> Resources and Publications > PHC RIS infonet > August 2006 > ASD 2004-2005

Making the Connections - Report of the 2004-2005 Annual Survey of Divisions

PHC RIS is pleased to announce that Making the connections - Report of the 2004-2005 Annual Survey of Divisions is will be available shortly. If you would like to receive a hard copy of this report please contact PHC RIS Assist on 1800 025 882, or via email at phcris@flinders.edu.au. Alternately, visit www.phcris.org.au for an electronic copy.

The drive to make connections was part of the original rationale for the Divisions of General Practice program. Information provided in the Annual Survey of Divisions of General Practice, and documented in Making the connections, demonstrates that in 2004-05 Divisions increasingly operated as large networked organisations with extensive and efficient connections to a range of other members of the Divisions Network, health care services and providers, institutions and community organisations.

The connection with general practice is fundamental to the Divisions Network. Divisions support GPs to work together by fostering connections within and between practices, among GPs, practice nurses, practice managers, other members of the practice team, consumers and other health care providers.

About 20% of Divisions reported collaborative partnerships as their greatest success. Divisions relate to a wide range of other organisations to achieve their objectives. Over 1,000 formal reciprocal agreements (such as memoranda of understanding) were in place involving almost all Divisions in 2004-05, ensuring collaborative work with other organisations in the Divisions Network, all levels of government, health care, and research. This represents a 45% increase from the previous year in the number of Divisions with these agreements. Divisions made connections with other organisations to obtain data to plan, monitor or evaluate activities, and with universities, members of the Divisions Network, other research bodies, professional organisations and private consultancies, for planning, research and evaluation support.

This ASD report shows increases in the number of Divisions reporting structured shared care activities for aged care, collaborating with residential aged care facilities (RACFs) to improve GP care of the aged, and conducting aged care programs or activities with a population or comprehensive focus. The increases are associated with Australian Government initiatives introduced to address primary health care access for community dwelling older Australians and those in RACFs, and suggest that the initiatives have translated from policy to practice through the activities of Divisions.

Division links within the Network are valuable for the transfer of knowledge and resources as they facilitate learning from others with existing expertise, skill sets or resources. The increasing number of connections between members of the Divisions Network and the broader health community are crucial to ensure the sustainability of the health system.