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Performance Indicators for Divisions of General Practice

In 2004, the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) undertook a consultancy for the Department of Health and Ageing to develop the first set of national program performance indicators for Divisions of General Practice.

National performance indicators are a key feature of the National Performance Framework for Divisions announced by the Federal Government in 2005, the result of the 2004 Response to the Divisions Review.

The Response reflected the advice of the Phillip's Review of Divisions (2003) that called for more accountability and support for improving performance. The program indicators aim to influence general practice to achieve targets in four priority areas:

Prevention and Early Intervention:	Immunisation
Access:	Residential Aged Care
Integration:	GPs and Hospitals
Chronic conditions:	Diabetes, mental health, asthma

Program indicators were devised using a conceptual framework for performance assessment in primary health care developed by APHCRI Deputy Director Dr Beverly Sibthorpe.

APHCRI assembled a small team to develop the indicators that included experts with content knowledge and an understanding of how Divisions work.

The program indicators are, wherever possible, guideline and evidence based. They draw on the RACGP's Medical Care of Older Persons in Residential Aged Care Facilities , Diabetes Management in General Practice produced by Diabetes Australia and the RACGP, and systematic reviews of asthma self-management and practitioner review.

The indicators also support government policies and programs such as GP Immunisation Incentives Scheme , aged care initiatives, and Better Outcomes in Mental Health.

Draft indicators were the subject of two rounds of national consultation. The indicators in each domain were also sent to a national or international expert for review.

More than 100 pages of feedback on the indicators were collated, reviewed and incorporated into the final version, wherever relevant. The majority of the feedback related to implementation rather than to the indicators themselves. The feedback has informed the Review Implementation Committee, the Department and ADGP's deliberations about implementation.

The final set of indicators was endorsed by the RIC at the end of January 2005, and sent to members of the Divisions network on February 28. The set included governance as well as program indicators, the former developed using a different process but the same conceptual framework.

The indicators are for the contract period 2005-2008.

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