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PDF printable version of Strengthening Primary Care in Local Communities (PDF 23 KB)

Joint Release

Prime Minister

Minister for Health

12 April 2010

Patients will receive better health care in the community after primary health care organisations (PHCOs) are established across Australia.

Getting primary care right is essential to ensuring people stay healthier and out of hospital. International evidence shows that health systems with strong GP and primary care systems achieve better health outcomes and better value for money.

Right now:

• GP and primary health care services are not well integrated and connected to one another – health consumer groups have consistently stressed the need for better integration of these services;
• Many patients – particularly those with chronic disease – have difficulty getting all the care that they need, for example from allied health professionals, in a coordinated and convenient way;
• As a result, Australia has one of the highest rates of hospitalisations in the OECD.

The nationwide network of primary health care organizations will support GPs and other health professionals to improve the delivery of primary care services at the local level, as well as making it easier for patients to navigate the local health care system, by:

• Facilitating allied health care and other support for people with chronic conditions, as identified in GP care plans;
• Working with local health care professionals to ensure services co-operate and collaborate with each other so that patients – especially those suffering from chronic disease – can easily and conveniently access the full range of services they need;
• Identifying groups of people missing out on GP and primary health care, or services that a local area needs, and better target services to respond to these gaps;
• Working with Local Hospital Networks to assist with patients’ transition out of hospital, and where relevant into aged care; and
• Delivering health promotion and preventative health programs targeted to risk factors in communities.

For instance, a local primary health care organisation, in consultation with local GPs, might identify that there are a large number of diabetics in a particular area – and organise a roster of allied health professionals such as nutritionists and diabetic educators to provide sessional services to different GP clinics in that area.

The planning and management of an individual patient’s care will remain the responsibility of the GP.

The establishment of regional primary health care organisations was one of the key recommendations from the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission to strengthen the primary care system. Primary health care organisations will:

• complement the services currently provided by GPs, which will be of particular benefit to patients with chronic disease;
• work closely with Local Hospital Networks to make sure that our hospital system and GP and primary care system work together seamlessly;
• in the future – play an increasing role in delivering services currently funded by states but which are proposed to transfer to the Commonwealth as part of the establishment of the National Health and Hospitals Network.

Primary health care organisations will be built from the existing network of Divisions of GPs so that they don’t create additional bureaucracy.

The first primary health care organisations will be established by mid 2011.

Funding arrangements to support primary health care organisations will be included in the May Budget.

The Government’s commitment to establishing primary health care organisations build on the Government’s commitments to:

• providing $632 million investment in building the medical workforce, including $339 million to increase the number of GP training places to 1200 per year by 2014;
• investing $436 million to transform the way diabetes patients are managed in general practice.

By strengthening primary care at the local level, primary health care organisations will be integral to delivering a National Health and Hospitals Network which is nationally funded but locally run.

Minister Roxon’s Office (02) 6277 7220