Primary Health Strategy

Consultation Submission Process

The Discussion Paper 'Towards a National Primary Health Care Strategy' aimed to provide information and a series of questions to assist individuals and organisations to structure their input to the development of the Strategy through written submissions. Please note that the submission period for the Discussion Paper closed on 27 February 2009.

Consultation Process

The Discussion Paper ‘Towards a National Primary Health Care Strategy’ is a key step in developing Australia’s first ever National Primary Health Care Strategy.

Development of the Strategy is being undertaken by the Department of Health and Ageing with the assistance of an External Reference Group, chaired by Dr Tony Hobbs. It is a critical part of the Government’s health reform agenda and will look at how to deliver better frontline care to families across Australia.

The Discussion Paper is structured around ten proposed key elements of an enhanced primary health care system and canvasses a wide range of important issues. For each element, the Discussion Paper describes the current situation and what this means for consumers and health care practitioners, with a focus on identifying major issues that will need to be addressed in the development of the Strategy.

The Discussion Paper set out a series of questions to assist individuals and groups to structure their input and invited comment through written submission. The submission period for the Discussion Paper closed on 27 February 2009.