The Department of Health's mission as the principal health authority in Western Australia is to promote, protect, maintain and restore the health of its people.

Our central office is located at 189 Royal Street, East Perth, and health services are located throughout the rural and metropolitan areas of Western Australia.

Our aim is to manage a comprehensive range of health and health-related services to all West Australians, including health promotion, health protection, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, continuing care, support and palliative care. These services are provided through a range of people and organisations. The Health Department is working to ensure that all the components of this diverse system work together to deliver the best possible health care to all West Australians when and where they need it.

In order to achieve this aim, the Department is working closely with the Federal Government, local authorities, health agencies, and non-profit and private organisations. Such cooperation has been evident in a number of health programs initiated in the last 12 months and the considerable effort that has been invested in forward planning ensures the health system confronts the challenges of the 21st century.

A good example of this type of collaborative program is Telehealth, which aims to improve health services to those in distant locations, via the use of technologies. Telehealth aims to maximise the quality, range, access and efficiency of health services to West Australians and is funded by Commonwealth and State Governments. It involves the transmission of images, voice and data between two or more health units via telecommunication channels. This enables the provision of health services such as clinical advice, consultation, education and training in the areas of Psychology, Psychiatry, Dermatology and Radiology.

Initiatives such as these outlined above help to ensure West Australians remain among the healthiest people in the world. West Australians are living longer and healthier lives with an average life expectancy of 76 years for men and 82 years for women. Our mortality rate continues to decline and is among the lowest of any Australian State.

Western Australia's sparse population, vast distances and diverse climate present unique problems to the delivery of health services. The demands of a sophisticated market have led to the development of considerable expertise in all aspects of health care in Western Australia, and in many areas we lead the world.