Divisions and SBOs should use the current version of both the Program and Financial Pro formas to develop the 2006-07 Annual Plans. These are the same pro formas used for the 6 Month Progress Reports due 15 February 2006. If you do not have this version of your plan, contact PHC RIS.

Divisions and SBOs have 2 options to achieve this, described as follows:

1. Use the updated plan (provided by the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHC RIS) on 19 December 2005) and modify it with planning information for 2006/07.
   1. Add non-compulsory national or local indicators that were not included last year and that you wish to include in this plan (national indicators can be copied from the blank pro forma available from the PHC RIS website).
   2. Remove (Delete) non-compulsory indicators included in 2005-06 plan
      that you do not want to include in the 2006-07 plan.
   3. Update the strategic approaches identified for your Agreement Plan,
      only if required (see also FAQ#3).
   4. Describe the key activities to be performed during the year (see also
      FAQ#3).
2. Use an empty version of the pro forma available from the PHC RIS website. In this case follow the instruction from the User Guide, making sure it is consistent with your Agreement Plan, i.e. it includes all the Domains, Objectives, and Strategic Approaches presented in your 2005-06 Annual Plan.

The department understands that should the pro formas be amended in the future due to outcomes of the 6 or 12 month reporting processes or any developments within the IM strategy or planning and reporting working groups, the department would need to consider carefully the issue of transposing the Plans, suitable timeframes for introduction and suitable associated support.

Indicators across the levels that must be responded to are marked ‘compulsory’. Divisions and SBOs are required to include all the compulsory indicators within their Annual Plans.

Divisions and SBOs must clearly indicate which other National Performance Indicators they will also report against in the Annual Plan. This may be best achieved by deleting the non-compulsory indicators which you are not intending to include and report against.

Page 4:29 of the User Guide for the National Planning and Reporting Pro forma (in the resource 'Future Directions – your Toolkit for Implementation') outlines the requirements for the preparation of Annual Plans using the national pro forma. Annual Plans must include activities and performance indicators.

Objectives and strategies are completed to form Agreement Plans. With regard to strategies, on page 4:24 the User Guide also explains:

"Although your strategies are part of your three-year Agreement Plan, they may be modified during the funding period. You can review and adapt them according to your Division’s requirements at the end of each reporting period in preparation for the following Annual Plan."

Further details about each of the planning and reporting areas can be found in User Guides for Divisions and SBOs in the resource 'Future Directions your Toolkit for Implementation'.

Divisions are able to report on one, a combination or all of these categories - the Division will determine which arrangements they focus their activities and report on, in keeping with identified local needs and priorities. Similarly, a Division can add its own local priorities as indicated by Type 5 - other patients (as specified).

Every effort has been made to not embed specific structures and/or processes within the indicators, to allow maximum flexibility for Divisions.
Rather than dictate the mechanism for community input (which will depend on organisational structure, local community and other factors), the indicators are targeting more the existence of a mechanism and its effectiveness.
Appropriate and acceptable mechanisms will vary and do not lend themselves to bonus points.

The Division decides local domain names

The Department encourages the use of levels, as long as they are consistent with the definitions in the framework i.e. Level 1: Division process/structure, Level 2: general practice/GPs structures/processes, Level 3: processes of care for patents families communities and Level 4: intermediate health outcomes. However, it is not compulsory to do this - Divisions have flexibility around local indicators.

The organisation of the plan is not a pass or fail test but more of a system of best fit and that will depend on the primary purpose or intent of the activity. For specific guidance, your SBO and STO may provide assistance.

Divisions must report on all compulsory indicators (marked 'compulsory') except for two of the three chronic disease domains. It is worth noting there is capacity within the new planning and reporting pro forma for Divisions to report any exceptional or extenuating circumstances.

• The PHC RIS Assist Service (formerly PHC RIS Help desk) will be available to respond to queries on the functionality and amendments of the pro forma on 1800 025 882, or the "ask a question" on-line form.
• Web links against the national performance indicators in the planning and reporting pro forma are being established. These link to the relevant performance indicator technical specifications, relevant guidelines and where available, worked examples of reporting against that indicator. You can view this same information by starting at the Indicators list.
• Support is also available from ADGP, SBOs and state and territory offices of the department.