Building a 21st Century - Primary Health Care System - Australia’s First National Primary Health Care Strategy
The Future
A strong, responsive and cost-effective primary health care system is central to equipping the Australian health system to meet future challenges.
Key to this future are funding and service delivery arrangements which, within a national framework, can better respond to the needs and priorities of local communities.
Taking full funding and policy responsibility for general practice and primary health care, the Australian Government will have the ability to drive efficiencies across the system and reduce the pressure on public hospitals.
To build such a modern primary health care system, there are 5 key building blocks:
- Regional integration
- Information and technology, including eHealth
- Skilled workforce
- Infrastructure
- Financing and system performance
These building blocks are essential system-wide underpinnings for a responsive and integrated primary health care system for the 21st century.
Drawing from these are 4 key priority areas for change:
- Improving access and reducing inequity
- Better management of chronic conditions
- Increasing the focus on prevention
- Improving quality, safety, performance and accountability
These key priority areas have been identified through consultations as the areas where change is most needed to set up the system of the future.
They address the shortcomings of current arrangements, which most directly impact on the community and the health professionals who work in it.
Actions in all four key priority areas are underpinned by the five key building blocks.
The five key building blocks and four key priority areas are summarised in the table on the following page.
For each building block and priority area, key reform initiatives being implemented under the Australian Government’s health reform agenda are identified.
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