> Publications & presentations > PHC RIS infonet > December 2006

Editorial: PHCRED - are we a community of practice?

Are those involved with the Primary Health Care Research Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) Strategy a community of practice, given that such a concept refers to "the process of social learning that occurs when people who have a common interest in some subject or problem, collaborate over an extended period to share ideas, find solutions, and build innovations"? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_of_practice)

The annual national meetings of the Primary Health Care Research Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) Strategy are key opportunities supporting the collaboration of key people associated with PHCRED. These people share a common interest in advancing the development of primary health care research (including evaluation as a form of research) both in terms of its quality and its incorporation in policy and practice. Delegates to the fifth such meeting held in Adelaide on 2 November consisted primarily of Directors and Coordinators of the 25 university departments of general practice and rural health (the fund holders), and staff from the Primary Care Research Section of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (the funder). As well as sharing ideas and information about the Strategy, strategic discussions were held to further enhance many aspects of primary health care research. While inevitable barriers have affected how well this community has worked together, much has been achieved since 2001 when we first met. One particular barrier is the effort required to build relationships within a community characterised by high turnover in both groups. While there were 65 researchers at the November meeting, only a handful have been involved with the Strategy since it commenced in 2001, and the current staff members from the Primary Care Section who came to Adelaide have been involved with this Strategy for a few weeks to just over one year.

The fact that these meetings are so well attended testifies to their importance to building relationships so that the collaboration can work effectively in finding solutions and building innovations, to ensure that primary health care research in Australia will contribute to improving health outcomes in this country.