Australian Health System

A medical specialist is a doctor who is an expert in a specific area of medicine. They have completed advanced education and training in that area of medicine. Medical specialists work in: Examples include: You cannot see a medical specialist unless you have a letter of referral from your general practitioner (GP), who is a...

About GPs In Australia, a general practitioner (GP) is the first person you go to see if you have a health concern. What is a GP’s area of expertise? GPs have completed training in general practice or family medicine. To become a GP, you have to complete a basic medical degree and an internship. You...

A medical practitioner is often referred to as a doctor. A doctor can: In Australia, doctors complete at least 4 years at a university medical school accredited by the Australian Medical Council. They then complete a 12-month internship to gain general registration. After general registration, most doctors spend several years training in a medical speciality...

In Australia, there are many kinds of professionals provide healthcare services, including:

The health system in the UK: the public model for healthcare The United Kingdom (UK) has universal healthcare. All residents are automatically entitled to free public healthcare through the National Health Service (NHS). This means all residents can get healthcare based on clinical need not their ability to pay. Appointments and treatments are typically free....

A primary health network (PHN) is an independent government-funded organisation that coordinates health services in a local area.  Its objective is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health services, especially for disadvantaged groups, and improve the coordination of medical care across the local healthcare system. The role of a PHN is to: In Australia,...

About the National Immunisation Program (NIP) The National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides free vaccines to Australians for a range of diseases. The idea is to help reduce diseases that can be prevented by vaccination. You can receive free vaccinations if you have a Medicare Card. The NIP offers free vaccines to: What is the National...