The Network Primary Health Care Policy Consultative Group

The Network Primary Health Care Consultative Group (PHC PCG – or Consultative Group) was established in September 2009 as one of the responses to AGPN’s member engagement review. It provides an opportunity for comprehensive Network input into policy development and will provide advice to the AGPN CEO and Board as we move into a time of significant reform. A major piece of work for the group will be to advise on the development of a blueprint for Primary Health Care Organisations (PHCOs).

The Group’s Terms of Reference are available at Appendix 1.

The group consists mostly of grassroots general practice network CEOs and Chairs and comprises a mix of GP/clinical, business, health service development and population health expertise from a range of general practice networks and SBOs across the country.

Group members are:

Short biographies of the members are provided below.

Communication with the Network about the Consultative Group’s activities will occur through usual AGPN Channels (such as this and other pages of the AGPN website, newsletters and listerves) as well as through the development of Communiqués after each face to face meeting. 


Summary information about Consultative Group Members

Sandra is the CEO of the New South Wales Central West GPN, a position she has held since 2001. Sandra has a clinical (nursing) and health administration background, with relevant professional memberships/Masters qualifications in these areas. Sandra oversaw the establishment of a headspace site in one of their local rural communities. Sandra also brings an international perspective to the Consultative group having recently undertaken a European study tour showcasing primary health care systems in five countries.

Jim is a Director of the Freemantle GPN, a position he has held for over three years and for the last nine years has also been the Director of Epidemiology in the Western Australian Department of Health (DOH). Jim brings to the committee a strong background in research/evaluation, population health service design and planning as well as strategic thinking and governance. He has qualifications in science and education and a PhD in medicine.

Gaylene is the CEO of the South East Primary Health Care Network. She has a clinical (nursing) and business administration background and holds Masters’ degrees in both of these areas. Gaylene has experience in population health and performance monitoring and also brings significant experience in community engagement and partnerships to the Consultative group through her work as a Board member on the Logan-Beaudesert Health Coalition and the Southside Partnership Council.

Alison is CEO of the Northern Territory SBO and in her current role consolidated the amalgamation of the NT Divisions, RWA and SBO. Alison has a clinical (physiotherapy) and executive management background (she holds a Masters of Business Administration) and has substantial experience in policy, governance (clinical and corporate), organisational change and health service planning / design. Alison also brings to the Consultative Group experience in rural and indigenous health.

Mark is the CEO of GP Access and is a P/T GP. Mark has a clinical (medicine) and business background and holds further qualifications in epidemiology and corporate governance. Mark brings extensive knowledge of policy, population health, clinical governance and service design to the Consultative Group. He has participated in various policy consultations and undertook the IPAC study tour in 2004. He has been involved with the development/implementation of an After Hours fundholding model (including pay for performance models for GPs) regional secure messaging, and a State-based model for care coordination.

Terina is the CEO of Osborne GPN, a position held for the last six and a half years and is also a Director of the Western Australian SBO (WA GPN). Terina has a clinical (physiotherapy) and governance (corporate and clinical) background with further qualifications in these areas, including a Masters of public health. Terina has been involved in various policy development processes and brings additional experience in research and quality improvement, community engagement, strategic and business operations to the Consultative Group.

Matthew is the Chair of Macarthur DGP, a F/T GP and practice principal. He has a clinical (medicine) and governance (corporate and clinical) background and is currently studying for a Masters in Medical Education. Matthew has been instrumental in developing the HealthOne site at Elderslie - an integrated primary care partnership between the practice and Sydney South West Area Health Service. Matthew undertook the Primary Health Care Organisation (PHCO) study tour in NZ in 2008.

Chris is President of Brisbane South DGP and is a F/T GP. Chris has a clinical (medicine) and governance background, having also served on the Boards/management committees of the Queensland SBO, Rural Workforce Agency and Centre for Primary Health Care. Chris has a good understanding of evidence based approaches, clinical governance, service design and organisational change. Chris has also been extensively involved with significant national health policy development, particularly in relation to mental health.

Gretchen is the CEO of the South Australian SBO. Gretchen has extensive experience in business operations, health service design/development and change management in government and non-government sectors across several countries. Gretchen worked in New Zealand through a period of substantial health reform. This included redesigning service delivery and funding models for primary and secondary care, including the change to population-based funding arrangements involving universal patient enrolment and capitation funding for general practitioners.

Jason is the CEO of the General Practitioners Association of Geelong. He has a background in health informatics and business administration and holds a Masters degree in business administration. Jason has substantial experience in partnerships, business operations, service design/development and corporate governance (he is also a Director for Glastonbury Child and Family Services). Has been responsible for the development of a leading headspace site and also won the tender to develop a local Superclinic.

Judith is currently the Treasurer of General Practice North and is also a F/T GP. Judith has a clinical (medicine) and governance (corporate and clinical) background having held several Board positions (including Chair) of GP North and related companies for the last seven years. Judith also brings insights and experience from New Zealand to the Consultative Group having trained and practiced in New Zealand as a GP before moving to Australia in the 1990s.