Author:

Abstract

Health Hub Morayfield was predicated on the concept of integrated person centred care. The large scale private commercial development converted an ex-Bunnings warehouse into a major health hub in a poor socio-economic suburb.

The development brought much needed quality health services into an area that had struggled to recruit health professionals and health service businesses.

The theory of change was that to bring health service providers into the area there needed to be a defined point of difference  to encourage people to work in the area.  The concept was not about collocation of services but true collaboration with the person at the heart of service delivery.

Morayfield was the targeted population and the key stakeholders were the range of service providers, both private for profit and not for profit organisations.

The General Practice services commenced in December 2017, however the preparatory work for collaborative governance and application of the IPCC framework began several months before this.

The strategic planning for the collaborative service venture was developed directly from the key strategies identified in the IPCC framework, with an additional concept included which relates to viability and sustainability. The engagement strategy included tenants and stakeholders as well as community members and groups who are now forming a volunteer group to support the work of the hub. The Health Hub at Morayfield  sees an average of 5000 people per week accessing the General Practice.

An additional conceptual pillar was added to the WHO framework which focused on viability and sustainability. This concept was critical to include given the need for each business to be successful as part of small to medium size business modelling as well as for surety of service provision for the community that needed access to a range of services

The concepts of integrated person-centred care including, relationship with a known primary provider and ease of access to supporting diagnostic and therapeutic services are replicable. The engagement of the community in both consultation for the development and in becoming part of the infrastructure support for the community members who access the Health Hub is also transferable.

The application of the IPCC framework in collaboration with the range of service providers in the Health Hub proved effective in keeping a clear focus for service development and implementation. The advent of the Health Hub at Morayfield heralds the potential of medium to large scale primary care services leading change in collaboration with a range of service providers to improve health and wellbeing in communities through thoughtful planning and real life integration to meet defined community  need.

The concept on this scale is not without its problems including the funding models for services with little incentive for Government to redirect funding into the primary sector.

The importance of effective planning, bringing together people with genuine engagement, enshrining of values and a vision for service provision and true engagement with the community.

A framework developed for National Level policy development can be applied at a local level.