Primary Health Care Approach

The Primary Health Care approach to health care

Primary Health Care (PHC) is not the community clinic or General Practitioner that ordinarily springs to mind. Primary Health Care is an approach to health care which aims to “achieve health for all”. (Alperstein, 2009: 7) The PHC approach promotes the provision and obtainment of a health status that will enable all to live socially and economically productive lives. (Alperstein, & Irlam, 2005: 2). PHC hopes to accomplish all of this with its ‘bottom-up’ approach of getting local people and resources of a community involved in improving their health. PHC’s principles act as guide lines and consists of: equal access and equity, participation of all, involving all service sectors, promotion

The NHI plans to re-engineer the health system to improve the accessibility and quality of health care services for all citizens in addition to providing financial risk protection against health related cost which can be ruinous to the individual. (Baleta, 2012: 1185 & Matsoso, & Fryatt, 2013: 156). This will ensure that health care services are accessible to all based on their need and not on their capability to pay. (Keeton, 2010: 804). Furthermore there is focused on health promotion and prevention at a household and community level. (Matsoso, & Fryatt, 2013: 156). The NHI has seven principles, namely the right to access, social solidarity, effectiveness, appropriateness, equality, affordability and efficiency. Thus the purpose of the NHI is for all to access health care and feel connected to their social environment through the effective, efficient, equal and affordable health care that they receive. (Dhai, 2011: 137). The achievement of healthcare coverage for all will be the indicator of whether the NHI is a success or not, (Dhai, 2011:

BHP provides an opportunity for students of different professions to come together and come to understand each profession’s role and value within the health system. This knowledge and understanding of the different professions will ultimately improve collaborative practice. In addition I must also be knowledgeable of my limitations in my profession and of the skills that other professions have, and refer accordingly. For example if I observe a patient experiencing difficulty swallowing I know, from the understanding of speech therapy I gain in BHP, I can refer the patient to a speech therapist. (Silber, 2005: 61-63 & Olckers, Gibbs, & Duncan, 2007: