The text provides an overview of the Australian Health Care System at a level suitable for 1st year undergraduate students. It describes the ''architecture'' of the system and its key components (public hospital sector, private hospital and health insurance, GPs and primary care, community health, public health), some of the things that shape the system and introduces key concepts that underpin it such as the idea of the welfare state or a universal health system.

The text provides an overview of the Australian Health Care System at a level suitable for 1st year undergraduate students. It describes the ''architecture'' of the system and its key components (public hospital sector, private hospital and health insurance, GPs and primary care, community health, public health), some of the things that shape the system and introduces key concepts that underpin it such as the idea of the welfare state or a universal health system.