The draft ACT Primary Health Care Strategy has been released for public consultation, setting out seven priority areas for action to improve primary health care in the Territory.

The previous ACT Primary Health Care Strategy  which covered the years 2006-2009 aimed to ensure primary health care activities in the future are interprofessional, collaborative and coordinated.

ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher said the new Strategy will build on the successes of the earlier strategy, and set the future direction for primary health care.

"It has been developed in the context of the health reforms currently being undertaken by the Council of Australian Governments, and identifies the key principles and priorities that will guide policy, planning and practice in the ACT primary health care sector," Ms Gallagher said.

From 1 July 2011 the Australian Government has committed to establishing Medicare Locals, a national network of primary health care organisations, and this document will support the operation of a Medicare Local for the ACT.

The Strategy contains seven priority areas for action, including:

  • Improving access and reducing inequity
  • Improving continuity and coordination of care, especially for chronic disease
  • Increasing the focus on health promotion, prevention, early intervention and consumer empowerment
  • Improving quality, safety, performance and accountability
  • Information management
  • Workforce
  • Infrastructure

The consultation will be open until 22 April 2011. The Strategy, and information on how to submit comments, can be found on the ACT Health website at www.health.act.gov.au/communityconsultation

Members of the community, NGO representatives, GPs and other service providers are also invited to attend a Consultation Forum to provide comment on the draft Strategy. The forum will be held on Thursday 24 March 2011, from 6:00-8:00pm at CSIRO Discovery, Clunies Ross Street, Black Mountain, ACT.