Who is PCCS?

Primary & Community Care Services (PCCS) is a local health organisation working to make it easier for people to access the health and community services they need. It’s about creating a smoother journey for everyone, including the people who deliver health and community services.

To ensure we’re delivering exactly what the community needs, PCCS is identifying where the health gaps are by talking to healthcare professionals, local councils, community groups and individuals.

PCCS is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation. For an overview of our services, take a look here for our brochure.

What we do

Primary & Community Care Services (PCCS) is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation focused on driving positive outcomes in the health and welfare sectors.

We provide access to community-based services that include nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work, care coordination and psychological support services.

How we work

We work in partnership with funders including State and Federal Governments and insurance providers, to deliver meaningful health programs and services for the local community.

Our close connections with local referrers includes GPs, allied health professionals, psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health teams are essential to program delivery.

Who we work with

For clients, we help with improving health and wellbeing; navigating the health and welfare systems; accessing supports and preventing unnecessary hospitalisations.

For health professionals, PCCS offers advice and practical support to facilitate collaborative inter-agency interactions. We work in partnership with funders including Federal and State Governments and health funds.

Our strengths lie in care coordination, linking and support services for people living with mental illness.

Joining the dots between health professionals, support providers and
our clients.

With offices in NSW and Queensland, we work alongside GP and health professional’s normal model of care.

CEO’s Welcome

From Dr J.R. Baker, Chief Executive Officer

At PCCS we help you live your best life, improving your health and wellbeing.

We design innovative health and wellbeing services that make a real difference. As the Australian leader in Social Prescribing, our programs are developed with the client, carers, family and friends at the centre, keeping with our vision of optimising health and wellbeing for local communities

Our approach is recovery-oriented, with a strong focus on community development and capacity building. It is effective for helping those living with long term injuries, chronic health conditions and serious mental illness to manage their lives because it gives them support to bring together all their health needs. Our service specialists are the linchpin – it is their extensive skills, local knowledge and relationships with healthcare and community organisations that ensure the success of our programs.

Through our social prescribing programs, many of our clients have found and enjoyed new interests, skills and talents or re-discovered past ones.

Social prescribing is not your ordinary prescription. But that’s exactly why we’re here: the way wellbeing is supported is changing and we look forward to making a real difference for people in our communities. Please give us a call if you, or someone you know, could benefit from any of our programs.

Our Vision, Mission & Values

Vision

Optimising health and wellbeing for local communities.

Mission

Improving the health and wellbeing of local communities through increased collaboration, integration, inclusion, research and targeted health and community services.

Values

Our Values guide the way we work towards our Vision and achievement of our Mission. We aim to embody the CARE Values in all aspects of our day-to-day work at Primary & Community Care Services (PCCS).

Collaboration: Working together to achieve a common goal.
Accountability: Taking ownership for the outcomes of our choices, actions and behaviours.
Respect: Valuing peoples diverse backgrounds, experiences, styles, approaches and ideas.
Excellence: Being the best we can be.

How we deliver our mission

To ensure local consumer and community health needs are being met, PCCS’ operations are guided by the following strategies.

1. Delivering local solutions that improve outcomes and reduce costs

How we'll achieve this: As a provider of psychosocial care coordination, PCCS delivers innovative solutions to community healthcare problems with the aim of better patient care and more effective use of available and new resources.

We do this by providing the highest level and quality of psychosocial expertise and coordination for people living with severe mental illness and complex needs.

2. Promoting whole of person care and integrated wrap-around care

How we'll achieve this: PCCS sees the consumer as central and advocates for care to be coordinated.

PCCS joins the dots for patient care, reaching out to healthcare professionals, health and social welfare organisations and community groups to integrate services for people with specialised needs.

We provide specialist support coordination, which includes advanced support, individual assessment by a nurse, higher intensity needs, and assistance to access social activities.

3. Strengthening local community linkages to foster social inclusion

How we'll achieve this: PCCS’ focus is to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities through increased collaboration, integration, inclusion, research and the provision of targeted services.

We work in partnership with a range of government, community and not-for-profit organisations to provide care coordination for people living with severe mental illness.

4. Creating sustainability through diversified services and partnerships

How we'll achieve this: PCCS acts as a conduit between GPs and allied health professionals, primary healthcare facilities and their patients, through its highly skilled and diverse workforce.

5. Optimising the operation of health and social service systems

How we'll achieve this: PCCS operates as a change agent, inspiring better patient care through stronger integration of health and social services.

Our team: here to help

Our enthusiastic, caring, culturally and linguistically diverse team of professionals has qualifications in medicine, social work, nursing, occupational therapy and psychology.

The team has extensive experience in:

  • clinical assessment
  • care planning, and
  • psychosocial support.

Adding to this experience is their invaluable knowledge of localised health and welfare services and providers.

Some of the languages spoken by the team include: Arabic; Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Wuhanese); Farsi; Filipino (Tagalog); French; Indian (Konkani, Hindi); Laotian; Nepalese (Nepali, Newari); Russian and Thai.

We aim to embody our CARE Values in all aspects of our work:

Collaboration  Accountability  Respect   Excellence

Our management team

Dr J.R. Baker

CEO

Angela Nicholas

Finance Manager

Daniel D'Appio

General Manager – Operations

Leesa Potter

General Manager – Service & Business Development

Our Board & Governance

Like many organisations, Primary & Community Care Services (PCCS) is governed by a board. This group of individuals is selected to provide leadership and corporate governance for this organisation.

We are proud to introduce our Board members:

Elizabeth Gavey

Chair

Elizabeth Gavey is a qualified solicitor with extensive experience in compliance, corporate governance and risk management. Elizabeth has successfully completed the AICD Company Directors Course and is a member of the Australasian Compliance Institute. With a skill set in law, risk management, governance and compliance, Elizabeth brings to PCCS a mix of skills to complement those of the elected directors, as required by the PCCS Constitution.

Elizabeth was previously Board Chair of the Northern Sydney Medicare Local and has offered her expertise to PCCS since its establishment, firstly as a Transitional Board Director, before being elected PCCS Board Chair.

Gillian Summerbell

Board member

Gillian has been a physiotherapist for 37 years with a Diploma in Physiotherapy and a Graduate Diploma in Manipulative Therapy. She has considerable experience in sports injuries and work related injuries. Gillian was involved in the establishment of the physiotherapy department at Mt Wilga Private Hospital and in 1997 was appointed as an Independent Physiotherapy Consultant to NSW Workcover.

Gillian continues to work part-time as principal of a private practice in Hornsby Heights as she maintains her focus on continuing her education and professional progress.

Dr Kevin Wong - photo

Dr Kevin Wong

Board member

Kevin is the founder and principal of West Lindfield Family Medical Practice and has been a General Practitioner for more than 25 years. He has served on NFP boards over the last 10 years and is currently the Chair of GP Network Northside.

His background and training enables him to bring perspectives to the board across the areas of community services and corporate governance. Through his involvement with NFP boards and subcommittees, Kevin has developed a good understanding of community needs and strategic issues for organisations providing services to the community.

Kevin is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practice and a Fellow of AICD. He is a member of the AMA, a member of the Education Advisory Committee for Sydney North Health Network (SNHN) and Zest Healthcare.

Dr Guan Yeo

Board member

As a general practitioner at Berowra Heights, Dr Guan Yeo lives and works in the area serviced by PCCS. Serving for many years as a Director of GP Network Northside, Dr Yeo has had various roles including a four year role as Board Chair. Guan is a Clinical Training Consultant, consulting in the areas of clinical communication, standards and performance assessment, and the quality use of medicines.

Guan brings to PCCS his practical understanding of good governance from many years as a Board Member of numerous organisations. Guan has excellent facilitation skills, evidenced in coaching executives in negotiation courses. Guan is currently also on the NSW Health GP Council, Chair of the RACGP NSW and RACGP National Coordinator Clinical Exam.

Andrew Crawford

Andrew Crawford

Board member

Andrew Crawford is a Fellow with both CPA Australia and the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Australia and NZ) with extensive experience in corporate governance, technology, finance and risk management. Andrew holds a MBA from Deakin university and is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course.

Andrew has deep experience across many boards and professional committees including tertiary education, health, professional and mutual organisations. With a skill set in economics, risk management, governance and accounting, Andrew brings to PCCS a mix of complementary skills to the board, as required by the PCCS Constitution.

Funders

PCCS is a not-for-profit organisation. In order to deliver our programs for the people who need them most, we rely on grants from numerous funding bodies and partners.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial and other contributions of the following partners:

Sydney North Primary Health Network logo

Annual Report

Primary & Community Care Services, Ltd (PCCS) became operational in July 2015 and since then its efforts have focused on our local community and their health needs.

We are working to make healthcare easier to access, and the journey smoother for everyone – the people receiving healthcare and those delivering it.

Download the PCCS reports below. Or for a hard copy, please email us.

Membership

Join our team and help improve wellbeing in our communities

Free membership with Primary & Community Care Services (PCCS) will enable you to be part of an organisation at the forefront of coordinating primary healthcare delivery and taking on the challenge of addressing local primary healthcare needs and service gaps. You will be helping to drive improvements in primary healthcare and ensuring that services are better tailored to meet the needs of local communities.

There are three membership categories as defined in the Constitution:

  • Individual membership is open to general medical practitioners and all health professionals registered with AHPRA plus audiologists, dietitians, exercise physiologists, speech pathologists, accredited social workers and accredited mental health social workers who are members of the Australian Association of Social Workers.
  • Organisation membership is open to organisations that are involved in primary healthcare in the Primary & Community Care Services area and can demonstrate they are aligned to the strategic objectives of the Company.
  • Associate membership is open to individuals and organisations (including primary healthcare providers outside of the Primary & Community Care Services area); specialists; non-health organisations; students; and/or community members (in, or out of region) who have an interest in developing and improving healthcare within the region.

To apply for membership, simply fill out the relevant application form below.

Membership benefits

Primary membership benefits include:

  • You will be helping to drive improvements in primary health and community care and ensuring that services are better tailored to meet the needs of local communities
  • Opportunity to have your say on current and future programs
  • Voting rights to elect the PCCS Board
  • Access to support, services, resources, advice, networking and events
  • Receive newsletters, communication and updates.

For more information on memberships, phone 9477 8700 or email us.

Individual membership application form
Organisation membership application form
Associate membership application form