The Community and Primary Health Care Network (CPHCN) is building strong partnerships between the University, Primary Health Care organisations and people in the community. Our aim is to promote and embed a Primary Health Care approach centred on meeting people’s health needs throughout their whole life.
Our Faculty of Medicine and Health delivers education and research programs that encompass widest array of healthcare disciplines of any University in Australia. Primary Health Care principles and newly emerging models of care are integral to supporting a high quality, high performing Australian healthcare system.
Primary Health Care is defined by the World Health Organisation as essential health care that is universally accessible and meets people’s health needs throughout their lives. We are dedicated to achieving this by embedding a Primary Health Care approach to research, education and engagement.
A Primary Health Care approach is a whole of society approach. It includes methods of health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. It addresses the broader determinants of health through multisectoral policy and action, an importantly, empowers individuals, families and communities to take charge of their own health and care.
A research study is being undertaken to explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals who work with pharmacists to provide mental healthcare to people living with mental illness in the community. The study also aims to identify needs and strategies to enhance interprofessional collaboration. Healthcare professionals currently in practice who support mental healthcare, including General Practitioners, nurses, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers, are being invited to participate.
Participants will take part in a 60-minute online interview, receive reimbursement for their time, and contribute valuable insights to enhance collaboration in mental healthcare. Further information is available here. Please contact Dr Ricki Ng with any questions.
Researchers at the University of Sydney are seeking participants for a study examining the impact of combined vision and hearing loss (dual sensory impairment, or DSI) on older adults and the close family members who care for them. Previous studies show that older adults with DSI often experience social isolation, loneliness, depression, and reduced participation in daily activities. Family members, such as a spouse, partner, or adult child, also play a vital role in supporting people with DSI in their daily lives.
Adults aged over 65 with both hearing and vision loss, along with their family carers, are invited to take part in this study to help better understand the impacts of DSI on individuals and families.
For more information see here or contact Dr Moira Dunsmore with any questions or to express interest.
Hearty congratulations to Sydney Pharmacist Dr Shania Liu who was recently recognised internationally as a winner of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Early Career in Pharmaceutical Practice Recognition Award 2024. Dr Liu is the immediate past Chair of the Pain Management Leadership Committee of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia. Her research involves the improvement of the safe use of opioids before and after surgery.
Congratulations to Professor Meredith Makeham who has received funding under the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Targeted Call for Research: Ensuring the quality and safety of telehealth.
Professor Makeham’s research project will examine the safety, quality, acceptability, and sustainability of using telehealth services for individuals living in residential aged care homes.
We are excited to share our Community and Primary Health Care (CPHC) Portfolio and Network Strategic Plan 2022-2027 (pdf, 7.4MB) officially launched in December.
In this plan, we describe the initiatives that we will deliver to meet our community and primary health care strategic goals over the next five years. It has been created with input from consumers, community and advocacy organisations, healthcare providers and colleagues from Primary Health Networks and Local Health Districts who share our vision of healthcare that delivers equity and access for all.
Thank you to all of our CPHC champions across the University and within our external partner organisations who have provided invaluable contributions to developing our plan. Our ability to translate our goals into tangible benefits for our community will be enhanced by working together.
View the Strategic Plan (pdf, 7.4MB)
Keep an eye out for upcoming events by the Community and Primary Health Care Network.
We marked the World Health Organization’s World Patient Safety Day on 30 September 2025 at The Sibyl Centre, The Women’s College, University of Sydney.
This year’s theme, “Safe care for every newborn and every child”, calls for urgent action to prevent harm from the very start of life. Our symposium brought together leading experts from Australia, Sweden and the United States to explore innovative and evidence-based strategies for improving child health safety across all settings.
The Community and Primary Health Care Network co-hosted a seminar showcasing new models of virtual care and telehealth technologies in the community for older Australians. The event was co-hosted in collaboration with The Kolling Institute, Sydney North Health Network and Sydney Health Partners' Virtual Care Clinical Academic Group and Geriatric Medicine Clinical Academic Group.
The event brought together consumers, clinicians and digital health experts at the forefront of developing and delivering new models of virtual care in the region and beyond. The event included presentations on innovative new technologies being developed and delivered by the North Sydney Primary Health Network in collaboration with GPs and residential aged care homes in the Northern Sydney Region, an update on the Virtual Care Service at Royal North Shore Hospital, and additional updates on research, innovation and services being developed in the field of virtual care and technology supporting older Australians in NSW and beyond from experts from Sydney Health Partners.
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The Network recognised WHO World Patient Safety Day recently with an event celebrating the faculty's recent partnering with Health Consumers NSW. The event's discussions centred on empowering consumers as partners in our healthcare system as well as improving diagnosis, both critical to improving patient safety.
Keynote Kirsten McCaffery from the Sydney Health Literacy Lab spoke about partnering with consumers to develop and evaluate new interventions to strengthen digital health literacy. Anthony Brown, CEO Health Consumers NSW, then chaired a panel discussion with Anne Duggan from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare, Karen Luxford of the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards, Andrew Wilson from the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission and Health Consumer leader Laila Hallam.
The CPHCN and the Sydney Policy Lab recently celebrated World Patient Safety Day with the Patient Safety and Person-Centred Care Symposium exploring innovative models of care, safety practices and policies that keep the person at the centre of decision-making. Speakers:
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Co-presented by the CPHCN together with the Digital Health Informatics Network with guest speaker Prof Paul Bowie from Glasgow University and emerging CPHC Sydney researchers.
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Co-presented by the CPHCN, Cancer Research Network and the Daffodil Centre with presentations by Prof Karen Canfell, Prof Deborah Bateson, A/Prof Megan Smith with cervical cancer survivor and advocate Kirsty Brown and Prof Alison Brand.
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Community-University collaborations: addressing health service needs and workforce development
Broadcasting live from Broken Hill with panellists online in Lismore and Dubbo on Zoom, this CPHCN webinar focused on our rural and regional Schools and their connections in their local communities.
An expert panel of Primary Health Networks (PHN) leaders presented an engaging webinar in May focused on the the valuable role PHNs play in supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities. The panel described the national PHN agenda and highlighted some key programs of work, including collaborative commissioning and climate change and mental health. We heard about the vital role of PHNs in dealing with the impacts of COVID and extreme weather, including the recent floods in Northern NSW. Speakers also provided a researcher’s 101 guide on how to engage with PHNs and the Primary Health Care clinicians and communities they serve.
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The CPHC Network Leadership Group represents the CPHC disciplines within the University and key external and affiliated partners in fields relating to CPHC:
