At the start of an election year, the Opposition Leader is borrowing a tactic Mr Rudd used constantly against John Howard before the 2007 election - getting in before a coming government policy.

Victoria already has a board system and its public hospitals have not had such severe problems as those in NSW and Queensland. Hospitals are run by boards appointed by, and answerable to, the state health minister. They are responsible for the hospitals' services and finances, set long-term strategy and oversee operations.

NSW public hospitals are managed centrally from the health department, via eight large ''area health services''.

The federal government is under mounting criticism for not moving fast enough on its health-reform plan and for not being bold enough. Last week Mr Rudd said it was seeking a compromise with the states.

Mr Abbott, who will release his detailed health policy closer to the election, said a Coalition government would renegotiate the health-care agreements within six months of election to impose the boards for every major public hospital in the two states.

A board would include the chair of the medical staff council and the director of nursing as well as community representatives experienced in running large companies. Boards would appoint the hospital chief executive and, with the CEO, manage budgets.

''Unless it includes this change, health reform will be just window dressing,'' Mr Abbott and health spokesman Peter Dutton said in a statement.

''Community controlled public hospitals would focus on meeting patient needs rather than just meeting state government targets, which are invariably about budgets, not services.''

Health Minister Nicola Roxon dismissed the proposal initiative as ''lightweight response to a heavyweight problem''. It would only apply to 20-30 hospitals and was not a national plan. She said the government would announce its reform plan soon; she did not rule out the inclusion of boards.