Page 12 - RFDS TASMANIA - Senior Health Studies presentation _ Final Version v4_Neat

Defining Primary

Health Care

There are some differing views in the health industry here and
overseas as to what is precisely meant by primary health care.

For the purposes of the RFDS National Health Strategy, the term primary
health care is used in two ways:

• An approach to the way health care is organised and delivered; and
• The level and type of service we provide.

Our approach to primary health care is concerned with:

• Collaborative networking;
• Encouraging consumer and community involvement;
• Effectively balancing health care priorities of individual and immediate needs against
group and longer term needs;
• Encouraging a partnership with secondary and tertiary sectors; and
• Promoting equity in health outcomes and health access of individuals and groups.

RFDS defines the level and type of primary health care service as the first level contact with health services,
for example general practitioners, child health, community health, pharmacists and
domiciliary nursing.

This contrasts with secondary health care (for example, hospitals and medical health specialists,) and tertiary
health care (for example, teaching hospitals).

7.