At the Department of Health and Aged Care, the work we do shapes health, aged care and sport policy, programs and research in Australia. Our work involves: 

• awareness and education 
• consultation and engagement 
• grants and tenders 
• initiatives and programs 
• administration of legislation 
• policy 
• regulation and compliance 
• research

Our department is led by 7 groups:

• Ageing and Aged Care Group 
• The Ageing and Aged Care Group guides and influences the direction of ageing and aged care, developing policy and implementing programs in collaboration with the sector through co-design. 
• Chief Medical Officer Group
• The Chief Medical Officer Group is made up of the principal medical advisers to the Minister for Health and the department. 
• Corporate Operations Group
• The Corporate Operations Group delivers a broad range of end-to-end ministerial support services, HR, Communication, ICT, Finance, our state network, law, assurance and managing the Budget process for the department. 
• Health Products Regulation Group 
• The Health Products Regulation Group (HPRG/TGA) looks after the regulation of therapeutic goods and certain controlled drugs and drug substances to ensure these products do not put Australians' health and safety at risk.  
• Health Resourcing Group
• The Health Resourcing Group oversees medical benefits, technology assessment and access, the health workforce, benefits integrity, digital health and the national COVID-19 vaccine program.
• Health Strategy, First Nations and Sport 
• The Health Strategy, First Nations and Sport Group oversees strategic policy and relations, health economics and research, sport and First Nations health.
• Primary and Community Care Group
• The Primary and Community Care Group is ​​​​​​​responsible for leading the department’s work on policies and programs relating to mental health, primary care, population health, prevention and cancer, hearing and chronic conditions. 

Project: Primary Care Services for Homeless Australians

Summary

The Primary Care Access Branch is responsible for policy and programs to improve access to primary care services. The Primary Care Access for Homeless Australians project will examine current evidence on the barriers to primary care access for this diverse population group, and develop principles and guidance for primary care practices to overcome those barriers.

The student assisting this project will undertake a desktop review of available literature on what works to support people affected by homelessness to engage with primary care services. They will also prepare a short paper on publicly available sources of data on the health of homeless people, and provide comments on possible opportunities for data linkage, further analysis, and development of new data sources to support programs targeting this group.