National Performance Indicators for Divisions
01st March 2005
By: DoHA

PERFORMANCE INDICTORS - THE FACTS

The National Quality and Performance System is designed to drive continuous improvement across the Divisions network and identifies a number of changes to quality improvement and accountability within the Divisions network.  These involve the development of two complementary mechanisms relating to both organisational structures and processes and to programs of activity in the Divisions network. 

Quality improvement and accountability in organisational structures and processes will be largely addressed through accreditation.  Quality improvement and accountability in programs of activity will additionally be addressed through the development of a set of national performance indicators and accompanied by processes for the recognition, reward and support for performance.  

The network should be assured this is a system under development.  The experience of implementation in 2005-08 will inform refinement and further development of the system in subsequent years.

AIMS AND BENEFITS
National performance indicators will be beneficial in obtaining better information on how Divisions are making a difference in the health system and enable identification and reward for strong performers and support for any identified under performance.

Divisions Network Members
The national performance indicators reflect the Government expectations of the Divisions network, centred on the Government's priority areas to strengthen primary health care, and sharpen the focus and clarify roles and expectations.  

The performance information generated will be analysed to assist in patient management support to general practices and provide key information on the Divisions network.  Data can be aggregated to provide a national picture of the organisational health of the Divisions network, its achievements and impact; provide evidence of what Divisions are contributing to the benefit of communities; and provide evidence of the value for money for public funding, with accountability to communities, general practices and general practitioners.

By providing a consistent national approach, the national performance indicators will also reduce the administrative burden for an organisation by assisting in strategic planning and reporting processes.  

It is acknowledged that some of the indicators are outside a Divisions' current ability to control.  However, arguably none are outside Divisions current ability to influence.  In Australia, general practice is a major provider of primary health care services and Divisions are funded to support general practice to lead to improved health outcomes in the community.  With improved evidence of what they can achieve, Divisions could be well placed to be the primary organisational platform through which the enhancement of primary health care services could occur.

General Practice and the Broader Community
The set of indicators was developed to reflect both the current capacity and the variation between Divisions while also looking forward in terms of evolution of that capacity over time.  The indicators will lead to an increasingly rich information environment in general practice and primary health care in which more informed decisions about policy, planning and service delivery can be made locally, regionally and nationally.  

Feeding Back the Information
There is a strong commitment to ensure feedback of information at Division and general practice collection levels, in keeping with the underlying continuous quality improvement principle.  Information will be available to Divisions that will assist in providing comparative information to general practices.  GPs already involved in this activity have found the benefits include: improved support for practice systems, improved quality of patient care, reduced isolation, potentially increased patient satisfaction and improved linkages to secondary and tertiary care. 

NATIONAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR DIVISIONS OF GENERAL PRACTICE
While there is an intention to eventually have indicators for all the national priority areas, the initial set of national performance indicators only focus on five of these and have been further defined into the following domains:

1. Access - making care more accessible for older Australians in residential care;
2. Prevention and early intervention - immunisation;
3. Better Manage Chronic Disease - diabetes, asthma and mental health;  and
4. Supporting Integration and Multidisciplinary Care - general practice/hospital interface.
5. Governance - Performance Improvement Culture; Effective External Engagement; Financial Compliance and Risk Management.

These national priority areas and associated domains have been selected as they represent priorities where Divisions have already achieved significant results and where there is significant government focus, support and investment.  Guidelines, tools and funding incentives already exist that Divisions can build on to drive improved outcomes.

Use the link below to download the National Performance Indicators for Divisions.

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