> Resources and Publications > PHC RIS infonet > August 2007

Editorial: Is general practice changing?

In an age of instant gratification, it's easy to become disillusioned and frustrated that some things in health services seem to take so long to change. However, our own perceptions of gradual change can be fallible. We can't always rely on people in a mobile workforce remembering the status quo a year ago and five years becomes long forgotten history. When change is gradual, how do we know that it has occurred?

Longitudinal data collections can show us where we were compared to where we are now. They are a valuable resource for holding on to corporate ‘memory', but are not usually available and are rarely comprehensive. Through the foresight of those involved at the inception of the Divisions of General Practice Program, we are fortunate in having such a longitudinal data collection about this program. The first Annual Survey of Divisions (ASD) in 1993-94 examined the establishment of the Divisions Program following the 10 demonstration Divisions. The annual data collection has continued through PHC RIS since 1997-98, building our knowledge about general practice and the Divisions Network.

The team in general practice is just one area where the ASD illustrates major changes have taken place. In 1992 multi-disciplinary care and nurses within the general practice setting were not on the agenda. In 2005-06 practice nurses were working in 44% of Australian practices, supported by Divisions in many ways. Instead of Divisions being organisations with exclusively GP membership, 64 of 119 Divisions included practice staff and allied health workers as members of their organisations (see article on page 8).

Although we may think nothing has happened, analysis of the ASD longitudinal data set provides evidence that change has indeed occurred, which is reassuring to the many people working on national policies, new funding arrangements, and managing change in general practice.