Building Stronger Primary Care in 2026
Primary care in Australia is under sustained pressure.
Workforce fatigue, increasing patient complexity, documentation burden and financial strain are no longer temporary disruptions. They are structural realities. Strengthening primary and aged care in 2026 requires deliberate leadership, sustainable systems and a clear framework for improvement.
At Bollen Health, our work in 2025 centred on one question:
How do we build sustainable, high-performing healthcare teams while protecting the people who deliver care?
National impact in 2025
Over the past year, we partnered with Primary Health Networks, general practices, aged care providers and healthcare organisations across Australia.
Key initiatives included:
Mentoring leaders in more than 20 general practices
Through the Practice Leadership Advantage programme with Western Victoria PHN, we supported practice leaders to strengthen team culture, improve operational clarity and reduce burnout risk. We have now worked with over 470 General Practices across Australia with the Practice Leadership Advantage program.
Delivering leadership and business resilience programs in aged care
Commissioned by WentWest, we worked with 27 Residential Aged Care Homes to build leadership capability and organisational resilience. Facilitating workshops, mentoring the participants and visiting their on site teams was all part of the program.
Advancing Healthy Ageing in General Practice
Through our Healthy Ageing Quality Improvement programme with Adelaide PHN, we supported practice teams to embed structured approaches to screening for frailty and assessing muscle health. Plus we made it matter to the GPs, Nurses and Practice Managers who now recognise they are on an Ageing Trajectory, and something can be done to change it!
Designing new rural care models
With Country and Outback Health, we collaborated on future-focused primary care models tailored to rural communities. The role of the nurse was found to be an essential part of delivery of comprehensive care for rural communities.
National education and sector engagement
We delivered webinars and face to face sessions on frailty screening, chronic kidney disease and muscle health, and contributed to national policy, standards and professional education through organisations including Arthritis SA, Kidney Health Australia, APNA and the RACGP Standards Committee.
This work reflects our commitment to improving both clinical outcomes and workforce sustainability.
Our focus for 2026
Healthcare systems require more than incremental improvement. Sustainable reform demands capability building at leadership and systems levels.
Our priorities for 2026 are clear:
Strengthening leadership capability in primary and aged care
Embedding practical Healthy Ageing and frailty frameworks
Improving team sustainability and their workday experience
Supporting financially viable, future-ready practice models
The Quintuple Aim as our framework
Bollen Health uses the Quintuple Aim as both a clinical and business framework for sustainable healthcare:
Improving patient experience
Improving quality of care
Improving financial sustainability
Improving workday experience
Improving health equity
We believe the fourth aim, workday experience, is the stabilising force. When leaders create psychologically safe environments where clinicians and teams experience meaning, sustainability and professional satisfaction, performance improves across all other domains.
Our canary symbol represents this principle. Joy and professional fulfillment are not secondary considerations. They are structural drivers of safe, effective care.
How we support healthcare organisations
We partner with PHNs, general practices, aged care providers and healthcare organisations to deliver:
Leadership and business resilience programmes
Healthy Ageing and frailty implementation frameworks
Practice sustainability and team development initiatives
Educational events, webinars and system design projects
Our model integrates clinical credibility with operational expertise. Led by a GP, a nurse and a business consultant, we bring together evidence-informed practice, quality improvement and practical implementation strategies that translate into sustained improvement.
Looking ahead
Primary care reform in Australia will depend on leadership capability, workforce wellbeing and financially viable care models. These are not separate priorities. They are interconnected.
If you are planning workforce development, quality improvement or system redesign in 2026, we welcome a conversation.
Together, we can build stronger, more sustainable primary care.
Dr Chris Bollen
Jane Bollen
Rod Buchecker (working in association with Bollen Health)
Bollen Health