does (they keep your whole story and send you to the right specialists), what Primary Health Networks do (they line up local services), and what shared computer records do (so every clinic can see the same notes). When all of that clicks, the care is built around YOU - your needs, your choices, you treated as a partner in the plan. That is what "person-centred care" means, and Australia even has a list of seven rights you can expect (like being respected, kept safe, and given information), called the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights.

Practice questions

Original practice questions graded from foundation to exam level, each with a full worked solution. Try them before revealing the solution.

foundation4 marksIdentify the three levels of government in Australia and outline one health responsibility of each.

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Award 1 mark per level correctly named with a fitting responsibility, plus 1 mark for the responsibilities being distinct (not three versions of the same thing).

Federal (Commonwealth) - 1 mark: Funds and administers the national schemes: Medicare (rebates for medical services), the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (subsidised medicines), private health insurance rebates, and a share of public-hospital funding paid to the states; also funds population-specific care (Aboriginal community-controlled health, residential aged care, veterans' health).
State and territory - 1 mark: Run and co-fund public hospitals, ambulance services, public/community mental health, and many community and preventive programs (e.g. immunisation, cancer screening).
Local - 1 mark: Environmental health and local prevention: waste and water safety, food-premises inspection, immunisation clinics, and some home- and community-based support services.

Distinctness mark: the answer must show the levels do DIFFERENT jobs (national funding vs running hospitals vs local environmental health), not repeat "they provide health care" three times.

foundation3 marksDefine 'person-centred care' and name two of the seven rights in the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019).

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Definition (1 mark). Person-centred care means health care that is planned and delivered around the individual patient's needs, values, preferences and circumstances, treating the person as an equal partner in decisions about their own care rather than a passive recipient.

Two rights (2 marks, 1 each). Any two of the seven rights in the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019): Access, Safety, Respect, Partnership, Information, Privacy, Give feedback.

A complete answer makes the partnership/shared-decision-making idea explicit in the definition (not just "good, kind care") and names two rights from the actual Charter list.

core5 marksA described dataset (owned, ExamExplained) summarises the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) network in 2024: about 145 member Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, operating from more than 550 sites, delivering roughly 3.6 million episodes of care each year to about 410,000 people. Describe what these figures show about the not-for-profit, community-controlled sector, and explain how this sector collaborates with government to provide person-centred care.

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A 5-mark "describe and explain" rewards (i) an accurate reading of the figures, and (ii) an explanation of cross-sector collaboration, not just a restatement.

Describe (about 2 marks). The figures show a large, established community-controlled sector: about 145 member organisations operating from more than 550 sites, delivering roughly 3.6 million episodes of care per year to about 410,000 people (NACCHO, 2024). Quote at least two figures and the point that the network is national in scale and high-volume, not a handful of small clinics.

Explain the collaboration (about 3 marks). ACCHOs are not-for-profit and governed by the Aboriginal communities they serve, but they are funded through a mix that includes Commonwealth Indigenous-specific grants and Medicare (federal) plus some state grants - so a government-funded, community-governed model. This collaboration delivers person-centred care because the community-controlled governance builds cultural safety and trust (a person treated as a partner, with respect, in a place that feels safe), which mainstream services often miss. Government supplies funding and the national schemes; the not-for-profit sector supplies local, culturally informed delivery.

Marking spine: figures read accurately with a year (2), the funding/governance split explained (2), and the link to person-centred concepts - cultural safety, partnership, respect (1). A description with no collaboration, or "they help Aboriginal people" with no government link, caps at 3.

core6 marksExplain how care is coordinated across providers so that a patient with a chronic condition receives person-centred rather than fragmented care. Refer to at least two coordinating mechanisms.

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A 6-mark "explain... coordinated" needs the problem (fragmentation), at least two named coordinating mechanisms, and the link to person-centred care.

The problem (about 1 mark): A chronic patient sees many providers - GP, hospital, allied health, pharmacy - funded and run by different sectors and levels of government, so care can become fragmented (repeated tests, conflicting advice, gaps).
Mechanism 1 - the GP as the coordinating hub (about 2 marks): General practice is the patient's continuous "medical home": the GP writes a GP Management Plan / Chronic Disease Management plan, refers to specialists and allied health, and holds the overall record, so the patient has one point of continuity rather than navigating alone.
Mechanism 2 - system-level coordination (about 2 marks): Primary Health Networks (the 31 Commonwealth-funded PHNs) commission and join up local services so the right care is available in the right place; shared digital records (e.g. My Health Record) let providers see the same information; and care plans formalise who does what.
Link to person-centred care (about 1 mark): Coordination means the system organises itself around the patient (their needs, their record, their plan), rather than forcing the patient to organise the system - the core of person-centred care.

Marking spine: fragmentation identified (1), two coordinating mechanisms explained (4), and the explicit link to person-centredness (1). Listing services with no coordination, or naming one mechanism only, stays mid-band.

core5 marksDistinguish between the roles of the government, private and not-for-profit sectors in delivering health care in Australia, using one example of each.

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A 5-mark "distinguish" needs the defining role and funding of each sector, contrasted, with an example each.

Government sector (about 2 marks): Publicly funded and largely publicly delivered; funds the universal schemes (Medicare, PBS) and runs public hospitals and public health. Example: a public hospital emergency department, free at the point of care, co-funded by Commonwealth and state.
Private sector (about 1-2 marks): Funded through private health insurance and out-of-pocket fees and operated for profit; offers choice of provider and shorter elective waits. Example: a private hospital elective knee replacement funded by private health insurance.
Not-for-profit / community sector (about 1-2 marks): Mission-driven rather than profit-driven; often fills gaps for priority populations and runs prevention, support and advocacy. Example: an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, or a charity such as the Cancer Council or the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Marking spine: each sector's funding/role given (3), explicit contrasts drawn - public/universal vs for-profit/insured vs mission-driven (1), and a fitting example each (1). Three lookalike descriptions with no contrast caps the band.

exam8 marksAnalyse how government and non-government organisations share responsibility and collaborate to provide person-centred health care in Australia. In your answer, refer to specific sectors, named organisations and the meaning of person-centred care.

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An 8-mark "analyse" extended response needs a sustained argument that shows HOW shared responsibility and collaboration produce person-centred care - with named sectors and organisations and a clear definition of person-centred care - not a description of the system or a list of who does what.

Band 6 PLAN.

Thesis: No single organisation can deliver person-centred care alone; Australia's system works only because government and non-government organisations share responsibility (each doing what it is best placed to do) and then collaborate to organise that care around the individual - which is exactly what person-centred care, as defined by the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019), requires.

Argument 1 - shared responsibility is structural, by design. Evidence: the Commonwealth funds the universal schemes (Medicare, PBS) and pays a share of public-hospital costs; states and territories run public hospitals, ambulance and community/mental health; local government handles environmental health and local prevention; the private sector adds choice and elective capacity; and the not-for-profit sector (e.g. NACCHO's 145 ACCHOs across 550+ sites, 2024; the Royal Flying Doctor Service; the Cancer Council) fills gaps and serves priority populations. Mechanism: dividing responsibility lets each level/sector specialise, but it also creates many "doors" the patient must walk through.

Argument 2 - collaboration is what turns shared responsibility into person-centred (not fragmented) care. Evidence: the 31 Commonwealth-funded Primary Health Networks commission and join up local services; the GP acts as the coordinating "medical home" with Chronic Disease Management plans; shared records (My Health Record) let providers see one picture; and community-controlled ACCHOs blend government funding with community governance. Mechanism: these mechanisms organise the system AROUND the patient, which is the operational meaning of person-centred care.

Argument 3 - person-centred care is the standard the collaboration is judged against. Evidence: the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019) sets out seven rights - Access, Safety, Respect, Partnership, Information, Privacy, Give feedback - and centres Partnership and shared decision-making. Mechanism: collaboration is only successful if the patient experiences these rights, e.g. cultural safety (Respect, Safety) in an ACCHO, or a coordinated plan (Partnership, Information).

Judgement: shared responsibility plus active collaboration is necessary for person-centred care, but it is not automatic - fragmentation, gap fees and uneven coordination mean the system delivers person-centred care unevenly, best where coordination mechanisms and community governance are strongest.

Model paragraph (Argument 2). Sharing responsibility across three levels of government and two non-government sectors solves one problem (no single body could fund, run and staff the whole system) but creates another: a patient with a chronic condition can face a GP, a public hospital, a private specialist, a pharmacy and several allied-health providers, each funded and run differently. Person-centred care depends on collaboration that closes that gap. The 31 Commonwealth-funded Primary Health Networks commission and coordinate local services so the right care exists in the right place; the GP acts as the continuous "medical home", writing a Chronic Disease Management plan and holding the overall record; shared digital records such as My Health Record let every provider see the same information; and community-controlled organisations such as NACCHO's 145 ACCHOs (2024) wrap clinical care, cultural safety and community governance around the patient at once. Each mechanism does the same essential thing - it organises the system around the individual rather than forcing the individual to organise the system - which is precisely what the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights means by Partnership and person-centred care.

Marker's note: markers reward a sustained thesis that ANALYSES (shows how shared responsibility plus collaboration produces person-centred care) rather than describing the system; correct, specific use of the sectors and at least two NAMED organisations (PHNs, NACCHO/ACCHOs, RFDS, Cancer Council) with a figure carrying a year where used (the 145 ACCHOs / 550+ sites, 2024); a correct account of person-centred care and the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition, 2019); explicit coordination/collaboration mechanisms; and a calibrated judgement. A "who-does-what" description, a single-sector answer, or person-centred care defined only as "kind care" cannot reach the top band.

exam7 marksAssess the extent to which shared responsibility across sectors helps or hinders the delivery of person-centred health care in Australia.

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A 7-mark "assess" extended response needs BOTH sides (how shared responsibility helps AND how it hinders) and a calibrated judgement - not a one-sided description.

Band 6 PLAN.

Thesis: Sharing responsibility across the three levels of government and the private and not-for-profit sectors both enables and threatens person-centred care; it is a net positive only when matched by strong coordination, so the system delivers person-centred care unevenly.

Helps: specialisation means each body does what it is best placed to do - the Commonwealth funds the universal schemes (Medicare, PBS), states run the hospitals, and the not-for-profit sector reaches priority populations the mainstream misses (NACCHO's 145 ACCHOs across 550+ sites, 2024; the RFDS in remote Australia). This breadth widens Access (a Charter right) and lets community-governed services build the cultural safety person-centred care depends on.

Hinders: the same split creates many separate "doors" - different funders and providers - so care can fragment (repeated tests, conflicting advice, gaps), and out-of-pocket gap fees in the private and allied-health sectors limit equitable Access. Without coordination, shared responsibility works against the patient.

Resolution / coordination: the 31 PHNs, the GP medical home, shared records (My Health Record) and care plans are the mechanisms that convert fragmentation back into person-centred care.

Judgement: shared responsibility helps MORE than it hinders, but only where coordination and community governance are strong; the system is most person-centred in well-coordinated, community-controlled settings and least where patients must self-navigate multiple sectors.

Model paragraph (the "hinders" side). The clearest cost of shared responsibility is fragmentation. Because a chronic patient's care is funded and run by different sectors - a Commonwealth-rebated GP, a state-run hospital, a private specialist charging a gap fee, an allied-health provider only partly covered by Medicare - no single organisation automatically holds the whole picture, so the patient can face repeated tests, conflicting advice and gaps where no one follows up. Gap fees in the private and allied-health sectors compound this, weakening the Charter right of Access for lower-income patients. Left uncoordinated, shared responsibility therefore pushes AGAINST person-centred care, which is precisely why Australia layers coordination over the top - the 31 PHNs, the GP medical home, shared records and care plans - to reorganise the fragmented system around the individual.

Marker's note: markers reward genuine ASSESSMENT - both the help and the hindrance, weighed - plus named sectors/organisations and at least one dated figure (the 145 ACCHOs, 2024), correct use of person-centred care and the Charter, and a clear, calibrated judgement rather than "it is good" or "it is bad". A one-sided answer or a pure description cannot reach the top band.