Office of General Practice and Primary Care

The Office of General Practice and Primary Care (the Office) supports strong, accessible, and high-quality primary care for the ACT community.

We provide expert advice to government, and work across the ACT health system to strengthen general practice, improve coordination of care, and support education, research, and workforce development in primary care.

The Office is led by the Chief GP and Primary Care Advisor.

Role and functions

The Office of General Practice and Primary Care:

• provides expert advice on general practice and primary care to the ACT Government
• supports policy development affecting general practice and primary care services, and reflects the role of primary care in the health system
• works to improve coordination between general practice and primary care and the wider health system, including community services
• supports initiatives that improve quality, safety and access in primary care
• represents general practice and primary care in relevant system-wide and intergovernmental forums.

Supporting the community

Primary care, including general practice, plays a central role in keeping people well and supports care across a person’s life, and across the health system.

We contribute to better outcomes for the community by:

• informing government decisions that affect how primary care services are planned and supported, or that affect patient care in the community
• helping the health system respond to changing community needs
• supporting programs that deliver care early, close to home and in the community.

Education and workforce development

The Office supports education and workforce development in primary care by:

• working with the Australian National University’s (ANU) Academic Unit of General Practice (AUGP) to support
  • medical student and junior doctor clinical placements and teaching in general practice, and
  • general practitioners who teach and supervise medical students and junior doctors
• administering ACT programs that strengthen training and education in primary care.

Research

In partnership with the AUGP, the Office supports research that informs policy and improves care, including clinical, community‑based, workforce, and education‑focused research.

Programs

The Office provides leadership or administration for a range of ACT initiatives, including:

• the Kindergarten Health Check Program, delivered in partnership with Canberra Health Services
• grant and incentive programs supporting teaching and training in general practice
• the Peter Sharp Grant Program, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health education.

Partnerships

The Office works in collaboration with:

• GPs and primary care services
• ANU’s Academic Unit of General Practice
• the ACT’s Primary Health Network, Capital Health Network
• Canberra Health Services
• professional bodies and training organisations, such as the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
• community and consumer partners.

Contact us