The Department of Health and Aged Care has launched a new review to see how health professionals work across their primary health care system and whether they can operate more effectively.
The ‘Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce Review’ is now on the way with the review team wanting to hear from anyone with an interest in the practice of Australia’s health professionals working in primary care.
In this first call for submissions the review team is seeking views about the barriers and the enablers to working to full scope of practice.
The team wants to hear from: The health care workforce; Consumers; Governments; Health professions; Regulators; Education and training providers; Employers and professional bodies; Funders; Indemnity and private health insurance providers: and Anyone else with an interest in health practitioners’ cope of practice.
The review also seeks examples of conditions that have enabled multi-disciplinary teams to work at the top of their scope of practice delivering better care.
It said examples could be: First-hand accounts; or Reference to available literature.
The reviewers said the report Strengthening Medicare Taskforce explored critical areas for Government action to redesign primary care as the core of an effective, modern health system.
“The report recommended governments work together to review the barriers and incentives for primary health care professionals working to their full scope of practice,” the reviewers said.
“National Cabinet endorsed the taskforce recommendations on 28 April 2023. The Australian Government provided funding for the now under way scope of practice review through the 2023-24 Budget.”
Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce is an independent review, led by Professor Mark Cormack. It will look at evidence about health professionals’ ability to deliver on their full scope of practice in primary care.
“The review will identify opportunities to remove the barriers stopping health professionals working to their full scope of practice,” it said.
“It will also look for examples of multi-disciplinary teams working together at the top of their scope of practice to deliver best practice primary care.”
It said the review was important as it will explore the system changes and practical improvements needed to support greater productivity and improved, safe and affordable care for patients.
“With the right technology, innovation and regulation in place, the health care system can gain the full benefit of professional skills and expertise,” it said.
The reviewers said submissions would be open until 16 October 2023.
The Terms of Reference and an online survey can be accessed at the PS News link.
