Tasmania’s new primary health organisation

Tasmania has a new force in the drive for a coordinated, primary care-focused health system.

Primary Health Tasmania will support general practice – as the cornerstone of the health care system – and other community-based providers to deliver the best possible care for Tasmanians, Chair Dr Judith Watson said today.

It will also spearhead a collaborative approach to ensure people moving through all parts of the health system receive streamlined care.

“There is broad agreement that the Tasmanian health system is fragmented with too much emphasis on hospital-based care,” Dr Watson said.

“Government, health professionals and the community recognise the need to focus on keeping people well and out of hospital and providing care in the community whenever safe and appropriate to do so.
“Primary Health Tasmania will help drive change so that we have a coordinated system delivering the right care in the right place at the right time by the right people.

“We will have a particular focus on people most at risk of poor health outcomes, such as those with chronic health conditions and people who have a poor foundation for good health because of social determinants including education, employment and housing.”

Primary Health Tasmania begins operation on Wednesday 1 July under the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Programme, which has replaced the national Medicare Local programme.

Tasmania Medicare Local successfully tendered to establish Tasmania’s primary health network. The previous primary health organisation ceases operations today (30 June), with its services and programs transitioning to the new organisation. Tasmania Medicare Local CEO Phil Edmondson is CEO of Primary Health Tasmania.

Primary Health Tasmania activities aimed at streamlining care for Tasmanians include:

• care coordination services to support people with chronic health conditions and frail elderly people
• ‘Talking Points’ guidelines to support good communication between health professionals working in different parts of the health and aged care systems
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• the ‘Passport to Better Health’, to help people keep their health professionals in the loop about their care journey
• the Tasmanian HealthPathways portal, guiding GPs and other health care providers through comprehensive local care pathways for patients with particular medical conditions
• supporting use of technology by health professionals to link different parts of the health and aged care systems, including eHealth records.

During 2015-16 the organisation will also manage programs and deliver services in areas including Aboriginal health, after hours medical care (including commissioning the GP Assist telephone-based support service), allied health, mental health, and refugee health.

Provider support activities will include information and resources, professional development, training and networking opportunities.

Tasmanian Health Assistance Package initiatives which the Australian Government had funded Tasmania Medicare Local to undertake will continue under Primary Health Tasmania for the final year of the package. They are in the areas of coordinating and streamlining care and addressing the social determinants of health and health risk factors.

Another key priority will be identifying service gaps and collaborating on solutions to address them.

“Clinical leadership and community guidance will be key pillars in our decision-making processes,” Dr Watson said.

A key difference between Tasmania Medicare Local and Primary Health Tasmania will be the new entity’s likely move away from direct service delivery in the future. Current direct service delivery is in the areas of Aboriginal health, allied health services for people with chronic conditions, care coordination, mental health and refugee health.

“The Australian Government has said that in the second year of operation, that is in 2016-17, primary health networks will transition to being commissioning entities rather than providers of services,” Dr Watson said.

“We will continue to explore options for supporting existing community-based providers to take on increasing levels of service delivery to meet the needs of local communities. It’s important to note that there is an option for us to apply to continue service delivery if no-one else can do it.”

She said the primary health networks would face an elevated level of measurement of efficiency, effectiveness and value for money, and Primary Health Tasmania would replicate this robust accountability in relation to any services it commissioned.

Primary Health Tasmania will work closely with the new Tasmanian Health Service, which replaces the three former Tasmanian Health Organisations as of 1 July and is responsible for the state’s public hospitals and community health system.

Dr Watson welcomed the acknowledgment in the State Government’s White Paper, released this week, of the important role of primary care and preventive health in improving the health of Tasmanians, as well as the need to improve coordination, collaboration and integration across primary, community and acute health services.

Primary Health Tasmania is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation working to connect care and keep Tasmanians well and out of hospital.
Primary Health Tasmania