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Practice Catalyst

North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) works with Rebbeck to provide Practice Catalyst to general practices in our region.

Practice Catalyst is a structured assessment tool developed by Sydney-based health systems consultancy, Rebbeck. It assists Australian general practices to identify areas for improvement and to strengthen capability to deliver high-quality care. It is part of a broader initiative to ensure NWMPHN support is aligned with the actual needs of practices across the region.

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The insights you provide will guide tailored support for your team, inform NWMPHN’s regional support and contribute to strengthening general practice across the region.

Purpose

Practice Catalyst is not an audit or compliance tool – it is a starting point for reflection, learning, and action.

The NWMPHN Practice Catalyst program has the following aims:

  • Provide practices with a clear understanding of how they are performing against five domains of general practice.
  • Generate tailored action plans based on practice responses, offering relevant resources and recommendations to make practical changes over time.
  • Provide aggregated data to NWMPHN to identify regional trends and inform planning and support.
  • Support practices to prepare for more complex improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities for improvement.

The tool assesses practices against five key domains of general practice operations: sustainability, practice management, clinical operations, patient care and community connection.

The assessment is intended to be practical and time-efficient, taking approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Rebbeck’s General Practice Hierarchy of Needs Framework
Rebbeck’s general practice hierarchy of needs framework

What practices can expect

  • A secure, confidential link to complete the assessment.
  • Access to a personalised action plan.
  • Support from NWMPHN staff to interpret results, connect with training or improvement programs, and plan next steps.

Participation is voluntary, and all responses are confidential.

For more information or assistance, please contact primarycare@nwmphn.org.au

  • Evidence base

    Practice Catalyst was designed by Rebbeck, drawing on extensive national and international evidence of what makes general practice effective, sustainable, and patient-centred.

    Internationally, it reflects models of high-performing primary care that emphasise leadership, teamwork, data-driven improvement, and system integration. Nationally, it aligns with the RACGP Standards for general practices (5th edition), PHN quality improvement frameworks, and Australian studies on sustainability, access, equity, and outcomes. This evidence base was complemented by insights from national PHN practice support programs.

    NWMPHN has worked in partnership with Rebbeck to adapt and contextualise the framework for general practices across our region, ensuring it reflects local realities while remaining relevant and applicable to practices across Australia.

  • How NWMPHN will use the data

    • Aggregated, de-identified data may be used in NWMPHN publications to highlight regional trends and inform broader system improvement.
    • Practice-level data will not be used to influence grant or funding decisions without the explicit consent of the practice.
    • NWMPHN may use identifiable data internally to guide support and quality improvement at the individual practice level.