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General Practice
With approximately 90 per cent of the population visiting a General Practitioner (GP) at least once a year, GPs are well placed to provide a range of diagnostic, pharmaceutical and specialist services to the community. GPs are also in an ideal position to provide preventative advice in relation to the risk factors that contribute to many chronic diseases. In the provision of these services to the community, General Practices no longer operate in isolation of other services. There is a widespread recognition across the primary health care sector that what is achieved in general practice depends not only on what GPs themselves do, but also on the way practice resources are harnessed and the extent to which they are integrated with other primary health care services. The Divisions of General Practice Program Divisions of General Practice were established in 1992 to enhance communication and integration between GPs and the wider health system. They have since evolved and now also aim to improve the health of the community by encouraging GP collaboration with other health professionals in the delivery of quality health care. The Divisions of General Practice Program is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing as a component of its general strategy. There are currently 121 Divisions in Australia, with 37 Divisions in NSW (20 urban and 17 rural). All Divisions vary in physcial size, number and distribution of members and supporting infrastructure. More than 90% of GPs are members of a Division. According to the 2001-2002 Annual Survey of Divisions there are 7132 GPs in NSW with 5626 classified in Urban Divisions and 1506 in Rural Divisions. The Divisions Program has been successful in alleviating the professional isolation experienced by many GPs, facilitating GP participation in health planning and policy development, identifying and targeting population health priorities at a local level, providing GPs with continuing professional development and improving the quality of general practice. See the Divisions of General Practice site for further information. Alliance of NSW Divisions Limited The Alliance of NSW Divisions Ltd (the Alliance) was established as a support organisation for Divisions of General Practice, to facilitate closer cooperation between Divisions and to provide statewide coordination of Divisional activities. Today, the Alliance is a Registered Training Organisation that provides quality programs and resources to enhance the capacity of Divisions and primary health care. NSW Health has provided a funding grant in 2003 / 2004 to the Alliance of NSW Divisions to support the implementation of a Population Health and Immunisation Program. This Program is broadly designed to assist the Divisions of General Practice improve and/or develop population health programs relevant to their local area, facilitate capacity building, collaboration and networking opportunities and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Alliance to be the peak support organisation for General Practice. See the Alliance website for further information: www.answd.com.au. |
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