Role of Australian primary healthcare organisations (PHCOs) in primary healthcare (PHC) workforce planning: lessons from abroad
Lucio Naccarella A D , James Buchan B , Bill Newton C and Peter Brooks A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A The Australian Health Workforce Institute (AHWI), The University of Melbourne, Level 3, 766 Elizabeth Street, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Email: brooksp@unimelb.edu.au
B Queen Margaret University, Scotland, UK, Queen Margaret University Drive, Musselburgh, East Lothian, EH21 6UU, UK. Email: jbuchan@qmu.ac.uk
C General Practice Victoria, 1st floor, 458 Swanston Street, Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia. Email: b.newton@gpv.org.au
D Corresponding author. Email: l.naccarella@unimelb.edu.au
Australian Health Review 35(3) 262-266 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH10934
Submitted: 8 June 2010 Accepted: 30 November 2010 Published: 25 August 2011
Abstract
Objective. To review international experience in order to inform Australian PHC workforce policy on the role of primary healthcare organisations (PHCOs/Medicare Locals) in PHC workforce planning.
Method. A NZ and UK study tour was conducted by the lead author, involving 29 key informant interviews with regard to PHCOs roles and the effect on PHC workforce planning. Interviews were audio-taped with consent, transcribed and analysed thematically.
Results. Emerging themes included: workforce planning is a complex, dynamic, iterative process and key criteria exist for doing workforce planning well; PHCOs lacked a PHC workforce policy framework to do workforce planning; PHCOs lacked authority, power and appropriate funding to do workforce planning; there is a need to align workforce planning with service planning; and a PHC Workforce Planning and Development Benchmarking Database is essential for local planning and evaluating workforce reforms.
Conclusion. With the Australian government promoting the role of PHCOs in health system reform, reflections from abroad highlight the key action within PHC and PHCOs required to optimise PHC workforce planning.
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