What Primary Health Networks do

Role of PHNs

PHNs deliver 3 core functions. They:

1. Coordinate and integrate local health care services in collaboration with Local Hospital Networks (LHN) to improve quality of care, people's experience and efficient use of resources.
2. Commission primary care and mental health services to address population health needs and gaps in service delivery and to improve access and equity.
3. Capacity-build and provide practice support to primary care and mental health providers to support quality care delivery

Read the Primary Health Networks (PHN) Strategy 2023-24.

Assessing community needs

PHNs regularly assess the health needs of their community. This involves:

• looking at evidence from various sources
• identifying groups of people who are more at risk of poor health than others
• mapping existing health services
• identifying gaps or inefficiencies.

During this process, PHNs might consult with:

• members of the community who use the health system or are interested in improving it
• general practitioners and other health professionals
• health service providers
• community workers
• local hospital networks or equivalent
• local councils
• government departments
• academics
• elected representatives.

This approach encourages tailored solutions that meet local needs and address community priorities, guided by:

• the Australian Government’s key priorities
• the program grant guidelines
• our needs assessment guide.

Commissioning services

PHNs do not provide health services themselves. Instead they commission them and support services to improve efficiency.

Following the needs assessment, PHNs:

• prioritise and plan services that will meet their community’s needs and address gaps
• work with stakeholders and health service providers to make sure they can provide the required services
• work with other funders to pool resources and coordinate services, to avoid duplication and waste of resources
• purchase or procure new services or activities
• monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of those services.

This approach ensures primary health care services:

• are located where they are needed most and where they have the greatest impact
• receive funding in line with priorities for their region
• work together to reduce gaps and duplication between different types of services, and provide people with a better experience in the healthcare system
• aim to reduce the number of unnecessary hospital visits.

Supporting health services

PHNs provide ongoing support to general practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, and other health workers, as well as administrative staff. This helps to improve care and strengthen the primary health care system.

Support might cover:

• improving quality of care, so that different services work together to treat people and that people don’t go to hospital if they don’t need to
• designing health promotion programs (such as for chronic conditions, mental health, diabetes, immunisation and sexual health)
• developing workforce skills, including through education and training
• increasing cultural awareness and competency
• improving the health literacy of the community
• encouraging the use of digital health systems to help health professionals share  information, including through My Health Record
• supporting health data management, including collecting information.

PHNs provide this support in various ways, depending on need, including:

• face to face
• on site
• by phone or email
• through educational or networking events, including webinars
• via online and printed resources, such as newsletters, brochures and guidelines.

Read about how we support PHNs.

Resources