The American Journal of Bioethics

Running head: NATIONAL PRIMARY HEALTH CARE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
NATIONAL PRIMARY HEALTH CARE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

NATIONAL PRIMARY HEALTH STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK1
Introduction
The National Primary Health Care (PHC) Strategic Framework was introduced by the
Department of Health in 2013, with the purpose of ensuring positive outcomes of health across
the entire Australian population. The third strategy focusses upon the deliverance of early
interventions, screening, health promotion and disease prevention services across the Australian
population, based on the social determinants of health (Department of Health, 2013). The
following paper will thus focus upon the current health issue of poor health outcomes of socially
disadvantaged groups in Australian by comparing with above PHC Strategy and the primary
health principles developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Discussion
National PHC Framework Strategy and Public Health Issue
With this respect, Strategic Outcomes 3 of the National PHC Strategic Framework targets
the improvements in deliverance and planning of healthcare services based on the prevalence of
factors like education, housing, employment, transport and infrastructure influencing the health
of individual and groups. Strategic Outcome 3 also emphasizes the need to incorporate social and
economic based partnerships while addressing the healthcare needs of individuals whose health
is influenced by social determinants (Department of Health, 2013).
Despite the acknowledgement and consideration of the important role of social health
determinants in the Australian population’s health status, disparities and gaps in healthcare
continue to be a major public health issue inflicting the nation (Bentley et al., 2016). According
to the National Rural Health Alliance, approximately 31% of gaps and disparities in healthcare
across the Australian population were contributed by socioeconomic issues like lack of health

NATIONAL PRIMARY HEALTH STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK2
service accessibility, unemployment and education. Additionally, the Alliance also reported that
factors like levels of education, average income, remoteness of location and lack of employment
choices and opportunities are the key contributors of poor outcomes of health and high burden of
disease across disadvantaged, minatory communities such as Indigenous Australians and rural
populations (National Rural Health Alliance, 2019).
Social Determinants of Health
Equity is a key social determinant of health and implies that, existing healthcare services,
resources and products must be equally accessible, accountable and affordable for all individuals,
irrespective of their educational levels, employment status, socioeconomic status, race, culture,
gender or age. When healthcare organizations so not take into consideration the social health
determinants of equity in their healthcare services, then it is likely that economically or socially
underprivileged minority communities will be deprived of basic health resources which further
paves the way for poor health outcomes (Fisher et al., 2016). However, Strategic Outcome 3 of
the National PHC Strategic Framework addresses these issues via implementation of a number of
healthcare policies and programs. For example, policies like ‘Closing the Gap’ aims provide
equitable and culturally competent healthcare promotion services to Indigenous populations via
the recruitment of Liaison Officers (ALOs) in healthcare organizations. Additionally, programs
such as the ‘Bi-Cultural Community Health Program’, the ‘Refugee Health Nurse Program’ and
additional healthcare professionals like ‘Community Engagement Officers’ aim to address the
specific health needs of individuals who are homeless, belong to refugee communities or belong
to culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse populations (Department of Health, 2013).
Justice as a social determinant of health, implies that healthcare organizations must
deliver services which are fair for all individual and communities. For example, lack of funding