Central Australian Rural Practitioners Association Divisions of General Practice or Divisions of Primary Health Care?

practitioners are eligible to join. This article will consider the role of Divisions, the changes made in the Division in Central Australia and argue that the goals of Divisions cannot be achieved in isolation from other professions. So what are Divisions for? Divisions exist for the benefit of communities, and their health, not just for the benefit of general practitioners. More explicitly ÒDivisions of General Practice provide the organisational structure for general practitioners to work together to improve quality and continuity of care, meet local goals and targets, promote preventative care and respond more rapidly to changing community health needs. Divisions also provide general practitioners with a corporate identity, a method of influencing the organisation of health care delivery, a chance to utilise a broader range of skills, knowledge and expertise and an opportunity to work with other stakeholders on issues of common interestÓ 1. The area covered by the Central Australian Division is half a million square km and has a population of 48,000, a third of whom are Indigenous. Of the 48,000, 18,000 live in remote communities. It is an area of extremes: distances, climate, appalling morbidity and mortality statistics. Providing health services is a challenge because of workforce shortage, high turnover, and high costs. Cultural differences in the meaning of health and illness between professionals and patients add to the complexity. This environment has required and fostered innovation. Multidisciplinary teams deliver health services. Aboriginal health workers, remote area nurses and GPs may provide the first point of contact for people seeking assistance with health. For years CARPA has provided a forum for professionals in this area and has created practical clinical support in the form of the CARPA Standard Treatment Manual. How does a Division of General Practice fit into thi