THE federal government has selected a consortium as the “preferred potential operator” of the new Western NSW Primary Health Network (PHN).
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Western NSW Medicare Local (WML) is the lead agency in the consortium.
WML chief executive officer Jenny Beange has told of its “exclusive” talks with the Department of Health.
“We will work with all partner organisations to ensure rapid establishment of the PHN and a smooth transition of services from Medicare Locals,” she said.
Dr Beange said WML was a recognised leader in “primary health innovation, integration and value for money”.
“We will deliver over 80,000 occasions of services this year to rural and remote communities in GP and practice support services, mental health, Aboriginal health, allied health, after-hours services and specialists services,” she said.
The WML released a statement after the National Rural Health Alliance called on the government to provide the necessary resources for new PHNs to fill service gaps in Australia’s rural and remote communities.
The alliance had reported that PHNs differed from Medicare Locals in that they would not be direct service providers unless they could prove that gaps in services could not be filled by market forces for reasons including small populations.
It called the PHNs “facilitators or fund holders” as it urged the government to use “existing data and evidence” in determining which PHNs needed extra resources to provide services themselves or through separate service entities.
Medicare Locals in what the government calls 61 “fragmented regions” are making way for 31 PHNs from July 1.
An independent review found that Medicare Locals delivered “inconsistent” health services, their administration expenditure was “up to 40 per cent of all costs” and they lacked transparency.
Federal health minister Sussan Ley said PHNs would work directly with GPs, other primary health care providers, secondary care providers, hospitals and the broader community to “ensure improved outcomes for patients”.
“The key difference between Primary Health Networks and Medicare Locals is that PHNs will focus on improving access to frontline services, not backroom bureaucracy,” she said.
Dr Beange did not identify the other members of the consortium.
