Victorian Department of Health

What Victorian Department of Health does

The Victorian Department of Health is a state government department of the State Government of Victoria, headquartered at 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. It is responsible for healthcare policy, planning, funding, regulation, and direct service delivery across the state of Victoria, Australia. The department oversees 300+ hospitals and health services, funds over 500 health organisations, and operates across hospitals and health services, primary and community health, public health, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and ageing and aged care. Its customer base is the entire Victorian population, with particular targeted programs for women and gender-diverse people, children and families, regional and rural communities, people experiencing mental illness or substance dependence, and people experiencing social isolation.

The department's service portfolio spans physical infrastructure (hospitals, pharmacies, community clinics) and an expanding digital health platform. Core digital products include the Virtual Emergency Department (24/7 telehealth urgent care handling 940,000+ presentations since 2020, ~1,000 daily), the Virtual Hospital Pilot (hospital-at-home care launched December 2025 with Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health), Chemist Care Now (free pharmacist consultations at 900+ pharmacies for conditions including UTIs, contraception, and travel vaccines), the Victorian Pill Testing Service (fixed site plus mobile harm reduction), SafeScript (real-time prescription monitoring), the Digital Green Book (child health records via Service Victoria app), and the Local Connections social prescribing program. Supporting infrastructure includes the Better Health Channel consumer website, Chief Health Officer alerts system, and the Engage Victoria public consultation platform.

The department is funded entirely through Victorian Government appropriations (public taxation), with all services provided free or low-cost to eligible Victorians. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Strategic direction is shaped by Royal Commission recommendations (notably mental health reform) and a reform agenda that includes establishment of 12 Local Health Service Networks (July 2025), creation of Safe Food Victoria as an independent food safety regulator, and a 10-year statewide Families where a Parent Has a Mental Illness program. Leadership includes Chief Health Officer Dr. Caroline McElnay, who publishes health alerts and advisories.

Name

Victorian Department of Health

Legal name

Department of Health (Victorian Government)

Website

https://health.vic.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Victorian Department of Health is a state government department that plans, funds, regulates, and delivers public healthcare across Victoria, Australia, operating through 300+ hospitals, 900+ pharmacies, digital platforms (Virtual Emergency Department, Virtual Hospital, Chemist Care Now), and statewide mental health, women's health, and harm reduction programs serving the entire Victorian population.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Healthcare Services

NAICS

Administration of Public Health Programs (92312), General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (6221), Home Health Care Services (621610)

SIC

Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, Nec (8062), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial/Regional Health Departments (HLAJAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

State/Provincial Health Department & Public Health Administration (BPAIABAH), Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion Departments (HLAJAAAN), Maternal, Child & Family Health Departments (HLAJAAAK)

Keywords

• Public health services
• Hospital and health services
• Immunisation programs
• Mental health services
• Telehealth services

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The Department of Health is a Victorian Government department funded through public taxation and government appropriations. It plans, develops policy, regulates and funds over 500 health services and organisations across Victoria.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Victorian Department of Health is a state government agency that plans, funds, regulates, and delivers public healthcare services across Victoria, Australia. It operates a network of more than 300 hospitals and health services and runs community-based and digital health programs including the Virtual Emergency Department, Chemist Care Now pharmacy program, the Victorian Pill Testing Service, immunisation programs, women's health clinics, mental health and wellbeing locals, and public health alerts.

Product overview

The Victorian Department of Health operates a comprehensive platform of interconnected health services and programs rather than a single commercial product. Core offerings include the Virtual Emergency Department (VED) providing 24/7 telehealth urgent care, the Virtual Hospital Pilot delivering hospital-level care at home, and Chemist Care Now enabling pharmacy-based treatment for common conditions. The department's portfolio spans digital health services (pill testing, health alerts), community health programs (Local Connections social prescribing, Women's Health and Wellbeing Program, Families where a Parent Has a Mental Illness program), clinical support tools (Advance Care Planning forms, Immunisation Program), and health sector guidelines (Victorian Guideline on Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers). These services work together to provide accessible, comprehensive healthcare across Victoria's public health system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Virtual Emergency Department (VED) 24/7 free telehealth urgent care via video call for non-life-threatening health issues, available to all Victorians. Handles more than 1,000 patients daily.
• Virtual Hospital Pilot Hospital-level care delivered to patients in their own homes through partnership between Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health, freeing up hospital beds. Has served over 500 patients.
• Chemist Care Now Pharmacy-based program providing free consultations at 900+ participating chemists for common conditions including UTIs, hormonal contraception resupply, shingles, psoriasis, school sores, travel vaccinations, acute/mild musculoskeletal pain, and direct access to oral contraceptive pill. Patients pay only for medication.
• Victorian Pill Testing Service Free, legal, and confidential drug checking service with a fixed site in Fitzroy and a mobile service across Victoria. Provides harm reduction support and issues drug notifications about concerning substances.
• Local Connections (Social Prescribing) Social prescribing program connecting adults experiencing loneliness or social isolation to community activities and social groups through Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals.
• Advance Care Planning Forms Free downloadable advance care directive, medical treatment decision maker appointment, and support person appointment forms under the Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Act 2016.
• Immunisation Program Victorian immunisation schedule providing free vaccines through the National Immunisation Program and Victorian Government-funded programs including MMR, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Japanese encephalitis, Mpox, and RSV monoclonal antibody for eligible groups.
• Families where a Parent Has a Mental Illness Program Statewide initiative providing mental health and wellbeing support for families where a parent has a mental illness, including peer support groups, referral to services, and financial support through Program Coordinators and Community Workers in each Area Mental Health Service.
• Women's Health and Wellbeing Program Program providing free or low-cost expert women's healthcare through Women's Health Clinics, Virtual Women's Health Clinic, Mobile Women's Health Clinic, Aboriginal Women's Health Clinic, and sexual and reproductive health hubs.
• Health Alerts and Advisories Chief Health Officer alerts and advisories issued to the Victorian public and health sector on current health issues including respiratory infections, disease outbreaks, and drug alerts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 940,000+ patient presentations handled by Virtual Emergency Department since 2020
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Royal Melbourne HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026The Royal Melbourne Hospital allowed the Department to use their 'Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Management Guideline' as a foundation for the Victorian guideline on viral haemorrhagic fevers.
• Local Public Health Units (LPHUs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026LPHUs collaborated in development of Victorian VHF guidelines alongside health services, Primary Health Networks, Ambulance Victoria, VIDRL, and EPA Victoria.
• Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Partnership between Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health leads Victoria's first Virtual Hospital Pilot, delivering hospital-level care at home and expanding virtual care access. Pilot launched December 2025, has cared for 500+ patients.
• Wellways (Benalla, Wangaratta, Mansfield, Frankston)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Wellways delivers Mental Health and Wellbeing Local services in Benalla, Wangaratta, Mansfield, and Frankston regions as part of Victoria's mental health reform. These services provide community-based mental health support including social prescribing through the Local Connections program.
• cohealth (Brimbank)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022cohealth delivers Mental Health and Wellbeing Local services in Brimbank, providing community mental health support including social prescribing through the Local Connections program.
• Barwon Health (Greater Geelong and Queenscliffe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Barwon Health delivers Mental Health and Wellbeing Local services in Greater Geelong and Queenscliffe regions as part of the social prescribing trial and mental health reform.
• Neami National (Latrobe, Whittlesea)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Neami National delivers Mental Health and Wellbeing Local services in Latrobe and Whittlesea regions, providing community mental health support including social prescribing.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SA Health: SA Health is the South Australian state health authority, responsible for hospitals, health services regulation, and public health programs. It is directly comparable in scale and statutory function to the Victorian Department of Health.
• Queensland Health: Queensland Health is the state health department serving Queensland, with a similar mix of hospital governance, public health programs, and regional service delivery. Like the Victorian Department, it manages a large distributed hospital network across metropolitan and regional areas.
• NSW Health: NSW Health is the equivalent state-level health department for New South Wales, Australia's most populous state. It operates a comparable portfolio of public hospitals, community health, mental health, and digital health initiatives, making it the closest functional peer to the Victorian Department of Health.
• Department of Health Tasmania: Tasmania's Department of Health oversees the state's public hospitals, community health, mental health, and public health functions. It is a smaller but structurally identical state-level health department peer.
• Northern Territory Department of Health: The NT Department of Health runs the public health system across the Northern Territory, including hospital services, remote primary care, and public health programs. It is a directly comparable state/territory-level health authority operating under similar statutory mandate.
• Western Australia Department of Health: WA Health operates the public health system for Western Australia, overseeing hospitals, mental health, public health, and digital health services. It faces similar geographic dispersion challenges and provides comparable statewide stewardship of a publicly funded health system.
• ACT Health Directorate: The ACT Health Directorate administers public health services for the Australian Capital Territory. While serving a smaller jurisdiction, it performs the same statutory role of hospital governance, public health, and digital service delivery as the Victorian Department of Health.

Regional players

• California Department of Public Health: The California Department of Public Health is a sub-national public health authority in the United States with comparable responsibilities in disease prevention, health alerts, immunisation programs, and population health regulation. It parallels the Victorian Department's public health and regulatory functions, though it does not directly deliver hospital services.

Broad incumbents

• NHS England: NHS England commissions and oversees publicly funded healthcare across England, including hospitals, primary care, and digital health services. It is a comparable public-sector health steward operating a universal healthcare system at population scale, similar in mandate to Victoria's Department of Health.
• Australian Department of Health and Aged Care: The federal Department of Health and Aged Care sets national health policy, funds Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and operates aged care programs. It is a higher-level incumbent that funds and partially overlaps with state departments like Victoria's, but operates at national rather than state level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VicGovDH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIV7G_xiYLekqOvqlkcwoVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/VicGovDH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-health-victoria-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/vicgovdh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments2 records

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Frequently asked questions about Victorian Department of Health