Community and Primary Health Care Network

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.  

Digital Health Innovations in Primary Health Care

Tuesday 4 Jul 2023, 12:30 - 4:00pm at Sybil Centre, USyd Camperdown and online

The CPHCN together with the Digital Health Informatics Network presents an inspiring and informative program focused on digital innovations in primary health care. Join us for a networking lunch followed by showcase presentations and discussions starting with special guest keynote speaker Prof Paul Bowie from Glasgow University and NHS Education for Scotland showcasing digital tools to support patient safety in primary health care.

All are welcome to attend this free event with lunch and afternoon tea provided. The presentations will be streamed on Zoom.

Speakers

• Keynote Speaker Professor Paul Bowie  - Programme Director (Safety & Improvement) with NHS Education for Scotland – Digital tools to support patient safety in primary health care
• Dr Christopher Harrison - Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health – Community and Primary Health Care network data hubs
• Dr Julie Gordon – Research Fellow, WHO Collaborating Centre for Strengthening Rehabilitation Capacity in Health Systems/Centre for Disability Research and Policy, School of Health Sciences - Community and Primary Health Care data
• Dr Carissa Bonner – Senior Research Fellow, Menzies Centre for Health Policy & Economics, School of Public Health, FMH, USYD - Interactive risk communication tools in general practice
• Frances Barraclough – Senior Lecturer, Academic Coordinator Interdisciplinary Education, University Centre for Rural Health - VR module

Access to primary care the key to better health outcomes in rural and remote Australia

A new Royal Flying Doctor Service research report series, entitled ‘Best for the Bush, Rural and Remote Health Base Line 2022’, has recently been released. The report demonstrates significantly poorer health outcomes for people with limited access to primary health services and identifies the issues that most urgently need attention from service providers, funders and policy makers together with recommendations. Read the report linked on the RFDS website and learn more here > 

Community and Primary Health Care Strategic Plan 2022-2027

We are excited to share our Community and Primary Health Care (CPHC) Portfolio and Network Strategic Plan 2022-2027 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 >

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.

• Find out more about the Far West Extended Nursing Placement Program
  
• Destination Medicine - a podcast library created to assist anyone who has thought about a career as a rural doctor to make informed decisions and navigate with greater confidence a rural medical pathway.
• Western NSW Health Research Network
• Article: Learning relationships in community-based service-learning: a social network analysis
  

Consumer Involvement in Research

In 2022 CPHCN hosted a well-attended webinar exploring the importance of involving consumers in health research.  Chaired by Prof Sarah Lewis, FMH A/Dean Research Performance, the lunchtime webinar featured an expert panel of speakers including consumers with first-hand experience, and panelists from The University of Sydney, Health Consumers NSW and Sydney Health Partners.  Speakers shared recent research examples, consumer perspectives and plenty of helpful resources available to support researchers partnering with consumers in health research. From the webinar, further reading:

• Involving Health Consumers in Health and Medical Research (pdf): Enablers and Challenges from a Consumer Perspective (2017) HCNSW, Research4Me 
  
• A Consumer and Community Engagement Framework for the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (2020) (pdf) 
• Sydney Health Partners Consumer and Community Involvement resources 
• Co-designing a Lifestyle-Focused Text Message Intervention for Women After Breast Cancer Treatment: Mixed Methods Study 
• Monash Partners Remuneration and Reimbursement Guidelines Consumer and Community Involvement Activity (pdf)

Do you have a Community and Primary Health Care news item to share? Email the CPHCN.

Membership is free and open to postgraduate research students and employees of the University of Sydney and affiliated institutes working within fields related to Primary Health Care.

We also welcome and include consumers, primary health care professionals and our partners in government and industry. Complete our membership form to join.

A Primary Health Care approach

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.

Learn more about Primary Health Care