Name Hunter Urban Division of General Practice Division Number 217 Classification Urban Number of Member GPs 403 State New South Wales Year Established 1992 Number of Member Practices 159 Postcodes Covered 2259, 2264, 2265, 2267, 2280, 2281, 2282, 2283, 2284, 2285, 2286, 2287, 2289, 2290, 2291, 2292, 2293, 2294, 2295, 2296, 2297, 2298, 2299, 2300, 2301, 2302, 2303, 2304, 2305, 2306, 2307, 2308, 2314, 2318, 2319, 2320, 2321, 2322, 2323, 2324, 2325, 2326, 2330, 2334, 2335. Population 416,000 (2001 Census) Area Covered The regions of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Port Stephens 160km north of Sydney, New South Wales. CEO Dr Arn Sprogis Chair Dr Yvonne Bailey Physical Address: Level 2, 123 King Street NEWCASTLE NSW 2300 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 572 NEWCASTLE NSW 2300 Australia Email: hudgp@hudgp.org.au Phone: 02 4925 2259 Fax: 02 4925 2268 Website: http://www.hudgp.org.au

The Hunter Urban Region is based around the regions of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Port Stephens 160km north of Sydney, New South Wales. The region contains urban, industrial and rural sectors within the lower Hunter Valley with a population of approximately 416,000 people. The region is well defined geographically and culturally providing its population with a strong sense of regional identity. General practice in the Newcastle and Hunter Regions directly reflects the nature and history of the region and has a set of relationships that are in many ways unique, and which help explain the particular direction the HUDGP has taken since its inception in 1992.

The Hunter Valley has had a long history as a farming, coal mining and steel producing area, but is now rapidly undergoing change particularly with the closure of the BHP steel operation in late 1999. The challenges posed by its history reinforce the Hunter being a region which 'looks after its own' and one in which GPs see themselves as being a part of their communities. It is in this environment that general practice has developed with a need to provide innovative, self-reliant solutions to medical problems in areas where funding was restricted or non-existent.

The HUDGP encompasses approximately 403 GPs including GP Registrars. GPs in the Hunter urban region belong to one of five geographic networks, each with approximately 70-90 GPs and with populations ranging from 40,000 to over 100,000. Each network is able to elect two representatives to the HUDGP Board as Directors. This structure was established with the explicit aim of promoting a local community, grassroots approach to HUDGP activity. The HUDGP is very active across the full spectrum of Divisional activity from GP input into health policy at a regional, state and national level to the conduct of programs related to the delivery of high quality health care to the community. The HUDGP has, over the past 12 years developed a significant role and capacity for action on behalf of its GPs and their patients as well as having a national reputation for innovation coupled with its emphasis on achieving health and resource gains for our region.

The HUDGP on behalf of its GPs never hesitates in standing up in advocating for patient issues in our region. We are in that sense, proudly parochial and community focused.

Major Achievements:
The HUDGP has had a number of major achievements over the last few years:

• The establishment of GP Access After Hours (GPAAH) - after hours GP clinics -  with five operational clinics and call centre, staffed by 230 local GPs, nurses and administrative staff with 100,000 patient interactions by November 2004.
• The HUDGP is now a significant organisation in our region and has a turnover of nearly $10 million with approximately 350 staff (including GPs in GPAAH)
• Best Practice Rehabilitation (BPR) was the other major innovation to make its mark in our region. BPR continued its rapid growth and has moved into a position where it can now begin to make serious efforts in supporting GPs and achieve improved outcomes for their patients who have been injured at work.
• A stronger corporate governance focus with increased training for Board members, improved communication and planning capacity, a strengthened Executive Team to lead the organisation, development of key performance indicators to focus and improve performance and a more active committee function.
• A well established Ethics Program, the only one of its kind in Australia, which underpins all divisional activities
• A highly successful IM&T program to further support GPs and to include additional high speed communication linkages for practices
• An active communication and customer service team to enhance links with GPs and the wider community, including a new and improved website.
• A strong and continuing focus on supporting, increasing and sustaining the practice nurse workforce to increase capacity in general practice
• A well developed and supported chronic disease management program
• A effective and highly motivated corporate support team to support the activities of all programs

Challenges for the Future:
There are a number of challenges for the future:

• Maintaining funding for services, especially for GPAAH
• Workforce issues within general practice, to be the theme of next year's Board strategic planning day
• Continued expansion of BPR in a highly competitive marketplace
• Improving IT links between general practice and other service providers
• Improving general practice services to the residential aged care sector