Working together for a better health care system

Abstract

Research findings and government reports indicate Australia\u27s primary health care workforce is facing significant challenges and is lagging behind in its use of teamwork approaches. The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission report finds that multi-disciplinary teams could help provide better primary health care services. However, getting GPs, nurses and other health care professionals to work together requires inter-professional learning. Professor Debra Humphris provided an overview of the impact of teamwork development within primary health care in the UK and its implications for the way services are delivered in Australia. Professor Humphris is Pro Vice-Chancellor of Education and Professor of Health Care Development at the University of Southampton, UK. She has expertise in inter-professional education and health workforce planning. Professor Humphris led the Health Care Innovation Unit which was established in 2003 to take an innovative and leading role in the development of the health and public sector workforce. It focuses on inter-professional learning and brings together health, social care and education practitioners working in the area of children and families service. The work of the Unit includes the ground-breaking New Generation Project, which has seen the integration of inter-professional learning in all health and social care programs within the University of Southampton and the University of Portsmouth.  Professor Humphris was an International Visiting Fellow with the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, ANU College of Medecine, Biology and the Environment when she gave this lecture.   Other Materials Presentation (PDF, 646KB