Divisions of general practice:a status review

Abstract

This paper looks at the emergence of divisions of general practice in Australia.Divisions are local groups of general practitioners working to integrate general practiceinto the wider health system and to explore opportunities for improving servicedelivery, teaching and research. There are now 116 divisions of general practice,covering over 95- per cent of the Australian population. Projects and infrastructurefunding was approximately $35 million in 1994?95.Divisions have enabled general practitioners to retain their autonomy whileresponding to a government health reform process which depends on theirparticipation. They are a uniquely Australian solution to the problems confrontinggeneral practice in the 1990s, bridging the gap that previously existed betweenindividual general practitioners and the health system as a whole.The Divisions and Projects program is being evaluated using a variety ofmethods which allow feedback into the program in a timely way. The program thusremains sensitive to new strategies and directions, either from the general practitionersthemselves or from other stakeholders.