ACT Division of General Practice (ACTDGP) has successfully applied to be one of the first Medicare Locals established under the Commonwealth Government’s Health Reform agenda.
“The establishment of an ACT Medicare Local as one of the first Medicare Locals offers general practitioners and the wider primary health care workforce a unique opportunity to really drive the health reform agenda in the ACT,” said ACTDGP President, Dr Rashmi Sharma.
“Recognising that general practice is the foundation of good primary health care, the new ACT Medicare Local will provide an expanded range of services to the wider primary health care community in the ACT, so that Canberrans can access better coordinated and integrated primary health services,” said Dr Sharma.
“We will be expanding our focus to include the whole primary health care sector in the ACT from 1 July 2011. We are ready to enhance primary health care, which can lower rates of hospitalisation and minimise health inequalities, leading to better health outcomes for all Canberrans,” said Dr Sharma.
“It is all about bringing together a fragmented health system so patients will find it easier to access the care they need. The ACT Medicare Local will have strong links to the new ACT Local Hospital Network, primary health professionals, service providers and local communities,” said Dr Sharma.
Chief Minister and Minister for Health Katy Gallagher MLA today added her support to the Division being in the first round of Medicare Locals. “The Division has well developed capabilities in areas such as eHealth, workforce development, practice support and education, to name a few. It also works closely with primary care agencies, making it well placed to provide the Canberra community with high quality services through the ACT Medicare Local,” the Chief Minister said.
ACTDGP received backing from a wide range of primary health care organisations, including state and national professional associations, peak health bodies, service providers and consumer organisations.
“We will build on our experience with general practice to further strengthen our partnerships with these organisations to be effective as the ACT Medicare Local,” said Dr Sharma.
Canberra is facing challenges such as an ageing and growing population and increasing rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes. The ACT Medicare Local will better position ACT primary health care services to face these challenges.
"We will see improved patient health outcomes as streamlined delivery of care is increased, particularly for people in the community with a chronic condition. Patients will be better able to negotiate a complex health system," said Dr Sharma.
The first of two early initiatives the Medicare Local expects to complete in the coming months is the implementation of a secure electronic online messaging system between general practice and the broader primary health care community to allow allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists, to access eReferrals from GPs. This will assist effective two-way communication between these health care professionals in a timely manner.
The second initiative sees the newly established ACT Medicare Local work with all primary health care providers and ACT Health to implement a comprehensive Health Services Directory for the ACT, which will allow the community and health professionals to access a comprehensive "yellow pages" of local health services.
"Over time, Canberrans will also see an increase in preventive health programs and community health service opportunities geared around keeping our community healthier and keeping people out of hospital longer," said Dr Sharma.
ACTDGP is confident the establishment of an ACT Medicare Local will enhance primary health care in the ACT through:
- Working closely with general practitioners and other local health care professionals to ensure services are integrated so patients can easily access the services they need.
- The facilitation of allied health care and other support for people with chronic conditions.
- Working to ensure the availability of after hours services in the ACT.
- Identifying groups of people missing out on GP and primary health care services, and responding to those gaps by better targeting local services.
- Working with the ACT Local Hospital Network to assist with the transition of patients out of hospital and, if required, into aged care.
- Delivering health promotion and preventive health programs to communities with identified risk factors.
The vision of the ACT Medicare Local is to dynamically lead primary health care by providing responsive solutions based on evidence and population health information to support general practitioners and primary health care clinicians to deliver best practice patient care.
The ACT Medicare Local is part of a nation-wide network, supporting health professionals to improve the delivery of local primary health care services, through the Commonwealth Government¡¦s national health reform agenda. The ACT Medicare Local will commence in the first round of 19 Medicare Locals.
For more information please phone Roz Lemon on 0417 179 314 or email media@actml.com.au.