Overview: Australia’s First National Primary Health Care Strategy

Building a 21st Century Primary Health Care System The National Primary Health Care Strategy (the Strategy) represents the first comprehensive national policy statement for primary health care in Australia. It provides a road map to guide current and future policy and practice in the Australian primary health care sector.

Release of the Strategy comes at a time when the Australian Government is building a National Health and Hospitals Network, which includes taking full funding and policy responsibility for primary health care services in Australia.

The development of the Strategy has been informed by the extensive health reform consultations undertaken by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. It has taken into account the advice and expertise provided by the External Reference Group chaired by Dr Tony Hobbs, and has drawn upon the detailed information provided in 265 written submissions that were received in response to the Discussion Paper: Towards a National Primary Health Care Strategy.

The Strategy identifies 5 key building blocks which are considered essential system-wide underpinnings for a responsive and integrated primary health care system for the 21st century:

Regional integration
Information and technology, including eHealth
Skilled workforce
Infrastructure
Financing and system performance

Drawing from these are 4 priority directions for change:

Key Priority Area 1: Improving access and reducing inequity
Key Priority Area 2: Better management of chronic conditions
Key Priority Area 3: Increasing the focus on prevention
Key Priority Area 4: Improving quality, safety, performance and accountability

These priority directions were identified through consultations as the priority areas where change is most needed to set up the system of the future.

Key reform initiatives being implemented under the Australian Government's health reform agenda are identified for each building block and priority area.

A web version will be available shortly.