Primary care is foundational to health service delivery and a primary health care (PHC) approach. It is the core of the service-fronting component of PHC and refers to essential health and social services that meet most of people’s health needs, delivered close to home. In PHC-oriented systems, primary care enables first contact access, continuity, comprehensiveness and coordination.

This brief explores the role of family physicians within the delivery of primary care, with a specific focus on those working in private practice. It considers the development of the profession, and the organization and contribution of family physicians in private practice to person-oriented high-quality primary care. The literature suggests that expanding opportunities for family physicians to apply their specialized skills and take on leadership roles within primary care teams can enhance the effectiveness of care delivery. This should take cognizance of the context in which they operate in relation to the overall health system and be guided by national policy.