CEO Report 22-23
As CEO of the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network, looking back on the achievements of the past year is highly rewarding. This annual report highlights the challenges we identified as a priority and how we performed to overcome community barriers in accessing primary healthcare.
A key priority identified in our region (as well as nationwide) is that of workforce shortage in primary health care. The PHN has acknowledged this obstacle by developing innovative incentives to overcome primary care workforce challenges. $9.8 million was dispersed to 340+ general practices through the Strengthening Medicare Grants Program, our Bush GP Grants assisted in the recruitment of more than 10 General Practitioners across the region, and $350,000 in funding was provided to recruit and retain mental health practitioners, improving service access in high need areas.
As the demand for primary care services has increased over the past few years, the PHN has increasingly focussed services towards those who need them most. This has been exemplified in the approach to equity of access for mental health services. A reform of the Mental Health Services for Priority Populations led to an increase of over 25 000 psychology sessions for priority populations, ensuring the most financially disadvantaged people across the region have access to the mental health services they require. Additionally, we offered $50 000 in grant funding targeting the ‘missing middle,’ a term used to describe people whose needs are not met by current mental health services, and we celebrated the opening of headspace at Wyong.
Closing the Gap for our First Nations people remains high on our priority list. Over the past year we’ve worked with our communities and health providers to improve access to services, promote health literacy and support the management of health conditions for First Nations people living and working in our region. Our performance can be highlighted through our highly successful 715 Health and Wellness Check campaign, which reached 70 000 individuals and has led to an increase of 10 per cent in 715 billing across the region. Our First Nations Health Access Team also launched the podcast Coffee on Country, connecting with communities with the objective of increasing health literacy.
Remaining a high priority is supporting and influencing the use of digital health in primary care. In the past year our digital health team connected with General Practice to generate the digital health maturity assessment. The assessment results have provided us with a benchmark to demonstrate our ongoing achievements within digital health.
Our priority work has been ongoing while we’ve welcomed our new Chair, Wendy Machin and closed-out the 2018-2023 strategic plan, which had delivered strongly for the region under our outgoing Chair, Jane Schwager. We are now focusing on our strategic goals and direction for the coming five years, which is ambitious but achievable, and I look forward to sharing this direction in due course.
These and other stories of our priorities and performance are shared in this report, showcasing our swift and innovative responses to localised challenges. I am constantly inspired by the spirit shown by primary care professionals across the region, as well as by the efforts of our PHN team and Board.
I hope you enjoy this year’s annual report highlighting the work which lies at the heart of the effective delivery of our vison for Healthy People and Healthy Communities.
Thank you for your continued support of our important work.
RICHARD NANKERVIS
CEO