Metro South Health, in collaboration with Brisbane South PHN, has brought together GPs and health service executives and senior clinical leaders to shape more connected care across the region.
Held late last year, the Building Better Health Together workshop united GPs, the leads of Metro South Health’s clinical networks, and executive representatives.
The workshop focused on how services can work more closely together across six key clinical areas: cancer, diabetes, emergency, gastroenterology, older persons and surgical services.
Dr Lisa Hayes, Metro South Health Clinical Lead for the Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinical Network, said an ongoing partnership with GPs was critical to designing services that work in the real world.
“GPs are central to the patient journey – they see the whole picture across prevention, treatment and ongoing care,” Dr Hayes said.
“By bringing GPs and hospital clinicians together, we can design services that are practical, connected and genuinely centred around patients’ needs ensuring they receive the right care in the right place at the right time by the right care provider.”
The event explored the intersection between primary care and hospital services, including continuity of care, patient readiness for specialist appointments, managing deterioration, escalation pathways, alternate models of care and collaborative care arrangements.
Dr Hayes said GPs strongly supported initiatives that improve communication, strengthen collaboration between community and hospital providers, enhance care coordination and support timely escalation and shared decision-making.
“We received invaluable advice into the enablers and barriers for the ongoing success of our new clinical network service plans,” she said.
“The workshop findings will help shape how we implement the plans, with a focus on strengthening collaboration and improving outcomes for patients, clinicians and the community.”
Dr Hayes said embedding primary care perspectives into service planning was essential to achieving sustainable change.
“This is about building a health system that works as one – where patients experience seamless care, regardless of whether they’re in the community or in hospital,” she said.
The workshop was delivered by Metro South Health Strategic Partnerships in collaboration with Metro South Health Strategic Programs, the Clinical Networks and Brisbane South PHN, reflecting Metro South Health’s ongoing commitment to working closely with primary care stakeholders to deliver efficient, equitable and integrated care for the community.
GPs interested in participating in future engagement opportunities can express their interest by emailing support@BSPHN.org.au.
Metro South Health staff implementing initiatives with primary care touchpoints can contact MSHStrategicPartnerships@health.qld.gov.au.