The Australian Government Position on Primary Health Care

1
The Australian Government Position on Primary
Health Care

• Kathy Brown
• Director, Health Services Branch
• Queensland State Office

2
Major Initiatives in Primary Health Care around
the Management of Chronic Disease

• Australian Government Support for Primary Health
  Care Structures in the Management of Chronic
  Disease
• Medicare Reform
• The Divisions of General Practice Program
• The National Chronic Disease Strategy
• Council of Australian Governments (COAG)
  Initiatives
• Rural Health Programs
• Primary Health Care for Aboriginal and Torres
  Strait Islander Groups

3
Australian Government Support for Primary Health
Care Structures in the Management of Chronic
Disease

• Medicare Reform to support the provision of
  Primary Health Care
• The Divisions of General Practice Program

4
The National Chronic Disease Strategy

• Endorsed in November 2005
• Identifies a set of core principles with an
  inherent primary health care focus to improve
  chronic disease prevention

5
COAG Initiatives Australian Better Health
Initiative (ABHI)

• An Australian Government Commitment of 250
  million over the next 5 years
• A range of measures encouraging
• Good Health
• Early detection of lifestyle risks and chronic
  disease
• Active patient self management of chronic disease
  
• Improved integration and coordination of care

6
COAG Initiatives Mental Health

• Changes to Medicare
• New MBS Items for GPs, Clinical Psychologists and
  Allied Health Professionals
• More Funding for Rural and Remote Areas
• The National Suicide Prevention Strategy
• Community, National and Rural Projects

7
Other COAG Initiatives Rural Health and
Workforce

• 2006 exemptions under sub-section 19(2) of the
  Health Insurance Act
• An attempt to address the challenges facing rural
  and remote communities in attracting and
  retaining a skilled workforce.
• A New MBS item for Practice Nurses

8
Rural Health

• The Rural Health Strategy
• The Regional Health Services Sub-program
• The More Allied Health Services Sub-program
• The Primary Health Projects Sub-program (Building
  Healthy Communities Initiative)

9
Primary Health Care for Aboriginal and Torres
Straight Islander Groups

• The Primary Health Care Access Program (PHCAP)
• Regional Health Forums
• The Healthy For Life Program
• Whole of Government Indigenous Affairs
  Arrangements