Axe falls on health agencies

The axe is starting to fall on federal health agencies set up by Labor governments.

Health Minister Peter Dutton on Thursday introduced legislation to abolish the Australian National Preventive Health Agency (ANPHA) and Health Workforce Australia (HWA).

"In health there has been too much officialdom, too much duplication," he told parliament.

"We need to refocus our attention away from the bureaucrats and back onto patients."

Abolishing the agencies will also save an unspecified amount of money as their work is transferred to the federal Health Department.

ANPHA was set up in 2010, mainly to counter alcohol, tobacco and obesity health issues.

Mr Dutton said its work would be integrated into similar programs already run by the department.

HWA was set up through COAG in 2009, mainly to streamline and oversee training for health workers.

However, Mr Dutton said, the states and territories had never shared the cost of its work, which created confusion and duplication.

Closing HWA didn't mean the government was withdrawing support for doctors, nurses and other members of the health workforce, he said.

By creating efficiencies, streamlining programs and reducing bureaucracy, the government was ensuring better value for money.