The GP Care Cell (GPCC) is an innovative public-private healthcare delivery model designed to expand access to HIV services through private general practitioners.
Developed by the Foundation for Professional Development in collaboration with the National Department of Health and private healthcare partners, the initiative was first piloted in 2018 in Tshwane District.
The programme aimed to demonstrate how private healthcare providers could support national HIV programmes by delivering subsidised services to uninsured patients.
The GPCC model brings together private general practitioners and community pharmacies in a coordinated network to provide accessible HIV services within their practices.
Private general practitioners and community pharmacies provide accessible HIV services within their practices.
Providers operate within established clinical governance structures and treatment protocols.
Structured medicine and diagnostic supply systems support effective service delivery.
Monitoring and reporting align with national HIV programmes, supported by centralised network coordination.
Coordinated service delivery: Participating providers form part of a structured network supported by clinical protocols, quality assurance and coordinated monitoring.
Following its initial pilot in Tshwane, the GPCC programme expanded across several districts in Gauteng Province. The network of private healthcare providers helped extend HIV services to communities that may face barriers accessing care through public facilities.
During its implementation period, the GPCC programme established a network of private healthcare providers and supported access to HIV testing and treatment services.
Under its expanded programme model, branded Your Care Network, the initiative recorded further results in HIV testing, treatment initiation and patient outcomes.
The GPCC programme also provided a platform for testing innovative approaches to healthcare delivery and HIV prevention.
A pilot project provided HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to men through private general practitioner practices.
The pilot demonstrated that some populations prefer accessing HIV prevention services through private healthcare providers.
The model explored how coordinated private healthcare networks can contribute to national public health goals.
The GPCC initiative demonstrated how private healthcare providers can contribute to public health goals through structured partnerships with government and donor programmes. By bringing private providers into a coordinated network, the model helped expand access to healthcare services while maintaining clinical governance and integration with national health systems.
GP Care CELL demonstrates the value of collaboration between public and private healthcare providers in strengthening South Africa's HIV response and creating more accessible models of healthcare delivery.