Primary Health Networks and Local Health Districts

Running head: PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORKS AND LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS 1
Primary Health Networks and Local Health Districts
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PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORKS AND LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS 2
CONTENT PAGE
Table of Contents
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................................................................................................3
1.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................4
2.0Primary Health Networks.......................................................................................................................4
3.0 comparison between PHNs and the local health districts.......................................................................5
1. The budget.......................................................................................................................................5
2. Functions.........................................................................................................................................6
3. Accountability.................................................................................................................................7
4.0 primary health networks vs. local health districts..................................................................................7
5.0 Possible challenges to face the primary health networks.......................................................................8
6.0 conclusion..............................................................................................................................................8
7.0 recommendations...................................................................................................................................9
8.0 References...........................................................................................................................................10

PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORKS AND LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS 3
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The report focused on the newly introduced primary health networks which are meant to replace
the local medical care systems. The research looked at the coverage of the PHNs in the New
Wales State and established that the new arrangements entirely covered the region. The study
then looked at the comparison between the local health districts and the primary health networks
on the basis on budget, functions, and accountability. The study found that the budget disparity
between the two systems is not significantly great but that the local health districts demand a
larger budget. The report also shows the contrast between the local health districts and the PHNs.
The difference is established to be regarding management, the scope of operations, community
involvement, and disease coverage. Furthermore, the report records the likely challenges that
may affect the PHNs in NSW which include corruption from the private organizations, inequality
in service delivery, and the ability to cater for the people living in the remote areas of the region.
The report ends by offering recommendations to improve the new regime which included; the
involvement of the NSW ministry of health, the formation of a management board composed of
individuals with managerial skills, a collaboration between the PHNs and the local health
districts, and an expansion on the disease coverage by the PHNs.

PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORKS AND LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS 4
1.1 Introduction
The New South Wales (NSW) government via the NSW ministry of health has for some
time provided health services to the people using the local health districts in the region. The
NSW ministry of health facilitates the delivery of healthcare through sixteen local health
districts. The districts offer services over a wide range of settings which include primary care
stations located in the remote regions and the metropolitan health centers. The system involves a
network of specialists who deal with children and pediatric services. Also, there are specialists in
forensic mental health and custodial fitness. However, the Australian government in 2015,
introduced Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to improve patient care and to ensure that the
health care system in the nation is efficient and effective ("Primary health networks (PHNs),"
2018). The introduction of the health networks calls for comparison and critique relative to the
local health districts. The report will compare and contrast the two health systems looking at
different aspects to determine which is better.also; the report will offer recommendations on how
to improve the two systems to ensure effective and efficient healthcare delivery.
2.0Primary Health Networks
There are 31 PHNs established across Australia. The aim of the health networks is to
improve medical care for patients especially those vulnerable to unfavorable health outcomes, to
ensure that government money is allocated where it is most needed and on health programs that
are more efficient, to enhance the connections between hospitals and local health services to
ensure that the patients receive health services at the right time and in the right place (Rørtveit,
2014). The primary health networks work hand in hand with local hospital networks and operate
under the same boundaries as the local hospital networks.