Business ciritical steps in the planning process - panel discussion

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HealthOne NSW was seen by delegates as an opportunity to attract and retain health workforce. Effective integrated primary health care requires consideration of workforce roles and responsibilities, and the best possible use of the skills of the health professionals involved in the primary health care team. This may require some change to roles, for example Practice Nurses are now undertaking a number of tasks traditionally undertaken by GPs. There may be overlap in roles between community health and general practice. It is therefore essential to identify who will do what within a HealthOne NSW service to make best use of the skills of the various health professionals in a cost effective way.

 

Financial sustainability remains a challenge. While there was a view that without significant reform of the MBS, HealthOne NSW services would find it challenging to achieve financial sustainability, there was also a view that HealthOne NSW services should focus on getting the model of care developed and making the best use of existing resources to enable the model of care to be delivered.

 

The increasing attention being paid to primary health care by Commonwealth and state and territory governments was noted. Delegates thought that HealthOne NSW was making "history", and were hopeful that Commonwealth initiatives such as the current review of the MBS and the development of a national primary health care strategy would support their efforts.

 

General practice representatives were enthusiastic about the HealthOne NSW model, but found the sometimes lengthy and bureaucratic government processes frustrating. Managing community and other stakeholder expectations was seen as an important component of HealthOne NSW planning, but it was also acknowledged that some of the proposed HealthOne NSW services are very complex, involving multiple partners, complex capital processes and significant changes to work practices.

 

Some suggestions were made about service objectives. These included HealthOne NSW acting as an integration "hub" for patients being discharged from hospitals. From a hospital perspective, HealthOne NSW services could be seen as the link to the range of community health, general practice and other services required by patients. The potential role of HealthOne NSW needs to be promoted to acute services.

 

While chronic disease and complex aged populations are often the first priority in HealthOne NSW service planning, child and family health was also seen an important priority area. Delegates felt that community health, general practice and others (such as the proposed Commonwealth child and family health centres) need to plan and deliver services in collaboration so that comprehensive child and family health services can be provided.