The Balmain Hospital General Practice Casualty: An alternative model of primary health care provision

Abstract

The Balmain Hospital General Practice Casualty is a unique casualty style service,staffed and run by local general practitioners. It is a joint initiative of the CentralSydney Area Health Service and the Division of General Practice, Central SydneyArea, and is jointly funded by the Area Health Service and the Commonwealth.The casemix seen and type of services provided suggest that the service is intermediatebetween that provided by general practitioners and that provided by emergencydepartments. The service is well accepted by patients and local general practitioners.A number of benefits are seen by both service providers and users in terms ofcontinuity of care and increased general practitioner skills.