Primary care centres : Areas of nursing care in different countries

Primary care centres are facilities that serve as the first point of contact for patients, alongside general practitioners, specialists and hospital outpatient departments. The shortage of general practitioners and the increasing number of patients in outpatient care make it necessary to rethink healthcare concepts. This paper focuses on the areas of responsibility of nursing and how these differ in Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia and Austria. It highlights the benefits and satisfaction of all those involved and outlines the development of the role and opportunities for nursing.