Primary care

Primary care is health care people seek first in their community, such as GPs, pharmacies and allied health professionals. Discover how primary care is funded and our plan to strengthen it. Learn about after-hours care and why pharmacy care is more than medicines.

About primary care

Discover what primary care is and why it's so important for you, your family and our health system.

What we're doing

Find out how we're improving primary care through innovative new programs, strengthening Medicare and more.  

After-hours care

We fund after-hours care – for when treatment just can't wait but it's not serious enough for hospital.

Pharmacy care

Pharmacies sell medicines but they also provide a range of useful services you may not know about.

Strengthening Medicare reforms

We are committed to improving primary health care for all Australians. The Australian Government has announced an $11.8 billion investment toward Strengthening Medicare through the 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 Budgets to lay the foundations for a stronger Medicare.

Learn more

Primary Health Networks

Australia’s 31 Primary Health Networks (PHNs) are independent organisations working to streamline health services – particularly for those at risk of poor health outcomes – and to better coordinate care so people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Find out more

Stay up to date

Subscribe to Health updates for primary care

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest primary care information and news.

Previous newsletters

View previous issues of the Health updates for primary care.

healthdirect helpline

1800 022 222

Call this number to speak to a registered nurse about your health concerns. It can help if you're not sure if you should see a doctor or manage your condition at home. The healthdirect helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)

NACCHO provides advice and guidance to the Australian Government on policy and budget matters. It also advocates for community-developed health solutions that improve quality of life and improved health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Find out more

Resources

Resources

Schedule B – Operational plan template

This template has been developed to assist sites that are part of the COAG Section 19(2) Exemptions Initiative memorandum of understanding 2022–25 to complete an operational plan.

Movement Disorder Nurse Specialist Pilot Final Evaluation Report and Addendum

The Australian Government provided $6.4 million over 5 years from 2019-20 to 2023-24 for the Movement Disorder Nurse Specialist Pilot. The Report outlines the effectiveness, efficiency and impact of the Pilot models. The Addendum provides supplementary information reported by Primary Health Networks

Allen + Clarke Consulting – After Hours Review evaluation report

Allen + Clarke Consulting evaluated the current after-hours primary care landscape, the need for primary care services in after-hours periods, and successful models of after hours service provision. The evaluation supported the After Hours Review.