Building a 21st Century - Primary Health Care System - Australia’s First National Primary Health Care Strategy
Forward
As Health Minister, I am pleased to release Australia’s first ever National Primary Health Care Strategy.
The Australian Government’s vision for a National Health and Hospitals Network to meet Australia’s needs in the 21st century includes a strong primary health care sector, providing effective health care services locally to the community.
The Government recognises that a strong primary health care system is critical to the future success and sustainability of our entire health care system.
Under the National Health and Hospitals Network, the Australian Government will take full funding and policy responsibility for primary health care and will become the majority funder of the public hospital system, by taking on 60 per cent of the efficient cost of providing services, training, research and capital. This removes perverse incentives to shunt patients between hospital and non-hospital services and importantly, will provide the Australian Government with the ability to ensure that the health system is designed to meet the needs of Australians and to address the fragmentation between different parts of the system.
The National Primary Health Care Strategy is a first for Australia, providing a national road map to guide future primary health care policy and planning in Australia. It sets out key priority areas and essential building blocks that need to be in place to provide the foundation for an integrated high performing primary health care system fit for the future.
Reforms under the National Health and Hospitals Network include a number of significant initiatives that are building blocks of the system. These include: the establishment of a network of Primary Health Care Organisations (Medicare Locals); a significant boost to the primary care health workforce; a national eHealth records system; and an investment in primary health care infrastructure.
There are also initiatives in the key priority areas that help to address inequities and gaps as well as meet future challenges such as rising chronic disease rates. These include managing the health care needs of people with diabetes through a voluntary enrolment program; improving access to health care services for older Australians; better access to after hours care; and increasing the focus on prevention.
I would like to acknowledge the considerable contributions that many Australians have made to aid the Government’s considerations of primary health care reform. Numerous individuals and organisations have participated generously in the consultative processes and have made valuable written submissions.
I would particularly like to thank Dr Tony Hobbs and the other members of the External Reference Group who did much of the groundwork in developing the basis for this final Strategy.
I urge everyone – all levels of government, the private sector, non-government organisations, health professionals and the community – to work with us to build a strong primary health care system that will deliver better health for Australians in the decades to come.
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
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