Our History
Our History
On 1 July 2015, Central and Eastern Sydney PHN was established as the second largest primary health network, by population, of the 31 PHNs nationwide. In forming this new entity, we brought together the collective strengths of our three founding Medicare Locals, with the vision of ‘supporting, strengthening and shaping a world class, person centred primary health care system’. Maintaining and strengthening relationships with our stakeholders remained front and centre during this transition, with there being minimal impact on the delivery of programs.
In the 1990s, there were Divisions of General Practice. They were part of a government initiative to improve the quality and coordination of primary care services. They were local organisations of general practitioners aimed at integrating general practice into the broader health system. The main goals of Divisions of General Practice were to enhance the quality of care, improve health outcomes for local communities, and support GPs in their professional development.
The Divisions provided a range of services, including professional education and training for GPs, support for practice management, and initiatives to improve patient care. They also facilitated collaboration between GPs and other healthcare providers. The Divisions laid the foundation for the current primary health care system in Australia, contributing significantly to the integration and improvement of primary care services.
In 2011, the Australian Government replaced Divisions of General Practice with Medicare Locals, which aimed to further enhance primary care services and address gaps in care. This transition was part of a broader health reform agenda. However, a review by the former Chief Medical Officer, John Horvath, found that Medicare Locals were not achieving their intended goals effectively. Based on the review’s recommendations, the Australian Government replaced Medicare Locals with 31 new Primary Health Networks. The aim was to create larger, more efficient organisations to reduce fragmentation in care and better integrate health services.
The two main objectives of PHNs are to:
Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of medical services for patients, particularly those at risk of poor health outcomes,
and
To improve the coordination of care to ensure patients receive the right care in the right place at the right time.
PHNs work closely with general practitioners, hospitals, and other healthcare providers to support the delivery of primary health care services. They focus on areas such as chronic disease management, mental health, and Indigenous health, aiming to improve overall health outcomes and reduce hospital admissions.
In July 2025, Central and Eastern Sydney PHN celebrates its 10 year anniversary. It has been a decade full of significant achievements, but not without its challenges (namely an unprecedented global pandemic). The below timeline provides a snapshot of some of the highlights from the past 10 years.
Membership
Central and Eastern Sydney PHN has seven member organisations that were established during the period of Medicare Locals. They are made up of five GP companies, one allied health network and one community network. Each of these member organisations has a unique board of directors and individual memberships (apart from the community network which has organisation memberships). Collectively they use their combined expertise to advocate for the needs of general practice, allied health and the community within the region. Find out more about membership: https://cesphn.org.au/about-membership