Evaluation for Learning in Primary Health Care Organizations: Aspirations, Realities and Lessons From Australia

ABSTRACT

This article examines tensions between the accountability and learning functions of evaluation through a case study of an evaluation capacity building (ECB) initiative undertaken in an Australian primary health care setting. We describe the ECB approach and strategies and identify enablers and barriers influencing their implementation and sustainability. The analysis shows that longstanding compliance and metric‐driven governance at the national level restricts opportunities for locally meaningful, learning‐oriented evaluation. The paper concludes by highlighting key themes that shaped the learning potential of evaluation in the case study. The insights presented may assist evaluators and ECB practitioners working in similarly complex and dynamic policy environments where accountability narratives dominate.