Key facts:

Total expenditure by all governments on primary and community health was around $32.1 billion in 2015-16.

Australian Government total recurrent expenditure on general practice in Australia was $9.1 billion or $371 per person in 2016–17.

Australian Government expenditure on the PBS was around $8.8 billion, or $363 per person, in 2016–17.

Primary and community health services aim to promote health, prevent illness and to support people to manage their health issues in the community, by providing services that are:

• timely, affordable and accessible to all
• appropriate and responsive to meet the needs of individuals throughout their lifespan and communities
• high quality and safe
• well co-ordinated to ensure continuity of care where more than one service type, and/or ongoing service provision is required
• sustainable.

Governments aim for primary and community health services to meet these objectives in an equitable and efficient manner.