Annual Report 2023-24

Acknowledgement of Country

Gippsland PHN acknowledges the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people/s as the traditional Custodians of Country across the Gippsland region.

We acknowledge the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people/s continuing connection to Land, Water and Community.

We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People/s, Cultures, and their Elders past and present.

Report from the Gippsland Primary Health Network Chair and CEO

Progress our priority issues

Strengthen workforce capability

Commission for service access

Facilitate seamless care

Exceptional Organisation

Environmental, Social and Governance Report

Giving back to Gippsland

Gippsland PHN Chair

Mr Nathan Voll

It is with great pleasure that I present my first Gippsland PHN Annual Report.

This year Gippsland PHN has focused on transformation with the aim of seeing progressive change in the work we do to support the Gippsland community’s health needs. It is such a privilege to reflect on the work we have achieved over the past 12 months.

We’ve seen the power of collaboration within the organisation as teams work collaboratively to deliver commissioned services that address community needs and facilitate primary care improvements. These achievements are also a testament to the dedication of Gippsland health services, large and small, who have partnered with us (and each other) to improve health support access and services for those that need them the most. Throughout this annual report you will see that our commitment to Gippsland continues as we coordinate and integrate local health care services, commission primary care and mental health services, build capacity and support primary care and mental health providers to deliver high value, quality care.

The Board continues to recognise the important role that our Gippsland PHN members have in influencing the organisation’s strategic direction. At our 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM), all current Gippsland PHN memberships expired. The Board invited current members to reapply for another three-year term to align to the company’s constitution. We continue to seek dedicated primary health care organisations and individual primary health care / allied health professionals to apply for membership with our organisation. Our members are critical in guiding our organisation’s future. They assess Gippsland PHN’s performance by participating in the AGM and voting on key organisational decisions, as well as engaging directly with other members and the Gippsland PHN leadership. I’m proud to report our membership numbers are steadily increasing and we are grateful for the leadership and governance role our members provide as we progress our work in Gippsland.

This year the Board has focused on progressing the priority issues that matter most for Gippsland. These issues are informed by our health needs assessments, with input from our Clinical Council members and our Community Advisory Committee. This report shares many of these successes and highlights the important work we are doing to achieve greater health outcomes across Gippsland.

As a Board, we recognise the impacts climate change has on health. The impacts of climate change are lived and experienced by so many of us in Gippsland. The Board continues to embrace our role in mitigating the effects of climate change on our community, as we implement the Gippsland PHN Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. During the past 12 months we’ve worked towards achieving the actions in our strategy, in consultation with our commissioning partners. We believe in the importance of providing strong leadership in this space and have completed our own emissions audit to ensure we continue to respond to the impacts of climate change on community health and wellbeing. I’m pleased to include our first Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting in this annual report. Our recently approved Gippsland PHN Procurement Strategy has strong alignment to our ESG obligations. I trust our readers will enjoy this new section of our report.

Gippsland PHN understands and acknowledges rural health workforce shortages which contribute to inequity accessing health services, and impact health outcomes across Gippsland. We know there are critical workforce shortages and challenges in the allied health professions and mental health workforce. As a Board, we’re committed to growing the health workforce in Gippsland through a scholarship program in partnership with Federation University Foundation. This dedicated investment by the Gippsland Board is one that we know will have long-term positive impact as we support 36 students to complete their allied health degree during the next 15 years. We hope these students will go on to live and work in Gippsland, shaping community health now and creating a lasting legacy as they support generations of patients into the future.

Investment into mental health care services for the community is a significant part of our work. I’m pleased to report the strong outcomes being measured by our commissioned services in Gippsland; this is a testament to providers’ commitment to delivering high value care, and the work our Gippsland PHN teams do to support Gippsland PHN’s primary and mental health service providers.

The Gippsland PHN Digital Health Strategy was updated and approved this year. This strategy was designed to improve accessibility, effectiveness, and experience of digital health for primary health care providers and the Gippsland community. To meet these aims, Gippsland PHN will continue to support improved data exchange and information sharing within the health system and improve digital health literacy of primary health providers and consumers. Digital health is a national priority, highlighted by significant reforms and funding. It plays a crucial role in primary care improvement and the transition to a more connected health system. Significant national efforts are underway to improve healthcare interoperability, with a goal of creating a healthcare system with common digital standards that allows health information to be shared securely and effortlessly by everyone involved.

Gippsland PHN’s vision for reconciliation is to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s rights to equitable access to culturally safe and inclusive primary health care in Gippsland. During the past 12 months, we’ve been working on consolidating our learnings by implementing our Reconciliation Action Plan. As an organisation, we’re proud of our progress, and we understand we need to continue to be guided by diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, to help up grow our understanding of the protocols needed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our communities.

A special thanks goes to Angela Jacob, Chief Operating Officer, who became our Acting Chief Executive Officer and worked tirelessly with the Board and the Gippsland PHN team to ensure continuity of our services. The board is grateful for Angela’s work while our substantive CEO was on leave.

I would like to thank my fellow Directors for their commitment and dedication to their governance role. As a Board we are all passionate about the health and wellbeing of people who live and work in Gippsland. We’re committed to improving equity of access and outcomes throughout Gippsland, particularly for those most at risk of poor health and wellbeing outcomes.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to my fellow board directors, advisors, members, the CEO, and Executive team and staff as we continue our commitment to achieving a measurably healthier Gippsland.

Here’s to a wonderful year ahead of uplifting further the health and wellbeing of the people within our community.

Because of you!

Gippsland PHN CEO

Ms Amanda Proposch

I shared that phrase at an all staff meeting recently and it is so true; because of our staff, our partners, our advisors, our board, our engaged communities and clinicians there are so many excellent achievements within the PHN and within our Gippsland communities to celebrate this year. What a pleasure to reflect on the work Gippsland PHN does in collaboration with so many incredible partners and with a team committed to achieving demonstrable impact and improving health outcomes for Gippsland.

We are so proud to share the stories of transformation you will find in this annual report. We’ve seen the overwhelming success of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation’s free skin check roll out across Gippsland. We’ve also had incredible outcomes and performance results from Gippsland PHN-commissioned service providers, including the Primary Mental Health Care Program, the After Hours program, Head to Health and urgent care services.

We’ve seen the success of the Community Led Integrated Health Care services in Latrobe and East Gippsland. We developed these programs in direct response to community and clinician feedback when we asked them what ‘good healthcare’ looks like without any barriers. Again, its collaboration and partnership bringing services together to deliver care to communities that makes this program so successful.

It has been a highlight to see how general practices have put to good use the improving quality care grants, and we congratulate each one of them on their achievements. The Australian Government’s commitment through the Strengthening Medicare program has been highly subscribed to by general practices in Gippsland.

This year, Gippsland PHN was successful in a grant submission for $10.6 million dollars for recovery care for victim-survivors of family, domestic and sexual violence. There’s a critical need to support victim-survivors and the local system , and I’m grateful for the team’s excellent submission to secure this funding for Gippsland.

Healthy ageing has been a focus for the PHN and our partners. It has been wonderful to see the stories from older people who have joined activities to improve their health and wellbeing and found social connections just as powerful as the activities that build strength and flexibility. These activities are part of the PHNs’ role to support senior Australians to live at home as long as possible with chronic disease management support and activities.

Codesigning services with community, young and old, from diverse backgrounds has been an incredibly powerful opportunity and one we have embraced for many years. This year we identified a gap in holistic support for young people experiencing severe, complex mental health challenges. With input from young people, their families and the wider community, the new Youth Enhanced Service is now being delivered and partners with over 70 local organisation’s, schools, health services, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

These are just some of the transformational stories of service delivery, partnerships and deeply understanding Gippsland peoples’ needsparticularly those most vulnerable to poor health outcomes.

We continue to be so grateful to our Advisory Groups for their insights, wisdom and guidance to our programs, and for sharing the emerging issues from their communities and networks. Thank you to our Advisors – it is because of you we can progress the important work of the PHN.

Finally, as I present this annual report for your review, I will sign off with my sincere thanks to the Gippsland PHN Board, Executive team and entire organisation. Because of you, Gippsland PHN is a high-performing force for transformation in primary care, making a difference in our communities and helping us achieve our vision of a measurably healthier Gippsland.

You know how

healthcare services can sometimes find it challenging to solve system problems and ensure everyone gets the care they need?

So that

Well we,

as an organisation, act like health system champions. We focus on solving important health system problems ensuring that primary healthcare professionals in Gippsland, like doctors, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals, are supported to do their best work. Through funding health services, we make it simpler for everyone to receive the care they need, when they need it, especially vulnerable people.

the people of Gippsland can experience healthier lives.

PROGRESS OUR PRIORITY ISSUES

Quintuple Aim: Improved Population Health

Intended Outcome

Population level issues and trends are understood, forecast and shared.

Key regional and local issues are prioritised for action.

Critical issues are advocated for in relevant settings.

Impacts of, and evidence for, our investments are demonstrated.

Supporting recovery from family, domestic and sexual violence

$10.6 million grant to support victimsurvivors of family, domestic and sexual violence in Latrobe and Baw Baw

Gippsland Primary Health Network was one of only six Primary Health Networks nationally to be awarded funding under the Australian Government’s Supporting Recovery program.

Pictured at the launch of the Gippsland Supporting Recovery Program in Morwell on 21 June 2024 were (from left) Quantum Support Services Chief Executive Officer, Natalie McDonald, Gippsland Primary Health Network Chief Executive Officer, Amanda Proposch and Executive Director Community Care at Latrobe Community Health Service, Michelle Francis.

Kristen’s story:

Kristen is a victim-survivor of domestic violence. She experienced coercive control, angry outbursts, love-bombing and gaslighting, among other things.

“The thing about coercive control is that it leaves you a shell of your former self – a bit like a burntout house façade,” she bravely told the audience at the launch of the new Gippsland Supporting Recovery Program.

Gippsland PHN received a grant of $10.6 million to improve coordination and access to trauma informed recovery services for victim-survivors of family domestic and sexual violence who are experiencing mental health challenges in Latrobe City and Baw Baw Shire.

The program aligns with the Australian Government’s National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children, supporting victimsurvivors of family domestic violence and sexual violence to be safe and healthy in order to be able to recover from trauma and other impacts of violence.

Gippsland experiences some of the highest rates of family, domestic and sexual violence in Victoria. There is a critical need to support a local system under increasing pressure, in which local case management services are overwhelmed.

Gippsland organisations, Latrobe Community Heath Service and Quantum Support Services, are delivering the program. Latrobe Community Health Service will partner with Cairnmillar Institute to deliver the trauma informed mental health services component of the program.

It was through the Orange Door, Latrobe Community Health Service, Quantum Support Services and her community that she got through the first few months after leaving her situation.

“But we do need ongoing, long-term support and I am excited that others, like me, will be able to access it through this new (Supporting Recovery) Program.”

This partnership will also significantly contribute to upskilling the family, domestic and sexual violence sector workforce in Latrobe and Baw Baw in trauma-informed care, delivering dedicated trauma-informed training that includes a Graduate Certificate in Trauma-informed Care.

Quantum Support Services was awarded a contract to be the local care coordination team for the new project, expanding existing case management and care coordination services and enabling increased capacity to respond to and reduce current waiting time for service.

Both Latrobe Community Health Service and Quantum Support Services will work closely together in an integrated multi-disciplinary service model to deliver the program which runs until 30 June 2026.

The program will undergo evaluation to support decision making regarding future funding for this and other services for victim-survivors.

Early intervention initiatives

Gippsland Primary Health Network funds a range of early intervention activities and models of care for chronic disease management to support senior Australians to live at home for as long as possible.

They are designed to promote healthy ageing and reduce pressure on local health services.

It is estimated that 23.6% of the Gippsland population are aged 65 years or older, compared to 15.8% in Victoria. An even higher proportion of the Bass Coast and East Gippsland populations are aged 65 years or older; 28.7% and 29.4% respectively.

By 2030, 28.1% of the Gippsland population is expected to be aged 65 years or older with 33.5% of the Bass Coast population and 34.9% of the East Gippsland population, compared to 17.1% in Victoria.

Program helps Barb return to her love of horse riding

Barb Harding’s goal in life is to keep horse riding until she is 80.

And it looks far more likely now for the 77-year-old since she completed the Healthy Ageing Program, funded by Gippsland Primary Health Network and delivered by Healthlinks Gippsland.

Barb always admired the late Queen Elizabeth for her horseriding skills. “I thought if she can keep riding at 96 then I can do it at 80,” she laughed.

But her goal was not looking great a few months back with joint pain preventing her from not only horse riding but line dancing and Tai Chi too. She was also finding it difficult to help husband Mal on their 170-acre beef cattle farm between Willow Grove and Hill End.

“Getting up on the horse was difficult and getting off was even harder.”

Years of working outside on the farm, milking cows, feeding calves and helping with the general farm work had caught up. A fall in the mud didn’t help.

It was fate that Barb picked up a flyer for the Healthy Ageing program at Trafalgar and decided to give the eight-week program a go.

“After just three weeks, I started to see a huge difference. The gentle exercises, stretching, balance work and weights relieved all the tightness and tension. After the eight weeks, I felt really good.”

So good in fact Barb was back up on her 22-yearold mare Charm, riding around her yard once again. She’s gone back to line dancing, taken up pilates and is even thinking of re-joining the Moe Riding Club.

Barb is keen to share the positive benefits from health ageing. “Old age creeps up on you and then suddenly, you’re struggling to move.”

Barb Harding with Charm.

Older people embrace health and wellbeing

Six times a week, a large room in the Wonthaggi RSL is transformed into a hub of activity as older people embrace a regime to improve their health and wellbeing as they age.

People from 65 to their early 90s are taking part in the free classes, funded by Gippsland Primary Health Network as part of its early intervention initiative and delivered by MyPhysio Spinal and Sports Injury Clinic, a physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinic based in Wonthaggi.

The classes are so popular there are waiting lists with participants coming from neighbouring towns as well as Wonthaggi. People can choose from three classes, delivered twice a week - the ‘Strong and Stable’ class, the ‘Falls and Prevention’ and ‘Glad’ class for people with osteoarthritis, hip and knee problems.

MyPhysio owner, Pryianka Gupta, is thrilled with the community response in Bass Coast and has found the program is providing the extra benefit of increasing social connection.

“Participants are seeing an improvement in their general health as well as their flexibility,” Ms Gupta said. “Those with joint stiffness and pain have noticed an improvement while others find regular stretching has made a difference to their mobility.

Here’s what some of the participants say:

Barbara, 69:

“I’ve had multiple joint replacements and my fitness is not good. I enjoy being part of a controlled group and the friendships I’ve made.”

Wendy, 72:

“I’ve always been physically active; I’m a Melbourne University graduate of health and physical education so I know it’s important to stay fit and supple. I live on my own so I enjoy the new friendships too.”

Maureen, 77:

“I have lung trouble and bad legs. The classes have been especially great for my lungs. My mental and physical health have improved as well as my confidence.”

Alan, 79:

“I’ve got crook knees from being a runner and a footy umpire. The classes are helping and the social side of the classes is an extra advantage.”

Carolyn, mid 60s and father Ronald, 85:

“I was nursing my husband. When he died, I realised I needed to get fitter and the classes helped me lose weight too. Dad really needed to exercise. It’s great we can come together.”

Marj, 77:

“A great side-benefit is that people who may have previously felt isolated are now making new friends. Quite a few catch up for a coffee and chat after their class.” Participants in the healthy ageing classes at Wonthaggi RSL.

“I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s last year. It frightened me and I realised I needed to improve my balance, coordination and strength. I also enjoy the social side of the classes.”

Lesley, 69:

“I have a balance problem. The classes keep me fitter and are not too strenuous. I do volunteer work so it is important to stay healthy.”

Brian, 83:

“I have back issues and I like how our instructor keeps us moving. I want a healthy body and a healthy heart.”

New youth mental health service to address a gap

The new Youth Enhanced Service in Gippsland provides holistic support for young people experiencing severe or complex mental health challenges to address a gap in existing services.

Gippsland Primary Health Network has commissioned Relationships Australia Victoria to deliver the service in partnership with other agencies and health professionals, based on a national model developed by Orygen.

Through a psychiatry-led interdisciplinary team approach, the Gippsland Youth Enhanced Service (YES) will provide enhanced support to young people 12-25 years of age who are living with, or at risk of severe and complex mental health issues, and who require a greater level of support than what can be provided by GPs, private clinicians, headspace services and school counsellors.

Often referred to as the system’s ‘missing middle’, the needs of this cohort of young people are typically considered to be too complex to be met by the primary mental health care system, but not acute enough for the tertiary mental health system. As a result, these young people often do not receive consistent care or appropriate mental health services because of service ineligibility, and consequently, they may not gain timely access to quality interventions and support.

The Gippsland model was developed through a process of co-design, with consultation and input from young people, families, health services, and community care organisations.

The Youth Enhanced Service program model incorporates lived/living experience of mental health, and input from young people. Key to this is the role of Youth Peer Support Workers who have lived/living experience, and the participation of young people, carers and their friends in service reference groups. As a result, the services will be continuously adapted to ensure they meet the unique and changing needs of young people.

The Youth Enhanced Service is being delivered across Gippsland from 1 July 2024 and includes holistic and high-quality mental health and psychosocial supports that will be continuously adapted to meet the changing needs of young people.

Relationships Australia Victoria has tailored the Youth Enhanced model to meet the needs of young people from diverse backgrounds, ensuring all clients have access to support that is sensitive and appropriate for their cultural, language, religious, sexuality and socio-economic backgrounds.

The Youth Enhanced Service is being delivered in partnership with:

• Youth Advocacy and Support Service

• Eating Disorders Victoria

• Deputy Chief Psychiatrist, Dr Leeanne Fisher

• Senior Occupational Therapist with the Social Confidence Collective, Jo Rouse

• Clinical Psychologist Erin Dolan and Associates

• Dr Anna Howsen from the Wonthaggi Medical Group

The Youth Enhanced Service is also working with a network of more than 70 local organisations, schools, health services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

Positive outcomes from Gippsland cancer screening project

Gippsland general practices who took part in a Maximising Cancer Screening project have embedded opportunistic screening as part of routine medical check-ups.

Gippsland Primary Health Network partnered with 20 local general practices across the region in an effort to boost screening rates for bowel, breast and cervical cancer, and testing for hepatitis B and C.

A total of 732 patients were screened during the project which helped raise the importance of cancer screening.

Dr Sonya Moncrieff from Mirboo North Medical Centre said the project had a beneficial impact on patients’ health. “The flow-on effect was being able to run a more efficient practice,” she said. “I am so pleased to have participated in the roll-out of the project, and in bowel and breast screening in my clinic.’’.

Dr Lisa Gilbert from Project Health in Traralgon said the project was “a fantastic opportunity to review and update patient records then initiate recalls for those whose cancer screening may have been missed.”

The three-month project was funded by the Victorian Department of Health and supported by peak cancer organisations after a University of Melbourne report showed a 30 per cent reduction in cancer notifications since COVID-19 restrictions were first applied in Victoria in 2020.

Practices followed up the patients who were identified as overdue for cancer screening and those who had never screened before. Cancer screening has also been embedded in routine patient check-ups.

“We saw an immediate increase in those returning for cancer screening, especially those women who were due for cervical screening” she said.

Community identifies barriers to healthcare access

Gippsland Primary Health Network reached out to the Gippsland community for help to inform its next Health Needs Assessment.

The Assessment is an ongoing reporting requirement of the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care.

Staff worked with 16 organisations including neighbourhood houses, food relief programs and community organisations who helped them connect to community members to discuss barriers to accessing primary healthcare.

Three surveys also targeted people who have experienced homelessness, people from multicultural backgrounds and health professionals who work with these groups.

Key feedback:

• People value a good relationship with their health professional

• People have difficulty if they feel dismissed by their health professional or not heard

• Financial barriers can affect access to care and staying healthy

• Some people don’t have enough money to visit the doctor or dentist

• Timely access to care is an issue for some people

• Housing and homeless are issues for some people

• People value community organisations and community connectedness

STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE CAPABILITY

Quintuple Aim: Improved Consumer Experience

Intended Outcome

Clinical Improvement activities highly subscribed and routine

Clinicians have access to best practice training and education

People in Gippsland know about their health and local health services

Primary care providers attrect and retain staff, and are supported to deliver safe, high quality services

General practices new palliative care toolkit

Six Gippsland general practices are working with Gippsland Primary Health Network to use a new palliative care toolkit to enhance and transform the palliative care services they deliver.

The toolkit was developed by Gippsland, Murray and Western Victoria PHNs as part of the Australian Government’s Greater Choices at Home Palliative Care Program to improve palliative care coordination in the regions, and to enhance capacity and responsiveness of services to meet local needs.

Being cared for at home and dying at home is most people’s preference. This initiative aims to help make that possible.

The six practices expressed interest to participate in the program which includes education and training. During the project, practice staff undertake a package of training from the Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (PEPA), considered the industry standard.

The participating practices are:

• Advantage Health Point in Bairnsdale

• Bairnsdale Medical Group

• Project Health in Traralgon

• Mercy Medical Clinic

• Inglis Medical Centre in Sale

• Neerim South Medical Clinic

A governance group is overseeing the program with an evaluation underway to inform next steps.

Inglis Medical Centre Care Coordinator, Meg Osborn.

Supporting primary care in Quality Improvement

Gippsland Primary Health Network has developed a Practice Incentive Payment Quality Improvement (PIP QI) toolkit for health professionals, supporting practices to embed data driven care.

The toolkit is aligned with the quintuple aiman extension of the Quadruple Aim, adding an additional dimension to the healthcare framework. It emphasizes the importance of optimising the overall healthcare system to establish health equity.

The toolkit offers ‘Plan Do Study Act’ templates, aligned with 10 Quality Improvement Measures. These measures are aligned with essential routine care required to monitor and manage noncommunicable disease.

Continuous improvement across the 10 Quality Improvement Measures enables general practices to receive quarterly incentive payments for the essential care, that when delivered routinely, improve the health outcomes for consumers with chronic disease.

PHN staff have collaborated to develop practical demonstrations and resources to support practices in using their data to identify and improve the management of patients.

Growing a Lived Experience workforce

Professional Lived Experience roles fall across a range of areas including peer work, system advocacy, consultancy, learning and development and academia.

Gippsland PHN continues to embed views of those with lived experience, their families and carers into our programs.

Gippsland PHN training and events

The Training and Events program offered by Gippsland PHN encompasses in-person and online educational activities tailored to address our region’s health priorities.

This program delivers comprehensive education and training sessions designed to strengthen the Gippsland primary health workforce, including General Practitioners, Practice Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Practice Managers, Allied Health professionals, and other staff within general practices. The program aims to promote broader accessibility and engagement among the primary health workforce throughout Gippsland.

41 Events were delivered

815 attendees overall

3 most popular topics for 2023-2024

The Oral Cancer Screening and Prevention in Primary Care Healthcare settings Webinar partnership with Dental Health Victoria

225 GP’s attended the training

22 individuals who identified as Aborginal or Torres Strait Islander

Cervical Cancer Elimination Webinar – partnership with Cancer Council Victoria

De-escalation & Occupational Violence and Aggression Training – Provided in all 6 Gippsland LGA’s

COMMISSION FOR SERVICE ACCESS

Quintuple Aim: Improved Health Equity

Intended Outcome

Consumers are supported to use technology and other means to improve local access to services and reduce demand burden and bottlenecks within physical/in-person services

Access pressures are reduced (affordability and transport)

Service delivery commissioned to address gaps in local communities

People and places in Gippsland experiencing the most need have access to appropriate services

Transforming primary health care delivery in partnership with community

New primary healthcare services, designed by the people who will use them, were launched by Gippsland Primary Health Network on 1 July 2023.

This new program, a first for Gippsland, has its foundations in the Australian Government’s vision for national primary health care reform, delivering the type of service people say they want from healthcare providers – they don’t want to travel long distances for appointments; they don’t want to tell their story multiple times; and they don’t want to get lost in the system.

What

people told us:

“I want regular and affordable access to health care… within my local community.”

“I want to work out how the health system works and how to get the health care I need.”

“I [want] a one stop shop where you tell your story once.”

“I would like to see targeted funding to focus on prevention not cure.”

“(I want a system where) Rural health is not seen as second rate.”

Key feedback from the Gippsland PHN Health Needs Assessment 2022-2025 also found consumers wanted improved access to more coordinated approaches to health care, which includes health professionals working together as team to better address their multiple needs.

Gippsland has a high prevalence of chronic conditions, high levels of socio-economic disadvantage and lower access to allied and other health services when compared to other regions in Victoria. People often experience barriers to access and disparities in health outcomes.

In an extensive consultation process, including workshops, surveys and face-to-face engagement, Gippsland PHN asked people what “good healthcare” looked like for them without any barriers.

The same approach was used with health professionals. Doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, ambulance and hospital staff were around the one table, providing feedback on how a new model of wrap-around care could be delivered.

In response to the feedback, a service model was designed to include a care coordinator at the centre, organising multiple appointments and coordinating care across health services, health professionals, community organisations and social services.

The new services have been rolled out in the Latrobe Valley and East Gippsland and will be evaluated with potential to extend across other Gippsland Local Government Areas in the future.

The Latrobe Valley model is a clinic for children from disadvantaged backgrounds that provides care coordination, transport assistance and a multidisciplinary approach to address family needs.

The East Gippsland model addresses the desire of people living in remote areas for affordable and accessible health care in their local community; care that is not seen as “second rate” because it is in a rural area.

Community Led Integrated Health Care - an innovative new care model

Latrobe Valley: care hub for disadvantaged children and families

People want to tell their “story” to health and social services only once. They don’t want the stress of organising multiple appointments with doctors and social support networks while navigating the public transport system because they have no way of getting there.

The Latrobe Valley is an area of high social and economic deprivation, where the vulnerability profile of the youngest community members continues to impact health and wellbeing outcomes throughout their life.

A clinic for children from disadvantaged backgrounds has been established that provides care coordination, transport assistance and a multidisciplinary approach to address some of the issues that can impact on people’s ability to access health services. When a person visits the hub, the first meeting is with both a Care Coordinator and Social Service Navigator who provide coordination of health care, social services and even transport needs.

Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS) are delivering the service based at Churchill through a partnership with Berry Street. This innovative clinic is transforming care through an integrated health and welfare service model for vulnerable children and families.

East Gippsland: Taking first rate care to remote communities

Residents of the remote area of Deddick Valley in East Gippsland have no health services and travelling for medical care can mean a four-hour round trip to Bairnsdale or more than eight to Melbourne. Many residents report delaying care because of the travel constraints, time and financial burden.

People living in towns like Bendoc, Tubbut and Goongerah want affordable and accessible health care in their local community; care that is not seen as “second rate” because it is in a rural area.

Orbost Regional Health and the Deddick Valley Isolated Community Group have joined forces to address the issues facing remote areas and deliver new model of care, including the use of augmented reality, that will take the health services to the communities.

Under the new model of care, Service Hubs have been set up in local communities. A care coordinator visits these to support residents with chronic health conditions, monitoring and evaluating their symptoms and connecting them to specialists for diagnosis. By bringing services physically into Service Hubs in the community and creating supported access to specialists via telehealth and Microsoft HoloLens, access barriers have been reduced.

The care coordinator supports residents with disabilities in identifying and advocating for their needs, helping with access to services, funding and care plans. They also support families experiencing violence, new parents and young children by identifying patients at risk.

Sharon Small, Nurse Care Coordinator, Errinundra to Snowy Wellbeing Space, Lindy Stewart, Gippsland PHN Program Delivery Officer, and Nikki Brown, Director of Community Health, Deputy CEO Orbost Regional Health.

Free skin checks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities a first for Gippsland

In the first initiative of its kind in Gippsland, members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities underwent free skin checks when a mobile skin check clinic visited five Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

The organisations described the initiative as an overwhelming success with 154 community members seen in the first round of checks and 55 in the second round with some needing follow-up treatment.

The Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations suggested the initiative and facilitated the appointments, even organising transport for those people who needed it.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians have a five-year survival rate of 59 per cent after being diagnosed with melanoma. An earlier diagnosis means a greater ability to treat and a chance of survival.

The Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations who hosted the mobile skin checks visited were:

• Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association

• Moogji Health Services

• Lake Tyers Health and Children’s Service

• Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative

• Ramayhuck (Sale and Morwell).

The free skin checks were delivered under Gippsland PHN’s Integrated Team Care (ITC), supplementary Services funding which contributes to improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic health conditions through better access to coordinated and multidisciplinary care.

Head

to

Health provides multidisciplinary care

Head to Health is a free confidential service from the Australian Government, connecting people with the help and support they need to keep mentally healthy.

It provides care navigation, access to a multidisciplinary mental health team at the hubs and a team-care approach, to complement and supplement GP care.

‘Your

experience’ survey results

Gippsland H2H consumers felt safe using the service (national average 96%) 99%

Responses

to ‘the best things about this service’

They listened

I was given specific strategies to help and I was supported in my choices.

Going from hopeless to a more confident person.

Just always so understanding and easy to speak to. She listened to my ups and downs and always had great solutions.

I got a lot out of this experience. I feel so much stronger and have developed skills to cope with stress and bad experiences. I’ve very grateful, They have definitely helped me.

Prompt service and just to be able to have someone there to listen and give me tools to help myself. A Huge thank you.

Gippsland H2H consumers felt that their care needs were met (national average 90%) 95%

Gippsland H2H consumers felt that their individuality and values were respected (culture, faith, gender identity) 98%

Learning new ‘tools’ to cope in times of high stress. How well she listened to me, helped me with sorting a lot of things out and got my mental health good.

They were understanding.

The staff are wonderful and always made me feel safe and supported.

So lovely and caring. She helped me so much with my anxiety, depression and PTSD. She gave me tools to use and hope for the future.

Head to health is the best mental service I’ve ever come across in Gippsland.

Kindness and sympathy from psychologists as well as great practical advice.

I liked how easy it was to book in. As well as having an option to have our sessions outside or go for a walk instead of being in the office every session.

Collaboration for Healthy Hearts

The Healthy Hearts program works with people at risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease.

It is delivered by Bairnsdale Regional Health Service as part a Cardiac Early Intervention initiative funded by Gippsland Primary Health Network.

People with conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, who are overweight or who smoke can be referred to the program by their GP.

Part of the initiative is called ‘Culture at Heart’ which aims to increase knowledge of heart conditions and awareness of risk factors among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

This community cultural cardiac project is a partnership between Bairnsdale Regional Health Service’s Aboriginal Health Unit, Allied Health teams and Moogji – the Orbost-based Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation.

Participants gain an increased knowledge of heart conditions, awareness of risk factors and take part in a healthy lifestyle program which includes exercise, education on diet and techniques to reduce other risk factors such as stress. Weekly sessions over six weeks keep participants active and emphasise heart health messages with a focus on Aboriginal culture.

Participants have travelled to Cape Conran for a walk, engaged in discussion about smoke-free living and undertaken tests on a Smokealyzer, a device that measures carbon monoxide to demonstrate the impact of smoking on the body.

To date the Healthy Hearts program has supported more than 223 people to manage their cardiac conditions via education, medical support and building capacity and awareness.

“I have never felt so supported when going home as I have since I met you (Claire in Heart Failure Clinic). Between you and Liz (Complex Care) you make me feel special.”

“The best thing was the positive and caring attitudes of the providers.”

– Cardiac patient

– Heart failure patient with multiple admissions

Demand for after-hours telehealth medical support

A free telehealth medical service offered across Gippsland, supporting people who need to see a doctor after-hours when their usual GP is unavailable, saw demand grow in its first year of operation.

Gippsland Primary Health Network commissioned HealthAccess to provide an after-hours service free to people who live in a Gippsland postcode. In the 12 months to March 2024, it delivered 657 occasions of service to the community.

HealthAccess is a designed solution to support community, general practices, local hospitals, Residential Aged Care Homes and ambulance services to manage increasing volumes of GP-type presentations in the after-hours period.

It supports people who need low acuity care, when it’s not an emergency and their usual GP is closed. This may include things from colds, flu and fever to allergic reactions, headaches, sporting injuries and COVID-19.

People from all parts of Gippsland have used the service and provided positive feedback:

“The service was tremendous.”

“I’m so appreciative of the support.”

“I will be using the service in the future.”

“Everyone was caring.”

Community transport service making a difference

are Gippsland PHN Chief Operating Officer, Angela Jacob and Victorian Nationals MLA for South Gippsland, Danny O’Brien with the volunteer drivers, clients and guests from the Sale service. Client,

Gippsland, Murray and Western Victoria Primary Health Networks are funded to support the Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria to deliver a transport service with volunteers driving patients to and from much needed medical appointments.

The 10 regional Victorian services, including Central Gippsland (Sale), Foster, and Lakes Entrance were launched simultaneously on 18 November 2023.

Great partnerships make the Gippsland services possible – RFDS, Central Gippsland Health, South Gippsland Hospital and Gippsland Lakes Complete Health and the community. Nationals MP for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien joined the celebration, also praising the much-needed service.

The Foster service started in May 2023, followed by Central Gippsland (Sale) in June 2023 and Lakes Entrance in July 2024. Combined they have already travelled 53,739 kilometres doing 1,346 trips.

Pictured

Tom Harrington from Maffra, had the honour of cutting the red ribbon.

Gippsland PHN Chief Operating Officer, Angela Jacob with the transport volunteers.

Demand for after-hours telehealth medical support

Positive feedback from Priority Primary Care Centre experience

Gippsland’s two Priority Primary Care Centres continue to relieve the pressure on hospital emergency departments by treating people who need urgent care when it’s not an emergency, seeing 27,970 people to 30 June 2024.

Many patients take the time to provide feedback on their experience at the centres, funded by the Victorian Government and commissioned by Primary Health Networks.

The Baw Baw Centre at Central Clinic in Warragul supports the West Gippsland Healthcare Group’s emergency department while the Latrobe Centre, operated by Latrobe Community Health Service, supports the emergency department at Latrobe Regional Hospital.

• I was very happy with this service. So much better than sitting up at emergency hospital.

• The nurse was very thorough and caring. It was great to be able to be seen promptly and get further testing as soon as possible as the only other option would have been to go to hospital emergency for care.

• I felt I needed help and my GP wasn’t open. I was very grateful to be able to see a doctor and I received the help I needed.

• Since symptoms came on fairly suddenly, I didn’t have to try to get an appointment at my regular clinic, which is about a 20-minute drive away. The Priority Primary Care Centre is close by and I knew I could just pop in to get what I needed.

• So grateful to see a doctor for my son so quickly.

• The receptionist, nurse and doctor were caring and understanding of my issue. The doctor and nurse took the extra time to listen to me and explain things to put my mind at ease.

• I was able to see a doctor urgently with my baby without waiting a day or more to see my GP. I was worried he was dehydrated and needed antibiotics. The hospital is so under pressure and this service is amazing given its relative quick wait time and quality care.

Vaccinating vulnerable people

Nine providers have given 1,963 COVID-19 vaccinations to vulnerable people in Gippsland in the 2023-2024 financial year.

Gippsland PHN funded nine providers to deliver the immunisation sessions in Residential Aged Care Homes, community halls, festivals and other hard-to-reach locations.

The program started in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to ensure that people who are vulnerable or have found it difficult to access the vaccine through existing mechanisms.

Our service providers have told us:

Engaging with the local Neighbourhood Houses has improved the trust and relationship between these community members and primary healthcare. They are slowly opening up and willing to explore other opportunities for health checks. This includes vaccinations and cancer screening.

COVID vaccinations at Residential Aged Care Homes not only safeguarded the welfare of our patients in preventing them from contracting the virus but also built on the doctor/patient trust relationship. This enabled the doctors to discuss and enhance the patient’s knowledge of the importance of the vaccine, the protection that it would provide and also to clearly understand any risks or side effect they may experience.

Recognising the vulnerability of aged care residents, our general practice prioritised their access to vaccines through targeted outreach programs. Collaborating with local residential aged care homes, we organised vaccination visits, ensuring convenient and safe access for residents. Additionally, our Loch Sport service was crucial in overcoming logistical challenges for local residents.

Responding to emergencies

Gippsland Primary Health Network has an important role to play in emergencies and natural disasters.

Gippsland PHN aims to build Primary Care providers’ capacity and resilience to respond during emergencies and to aid in recovery to continue caring for the community. To assist with this, Gippsland PHN offers subscriptions for general practice to the Emergency Response Planning Tool, a tool that assists general practice to better prepare for, respond to and recover from the impacts of emergencies. 42 general practices took up this opportunity.

Gippsland has experienced compounding disasters in the last five years, leading Gippsland PHN to put together a Climate Change Adaption Strategy. Climate change is a leading threat to public health. Gippsland PHN have built partnerships with local, State and Commonwealth emergency committees to enable a coordinated response when a disaster occurs.

FACILITATE SEAMLESS CARE

Quintuple Aim: Improved Provider Experience

Intended Outcome

Consumers own and use their own data

Agencies use collaborative processes to enable seamless consumer care

Primary care providers connect to each other, with diagnostics providers, community health and hospitals

New discharge summary a seamless process

A new discharge summary for patients leaving hospital has been introduced in Gippsland in response to concerns from doctors with the previous format.

A cohort of Gippsland general practitioners contributed to improvements to the format of Electronic Medical Record patient discharge summaries, ultimately to help make a patient’s discharge from hospital to their doctor for ongoing care a seamless process.

After the initial Discharge Summary Format Improvement Project was trialled in late 2022, a new format was launched by Gippsland Primary Health Network and the Gippsland Health Alliance in December 2023.

The changes to the format benefit both Gippsland patients and doctors by improving communication channels and making a patient’s discharge from the hospital to their doctor for ongoing care a smooth transition.

Discharge summaries support the transfer of a patient from a hospital back to the care of their nominated primary healthcare provider by capturing details about the patient’s hospital stay. This includes presentation problems and diagnosis, procedures performed, a summary of the stay, medications prescribed, pathology and diagnostic imaging information and follow-up actions recommended.

Gippsland Health Alliance plans to continue to improve the quality of discharge documentation across Gippsland hospitals and further work is already underway to ensure continued progress and improvement.

Help in accessing technology

Navigating health information via technology can be difficult for some people.

Thanks to Gippsland Primary Health Network, 3,120 consumers have been assisted through Gippsland neighbourhood houses and local libraries to use digital technology. This includes finding details on vaccinations, use applications such as myGov to access to a range of government services online and upload information to My Health Record.

Gippsland PHN launched the program in 2021 and not only has the program proved popular but it has helped improve digital literacy.

Manager of the Churchill Neighbour Centre, Nathan Brown Left), shows visitor Phillip how to download his medical history on an iPad.

Remote patient monitoring helping to transform healthcare

Gippsland Primary Health Network’s work in remote patient monitoring was recognised in the Australian Government Productivity Commission’s report - Leveraging digital technology in healthcare.

The report says digital innovations that enable care to be delivered remotely such as telehealth, digital therapeutics and remote patient monitoring accelerated during COVID and are now transforming healthcare.

Gippsland PHN has been supporting services to deliver remote patient monitoring since 2020, an initiative acknowledged by the Commission.

Using a mobile based application called Lifeguard, Gippsland PHN has supported GPs to monitor patients on a regular basis and in turn, the patient has the comfort and security of knowing they are being supported from their own home. The program helps reduce unplanned hospital admissions while improving the quality of life of patients enrolled in the program.

Gippsland PHN was early to recognise remote patient monitoring, providing start-up funding to general practices to introduce Lifeguard. The program was initially effective in monitoring patients with COVID-19 and has since moved to supporting patients with chronic disease.

In Gippsland, there are currently 12 general practices and 51 healthcare providers using the Lifeguard platform with the most common conditions being monitored including Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, Depression and Asthma.

Gippsland PHN continues to work closely with Lifeguard Health Network to optimise the platform for both healthcare consumers and providers.

Project helps identify people at risk of eye disease

A program to improve screening and detection of eye conditions and disease for at-risk groups across all six Victorian Primary Health Networks saw Gippsland achieve the highest number of referrals across the state.

The 46 participating general practices across the state referred 3599 people to eye care providers for follow-up with Gippsland PHN recording 958.

With funding from the Victorian Department of Health, Gippsland PHN joined five other Victorian PHNs to partner with Vision 2020 Australia to improve screening and detection of eye conditions and disease for at risk groups.

The pilot project involved working with 10 Gippsland general practices to implement the quality and systems improvement project to focus on embedding eye health preventative care within their practice.

General practice plays a crucial role in reducing avoidable blindness and vision loss, and its associated burden of disease. Many eye conditions have no symptoms in their early stages and identifying those at higher risk of eye disease is important.

This project focused on supporting the participating general practices to identify, develop and implement quality and sustainable system improvements to support the ongoing identification and appropriate referral to eye health professionals of people at risk of developing eye disease or vision loss. Using a whole of practice approach, practices focused on increasing engagement with local optometrists and ophthalmologists.

Case Study

A routine blood pressure check for a 53-year-old Gippsland man resulted in the early detection of eye disease, thanks to Gippsland PHN’s Quality Improvement project with general practice.

Gippsland PHN developed a desktop prompt for GPs to act as a visual cue for the risk factors for eye disease and a reminder to ask the question…

“When was your last eye check?”

The patient’s medical history included risk factors like hypertension, a congenital visual disorder, short-sightedness and a family history of glaucoma. His GP noted his last eye exam was 18 months previously. After a check, mild inflamation and worsening shortsightedness were diagnosed and the patient was referred to an optometrist who also discovered another potential indicator of early glaucoma.

The early detection of glaucoma through this project-driven referral process will significantly improve the patient’s long-term vision. Additionally, he received treatment for the inflammation, and improved vision with new glasses.

Health information at your fingertips

Gippsland Primary Health Network supported awareness of and engagement with the myhealth app, a digital tool that facilitates access to care and increases self-management by the community.

The myhealth app is fast, easy and secure. It allows consumers to view the key health information in their MyHealthRecord, uploaded by them, their healthcare providers or carers. The app is available for mobile or tablet.

The Australian Digital Health Agency continues to grow the functionality of the myhealth app such as the recent integration of healthdirect into the app. This enables healthcare consumers to access healthdirect’s symptom checker, medicines information, pathology tests explained and service finder.

Consumers can also see when nearby general practices have appointment availability through integration with online appointment booking services such as HotDoc.

The ability to access healthdirect’s service finder within the app allows consumers to easily find the services closest to them and the next available appointments. The Agency also plans to integrate Active Script Lists, a platform where consumers can access and manage their prescribed medications all in one place.

This digital technology helps build the health literacy of consumers who can have a trusted health information source in one place – the myhealth app.

My Health Record

The My Health Record system is an online service operated by the Australian Government that supports better patient and consumer outcomes through better access to information.

Authorised healthcare providers can access My Health Record to view and add patient health information to inform important clinical decisions and achieve positive health outcomes.

My Health Record supports better patient outcomes by providing timely access to health information in all treatment settings.

My Health Record in Gippsland

EXCEPTIONAL ORGANISATION

Quintuple Aim: Improved Cost Efficiency

Intended Outcome

We operate in a financially sustainable manner

Gippsland PHN staff are capable, engaged and well led

We operate in accordance with funder requirements and have a defensible risk profile

Commissioned service performance and value for money is demonstrated

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE REPORT

We are proud to present our inaugural Environmental, Social and Governance Report for the 2023-2024 financial year, outlining our commitment to environmental, social and governance responsibility.

This report reflects our journey towards sustainability and our ongoing work to create a positive impact on the Gippsland community.

Video Call Savings for general practice

See the calculation for Gippsland General Practices...

Total number of consults 6,329 Travel Saved 158,225km

Saving in travel, accomodation & lost productivity $980,995

The Video Call Savings Calculator helps general practices determine how much both they, and their patients, are saving by using healthdirect’s Video Call for health consultations. Net CO2 Emissions Saved: 10,126.4kg CO2 That’s equivalent to Planting 1,044 Trees

Flexible Working Hours Initiative

100% of staff have Flexible Working Arrangements in place including working from home.

Lunch and Learn Sessions

Staff presented 17 Lunch and Learn Sessions which all staff were invited to attend.

Giving Back to Gippsland Initiative

Paid Volunteer Leave: 1 staff member.

Community Services Leave: 6 staff members.

Health scholarships:

3 allied health students at Federation University in Churchill are the inaugural recipients of Gippsland Primary Health Network’s new scholarships. As part of a $500,000 commitment, Gippsland PHN will provide scholarships to 3 new students a year for 12 years, supporting them to succeed in their studies without the stress of financial pressure.

Sponsored Health Camp:

Gippsland PHN sponsored $1,500 for the Inspiring Young People in Health Camp. 70 Students from across Gippsland attended the 3 day event.

Donation of Laptops to Federation University

Gippsland PHN are donating 15 Laptops which are no longer required to Federation University.

OH&S training

60 staff competed Bullying and Harassment Training.

22 staff completed Warden Training.

Savings from online meetings for staff and advisory groups

Quarterly meetings have moved to an online platform through Microsoft Teams. This has resulted in cost savings in catering and venue hire, and a reduction in travel which helps reduce carbon emissions

Reconciliation Action Plan progress

The Gippsland Primary Health Network Reconciliation Action Plan 2023-2025 contains required actions and deliverables under four focus areas or Pillars – Respect, Relationships, Opportunities and Governance.

The status of these actions/deliverables at 30 June 2024 is:

• Not yet started: 2 deliverables.

• In progress: 13 deliverables.

• Complete: 60 deliverables completed (includes those marked as business as usual and ongoing).

• Business as usual: 28 deliverables.

Reconciliation Action Plan - High level progress overview June 2024

Recurring in 2024

Business as Usual

In Progress

Not Yet Started

Heart health check embraced by staff

Gippsland Primary Health Network staff put their heart first and embraced the chance to have a free 15-minute heart health check, thanks to Latrobe Health Services.

A qualified pharmacist dropped into our Traralgon office and checked key heart health indicators of those staff who took part in the initiative.

Latrobe Health Services is partnering with the Shane Warne Legacy, Wesfarmers and SiSU Health to deliver free heart tests to Australians. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, cardiovascular disease kills approximately 43,000 Australians each year.

Results are provided immediately following the test, with the pharmacist providing key insights on results, advice on how to keep your heart healthy and inform you on how to follow up with your GP in further action is required.

Gippsland PHN Training and Events Program Lead, Rebecca Harris, is pictured going through her test results with pharmacist Michael Alexander from Wesfarmers Health.

Gippsland PHN embraces diversity

Gippsland Primary Health Network is committed to supporting diversity and encourages staff to mark Harmony Week in March each year.

Harmony Week celebrates and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds with around 45 per cent of Australians (or their parents) born overseas. The top five languages spoken in Gippsland other than English are Italian, Mandarin, German, Greek and Punjabi.

Gippsland PHN staff hold a celebration event during Harmony Week and are encouraged to wear orange, the colour usually associated with the week.

Commonwealth PHN Program Funding 2023-24 (as of March 2024)

Mental Health

Aged Care

Pilots & Targeted Programs

ISO certification

ISO 9001 Certification was achieved.

Audit findings were:

0 areas of required improvement and 0 nonconformances.

Gippsland PHN were found to be compliant meeting all 34 Standard Requirement areas.

Scenario testing for business and cybersecurity

2 Scenario testing activities:

Gippsland PHN Staff: Cyber Security Scenario Testing – Ransomware

Board Directors: Cyber Security Scenario Testing – Ransomware

Survey gathers feedback from Gippsland PHN stakeholders

Gippsland Primary Health Network undertakes a survey each year to gather feedback from stakeholders about doing business with the organisation and to measure a Net Promoter Score (NPS).

The Net Promoter Score is a simple and effective way to measure how well we are serving our stakeholders. In our case, it measures how likely our stakeholders would be to recommend doing business with us.

NPS is calculated from a single question:

On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend doing business with Gippsland PHN?

This year, a total of 53 stakeholders responded to the survey, an increase of 23% from last year. This included responses from commissioned service providers, general practices, pharmacy and residential aged care homes.

Stakeholders showed strong support for working with Gippsland PHN. The Net Promoter Score of 8.14 highlights Gippsland PHN’s focus on quality and satisfaction as it continues to look at areas of improvement.

The results showed:

The most common themes in terms of areas for improvement were to continue to work on improving reporting methods such as:

Continuing to strive to reduce reporting burden and duplication, with clear communication on expectations

Recognising flexibility required across differing providers in the market and across the region

Shining a lighttheme for the 2024 annual staff survey

The theme for the annual Gippsland Primary Health Network Staff Benchmarking Survey was ‘Shining a light’ with a focus on the main trends impacting on Organisational Culture. Conducted in March 2024 and administered by Best Practice Australia (BPA), 89 per cent of staff participated in this important survey.

Gippsland PHN aligns to the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Joy in Work Framework, embedding a system approach to culture, continuous improvement, problem solving, and employee engagement for improving joy in work.

This year’s survey results included:

Gippsland PHN maintained a culture of SUCCESS – our 6th year in a row, which now sits us in the new Culture Type of Soaring (the highest culture type), with an engagement score of 75%.

Gippsland PHN achieved a High Benchmarking Strength Index (BSI) of 85%, which is the performance score received against all benchmarkable questions in the survey.

79% of staff believe that Gippsland PHN is truly a GREAT place to work, against a benchmarking norm of 66%, indicating the top three reasons as Our Positive Culture, Our Colleagues & Teamwork, and Our Supports.

Gippsland PHN reached higher than the benchmarking norms in all questions regarding forward momentum and trusting and respecting each other.

GIVING BACK TO GIPPSLAND

Staff can take time off to volunteer

It brings local people together to meet and socialise to achieve positive community outcomes.

Gippsland Primary Health Network staff are allocated a day each year to volunteer in the “Giving Back to Gippsland” initiative.

The policy was introduced in 2024 because Gippsland PHN believes volunteering opportunities not only help others in the Gippsland community, but can help broaden an employee’s outlook and benefit organisational culture.

Manager Primary Care Response, Cassie Mayman, used her day to fulfil her voluntary obligation as a Board member with the Sale Neighbourhood House.

“I joined the centre’s Board in 2023 because it is an important community space and I felt I had something to offer,” Cassie said. “It brings local people together to meet and socialise to achieve positive community outcomes.

“Helping with the smallest task can make a real difference to the lives of people in the community.”

Cassie is also on the Board of Ashleigh House Aged Care Home in Sale.

Gippsland PHN supports Movember Campaign

Screening for prostate cancer is a lot simpler than it used to be and it all starts with talking about risk factors with a doctor.

In a partnership between Gippsland PHN and Latrobe Regional Health, six GP clinics across Gippsland started the conversation by acknowledging ‘Movember’ in 2023, the international campaign raising awareness about men’s physical and mental health.

The clinics in Traralgon, Sale, Drouin and Wonthaggi offered to bulk bill one prostate screening appointment for each patient who mentions the Movember campaign during November.

Taking part in the campaign was Dr Tunji Onibokun from Mercy Family Medical Clinic in Traralgon who urged men to be more aware of prostate cancer and their health in general.

“One in seven Aussie men get prostate cancer,” he said. “There can be life after prostate cancer. The prerequisite is early detection.”

Latrobe Regional Hospital’s Information and Communications Technology Manager, William Buckley, was the first to take up the invitation for prostate screening with Dr Tunji.

“It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. After having a blood pressure check, we talked about my health generally and assessed any risks such as my family history with cancer and my age,” William said.

“Dr Tunji explained the process for a prostate check, a simple blood test initially to work out whether a physical examination or scan is required. If the result of the blood test is okay and my risk factors are minimal, then further tests are not required for now.”

The general practices who participated were:

• Flourish Medical Group in Traralgon

• Mercy Family Medical Clinic in Traralgon

• Inglis Medical Centre in Sale

• Drouin Family Medical Centre

• Civic Park Consulting Suites in Drouin

• Wonthaggi Medical Group

Avoidable cancer death rates (average per 100,000 people) in Gippsland are 35.9 per cent, significantly higher than Victoria at 28.2 per cent and Australia at 28.8 per cent.

Dr Tunji Onibokun

Inaugural recipients of the Gippsland Primary Health Network scholarships for allied health

Three allied health students at Federation University in Churchill are the inaugural recipients of Gippsland Primary Health Network’s new scholarships.

As part of a $500,000 commitment, Gippsland PHN is providing scholarships to three new students a year for 12 years, supporting them to succeed in their studies without the stress of financial pressure.

Recipients were Gianna Ziero from Drouin West who is studying a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours), Jake Kallady from Warragul who is studying a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) and Anna Solomon from Morwell who is studying for a Bachelor of Social Work.

Gianna said the scholarship would help pay for fuel to travel to the Churchill campus and to dedicate more time to study.

From a young age, Gianna knew she wanted to help people, particularly young children, and seeing the care her three-year-old brother received from his occupational therapist helped her settle on Occupational Therapy as a career.

“My overall goal is to become a practising occupational therapist in my community and help reduce the waitlists in allied health,” she said. “I’m really loving the course so far and the OT cohort of students are so lovely and it’s lovely being in a small class. Everyone’s just working with each other.”

Federation University launched its Gippsland allied health programs to help tackle local workforce shortages, beginning with Occupational Therapy in 2020, followed by Physiotherapy in 2021 and Speech Pathology in 2022. It has since expanded to include social work last year.

At its state-of-the-art Allied Health and Activity Centre, allied health students learn in modern teaching spaces with the latest technology designed to simulate clinical settings

According to the 2019 Gippsland’s Future Health and Community Services Workforce report commissioned by the Latrobe Valley Authority, the actual number of physiotherapists in Gippsland is projected to grow from 167 in 2016 to 237 by 2036; occupational therapists will grow from 150 in 2016 to 212 in 2036; and speech pathologists and audiologists will grow from 79 in 2016 to 113 in 2036.

Pictured at the Federation University scholarship presentation are Jake Kallady from Warragul and Gianna Ziero from Drouin West.

From left: Jake Kallady from from Warragul, Gianna Ziero from Drouin West and Anna Soloman from Morwell.

Supporting our future health workforce

Gippsland Primary Health Network is proud to support an annual health camp to engage and support the future health workforce in the region.

The 2024 Health Camp is organised by the Baw Baw Latrobe Local Learning and Employment Network, in partnership with TAFE Gippsland and Federation University, and is supported by local organisations and industry, including Gippsland PHN.

The camp is a three-day live-in experience aimed at promoting opportunities for secondary school students interested in a future career in the health sector.

Held at Federation University Churchill and TAFE Gippsland in Morwell, the camp was attended by 90 students and school staff from across Gippsland.

Participants explored the nursing and health departments of both TAFE Gippsland and Federation University, spending time with faculty staff and gaining valuable insights into local career pathways.

A dinner at Federation University was attended by local industry representatives, including Gippsland CEO Amanda Proposch and Chief Operating Officer Angela Jacob, offering students the chance to network and learn from professionals in the field.

Global health expert guest speaker at Gippsland PHN event

Globally renowned public health expert and advocate, Dr Sandro Demaio, was guest speaker at the Gippsland Primary Health Network’s annual general meeting and 2023 Gippsland Primary Health Awards on 15 November.

Chief Executive Officer of VicHealth, Dr Demaio originally trained and worked as a medical doctor at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Before taking his role at VicHealth, he was CEO of the EAT Foundation in Norway and a medical officer for the United Nations World Health Organisation in Switzerland.

Dr Demaio captivated the audience throughout his presentation about his career journey and his passion for making a difference at the population health level.

Dr Sandro Demaio presented at the Gippsland 2023 Primary Health Awards and Annual General meeting.

Gippsland Primary Health Awards

A family violence prevention initiative, a day respite service, a clinic to treat diabetes-related foot problems and a cultural awareness safety program won the 2023 Gippsland Primary Health Awards.

Chief Executive Officer of Vic Health, Dr Sandro Demaio, announced the four winners from 16 awards finalists from across Gippsland who were celebrated at the Gippsland Primary Health Awards event on Wednesday 15 November in Traralgon.

GippSport, Gippsland Women’s Health and the Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault won the Prevention category, South Gippsland Hospital the award for populations, Latrobe Community Health Service and Latrobe Regional Health won the Health category and West Gippsland Healthcare Group the service category.

Primary Health Award winners

Populations improving health and wellbeing of communities

South Gippsland Hospital - The hospital’s Day Respite Service was designed to help older, frail or isolated people to remain in their own home by providing support they need. With the aim of ensuring service flexibility for both consumers and carers, the hospital worked collaboratively with other organisations to provide this accessible and integrated service for South Gippsland.

Health

improving outcomes for people experiencing ill health

Latrobe Community Health Service and Latrobe Regional Health: diabetes-related foot disease is a major health concern across the region. The Gippsland High Risk Foot Service provides specialised assessment and treatment of high-risk foot complications in a multi-disciplinary environment. To date, 879 episodes of care have been provided to more than 220 Gippsland residents. The diabetes-related foot ulcer healing rates over a 12-week period are equivalent to the rates in major tertiary hospitals in Melbourne.

Pictured are Sam Park Deere, Lilli Lush and Fran Allott, all from South Gippsland Hospital Day Respite Service.

Pictured are John Chen from Latrobe Community Health Service and Alison Lang from Latrobe Regional Health.

Prevention improving social and environmental factors of health

GippSport, Gippsland Women’s Health and the Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault – These organisations won the award for the Winter Orange Round which has been running across the region for nine years. They saw an opportunity for sports clubs in the region to take a stand for the prevention of family violence and with the support of Gippsland’s six local councils, five Prevention of Family Violence Networks and state sporting associations, the campaign was launched.

Service

improving health service outcomes and experiences

West Gippsland Healthcare Group – This cultural awareness project was the result after a Kurnai Elder asked how health service staff could improve their understanding of why cultural safety matters. The WGHG worked closely with Kurnai Elders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members to create a new cultural safety training package, resulting in the filming of three videos. The first video, Jackson’s Track, featuring messages from the Kurnai Elders, has been shown at events across the wider community.

Pictured are Michelle Harris ad Kathleen Denny from GippSport.

Pictured are Audra Fenton and Angela Greenall from West Gippsland Healthcare Group.

Executive team

Amanda Proposch Chief Executive Officer

Amanda is a healthcare management professional with over 20 years’ experience in general practice management and more than 10 years’ experience in private and public hospital nursing roles, including senior management and healthcare redesign. Amanda has a track record of substantial contribution in the application of improvement methodology in healthcare, coaching and developing high performing teams, and elevating operational efficiency, productivity and consumer experience.

Angela Jacob Chief Operating Officer

Angela has 30 years’ experience in healthcare, initially as a physiotherapist with an interest in women’s health and later as general manager at Latrobe Regional Hospital. Her qualifications include Master of Health Service Management. She is a Certified Health Executive and Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management. Angela is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Steve Morgan

Executive Manager Corporate Services

(retired 22 April 2024)

Steve Morgan is an accountant with more than 25 years’ experience in senior management roles, including chief financial officer in not-for-profit and commercial organisations in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. Before joining Gippsland PHN, Steve’s most recent role was Financial Services Manager at Castle Personnel Services, a disability employment provider in NSW.

Dr

Board of Directors

Nathan

Voll (Chair from 13 December 2023)

Nathan has more than 25 years’ experience in the private and public sector in executive positions, management, consulting and finance/ accounting. He is currently the Regional Finance Manager for South Eastern Victoria with the Department of Education and Training. Nathan holds a Commerce degree from Monash University and a Master of Business Administration with Deakin University.

Letitia Clark (Deputy Chair from 13 December 2023)

Letitia is a GP Anaesthetist, the Chief Medical Officer at West Gippsland Healthcare Group, and a fellow of the RACGP. Her clinic work is a combination of hospital anaesthetics and general practice with a focus on providing quality acute care within rural communities.

Therese Tierney

(Chair until 13 December 2023)

Therese is a highly experienced board director and Chair with more than 45 years’ experience in the health sector. She has held CEO roles in metro Melbourne and regional Victoria in both the private and public health sectors and held government committee and board roles over the last 20 years.

Dr Elisabeth Wearne

Elisabeth is a General Practitioner at the Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative (GEGAC) and is a supervisor to GP trainees there. Previously, Dr Wearne has worked in a number of East Gippsland towns including Aboriginal health services, Omeo District Health and in youth healthcare provision roles including Headspace. She has a passion for education, having obtained a Masters in Clinical Education from the University of Melbourne in 2023

Murray Bruce

Murray is a strong leader and an experienced commercial lawyer specialising in strategic planning, project management, risk management and governance. He has successfully worked across all levels of government, many private and not-for-profit organisations and local community groups.

Anna is an IT Executive and Strategy Consultant offering over 20 years of expertise leading teams through significant industry change. She is highly accomplished in corporate governance, strategy, innovation, design and deployment of new products and technologies.

Mary Sayers

Ryan Brown

Ryan has served as a director, non-executive director and in general management positions within the non-for-profit, public health and local government sectors for over 20 years. He has a passion for driving change and innovation.

Mary is an experienced executive and board member with a vast array of governance and leadership skills. She is the CEO of the National Disability Research Partnership, and is a senior leader in the health, human services and disability spheres. She has worked across policy and research, advocacy and service delivery to progress positive outcomes for children and young people, and the broader determinants of social wellbeing and health.

Anna Hall

Vicki

Doherty (commenced 15 November 2023)

Vicki has more than 20 years’ experience in the public, not-forprofit and government sectors. She is currently the Executive Director of the Australasian Menopause Society and led the implementation of the Victorian Government’s Palliative Care Policy in Gippsland across the primary, acute and community health sectors. Vicki brings a wealth of experience from working within government at an executive level, implementing health policy, developing and delivering health programs.

Julie Rogalsky (retired 15 November 2023)

Julie has more than 20 years’ experience in the Gippsland health sector having worked in the general practice, hospital, community health, government and GP training sectors. She supports strong local primary healthcare, especially to more marginalised populations.

Clinical Council and Community Advisory Committee members July

2023-June 2024

Plenary Chair: Dr

Mitchell Kraan

Position Name

Latrobe and Baw Baw Clinical Council

Workplace / Occupation

Members

Dr Mitchell Kraan

Ms Leanne Coupland

Ms Audra Fenton

Ms Elizabeth Plunkett

Dr Mark (Daniel) Crowley

Ms Joelene Gathercole

Dr Kathryn Brotchie

Trafalgar Medical Centre

West Gippsland Healthcare Group

West Gippsland Healthcare Group

Latrobe Community Health Service

Gladstone Street Medical Warragul

Good Life Physio

Latrobe Community Health Service

Bass Coast and South Gippsland Clinical Council

Position Name

Acting Chair Dr Sinead de Gooyer

Ms Carlene Hurst

Ms Anna Langley

Ms Denise Escreet

Members

Mr Scott Aitken

Ms Gabi Scott

Ms Michelle Denman

Workplace / Occupation

Inverloch Health Care

Foster & Toora Medical Centre

Bass Coast Therapy (private practice)

Wonthaggi Medical Group

High St Medical & Bass Coast Health

Self-employed

Self-employed with Mitran Consultancy & Monash University

Wellington and East Gippsland Clinical Council

Position Name Workplace / Occupation

Chair Dr Patrick Kinsella Gippsland Lakes Community Health Attendees

Dr Emma Gault Sale Medical Centre

Ms Sharon Gennings Bairnsdale Medical Group

Ms Hayley Schuback Inglis Medical Centre

Mr Owen Connolly Latrobe Regional Hospital

Members

Mr Brendon Moar Pharmacist

Ms Paula Morgan Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association

Ms Margaret Griffiths Bairnsdale Regional Health Service

Ms Sophie Wilson Central Gippsland Health Service

Ms Lindy Thunder Yarram District Health Service

Community Advisory Committee

Name

Workplace / Occupation

Ms Catriona Knothe Bass Coast

Ms Julie Watson Bass Coast

Ms Nicole Creaser South Gippsland

Ms Pam McGrath Latrobe

Mr Bradley Hogan Baw Baw

Ms Sue Gaffney East Gippsland

Ms Dianne Goeman Bass Coast

Lisa Simpson Baw Baw

Clare Plozza Latrobe

Ms Sue Kearney Latrobe

Ms Kerri Easton East Gippsland

Mr Geoff Duffell Latrobe

Financial Report

The 2023-24 financial statements of Gippsland Health Network Limited were prepared by Andrew Frewin Stewart and were completed in accordance with the applicable Australian Accounting Standards, reduced disclosure requirements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board, and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission Act 2012. Gippsland Health Network Limited utilises accrual accounting based on historical cost, modified where required.

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF PROFIT/LOSS

The detailed 2023-24 audited financial statements for Gippsland Health Network Limited can be found on the Gippsland PHN website at www.gphn.org.au.

Phone: 03 5175 5444

Email: info@gphn.org.au

Web: gphn.org.au