National Multidisciplinary Primary Care Research, Policy and Advocacy Consortium

Background: In early 2025 the National Multidisciplinary Primary Care Research, Policy and Advocacy Consortium, funded through the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) for five years, was established. The consortium comprises six peak research groups active in primary care across Australia, a consumer group, 30 peak organisations and 100 primary care clinical researchers. The Consortium are also working closely with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and other government agencies.

 

Approach: Aim: of the Consortium are to co-design, implement, and evaluate future-focused models of multidisciplinary team-based primary care delivery in Australia. This will assist health professionals and health services to adopt innovations in multidisciplinary primary care faster and more efficiently to the benefit of all people in Australia.

Five themes relevant to filling the knowledge gap in multidisciplinary team-based care in Australia are being worked on

: i) Evaluation of innovative models;

1. ii) Refinement and measurement of key components of high-quality care;

 iii) Health economic evaluation of models;

1. iv) Testing and implementation;
2. v) Identification and assessment of outcome measures for models of care. The research program is being coordinated by a senior primary care researcher, and five postdoctoral researchers, located across the six peak research groups.

 

Results: The Consortium will deliver: i) a program of research into models of multidisciplinary team-based care, implementation strategies, and cost benefits; ii) a white paper outlining the future development of multidisciplinary team-based primary care; iii) an effective think tank to provide guidance on how effective multidisciplinary team based models can be implemented within, and across, the diversity of the nation’s primary care settings, and the diversity of community settings. Presentation will include progress to date,

 

 

 

Implications; By working with researchers, peak organisations, a consumer group, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and other government agencies, this work will identify innovative models of multidisciplinary team-based primary care that will improve health outcomes across Australia.