The aim of this course is to enable you to understand how primary health care can, and does, address the needs of individuals, population groups and communities in Australia and overseas.
Primary Health Care (PHC) is recognised as a critical component of any health system, with the potential to improve efficiency and effectiveness. PHC is also the focus of major reform in Australia and overseas. The Principles and Practice of Primary Health Care course provides an introduction to the principles of PHC and their application in the delivery of health care in the community. This course provides a framework for approaching the subject, and a number of service settings are outlined including general practice, community health services and rural health services. The integration between primary health care and specialised and hospital care is also examined. Participants learn practical skills in appraising the design and delivery of PHC0 services and identifying opportunities for change.
The course is one of the courses in the Primary Health Care Specialisation within the Masters of Public Health. It is also available as an elective for any students doing the Master of Public Health or Master of Health Leadership and Management. It comprises 6 units of credit towards the total required for completion of the study program.
Externally and internally
Dr Ben Harris-Roxas
Course Convenor
+61 (2) 9385 1547
b.harris-roxas@.unsw.edu.au
We welcome students from any discipline and level of experience to contribute perspectives and understandings. In addition, we encourage you to engage with the material, ask questions, discuss relevant issues with teachers and colleagues, and regard the available literature with a critical eye.
The outcomes for this course enable you to:
The educational approach in this course is to actively involve students in analysing and reflecting on the functions and impact of primary health care on the community. This is achieved by ensuring that there are plenty of opportunities for discussion and for students themselves to present their own experiences and thoughts in small group discussions and presentations. We encourage a critical approach, both to what is presented in classes and to comparisons of the performance of primary health in different countries and states.
The course provides opportunities to further develop your analytic and evaluative skills and to work on projects related to your own workplaces or experience. Students are encouraged to relate what they have learnt to their own experience in the assignments and group discussions.
The course will also be related to active areas of research including our own research in the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity. This will include opportunities for guest presentations by other researchers and academics as a stimulus for discussion.
This course includes elements of both practice and theory. The course will include a mixture of lectures, readings and online discussions on specific issues confronting primary health care services.
Assessment Task 1 – Online forum participation, moderation and participation journal
Weighting: 40%
Length: 950 words
Assessment Task 2 – Appraisal of a primary healthcare policy or strategy in Australia or elsewhere
Weighting: 60%
Length: 2000 words
Learning resources for this course consist of: