Presented at University of Melbourne, Wednesday 19 June 2019
Australia’s primary care system is no longer fit for purpose. Designed in and for another era, it is now failing in the prevention and management of chronic disease, the heaviest burden on today’s health system. Primary care is too often disconnected from specialist medical, psychologist and social-worker support, it rewards short consultations and is delivered by disparate GPs. In this presentation to the University of Melbourne’s Department of General Practice, Grattan Institute’s Health Program Director Stephen Duckett urges reform to lengthen GP consultations and reduce the number of avoidable hospital admissions.