eMJA: Australia’s primary health care workforce

Workforce

Australia’s primary health care workforce — research informing policy

Kirsty A Douglas, Frith K Rayner, Laurann E Yen, Robert W Wells, Nicholas J Glasgow and John S Humphreys

MJA 2009; 191 (2): 81-84

Introduction

—

Expanding the primary health care workforce

—

Recommendations for a sustainable primary health care workforce

—

Summary

—

Acknowledgements

—

Competing interests

—

Author details

—

References

Abstract

In 2008, the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) held a Primary Health Care Workforce Roundtable with practising clinicians, policymakers and researchers, which drew on Australian evidence in health care policy, systematic reviews, and expertise and experience of participants.
Key recommendations for an adequate, sustainable and effective primary health care workforce that arose from the meeting included:

simplifying the Medicare Benefits Schedule, which is unnecessarily complex and inflexible;
effectively funding undergraduate and prevocational medical and nursing education and training in primary health care;
developing career structure and training pathways for general practitioners and primary health care nurses;
developing of functional primary health care teams; and
using a blended funding model, comprising fee-for-service as well as capitation for patients with chronic or complex needs.

A report from the meeting, detailing these policy options, was submitted to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission for inclusion in their deliberations.

NB: If you are registered with the eMJA, your username is the email address you have provided.
If you don't have a login, click here for subscription options. You will be prompted to create an account upon purchase.

AMA members can login using their AMA username and password.
If you don't know your AMA password, please contact the AMA on 02 6270 5400 or membership@ama.com.au, or try to retrieve your password at this address.

The Medical Journal of Australia eMJA

Username:
Password:

Password forgotten? Click here What is my username?