Chief Executive Officer Report

I write this Chief Executive Officer report sound in the knowledge that Country SA PHN is reaching and surpassing our key performance indicators and expectations.

This is my second financial year as Country SA PHN CEO. During this time the organisation has continued to evolve and streamline activity to ensure that we are commissioning effective and efficient primary health services to support the health and wellbeing of our country South Australian communities.

In 2023-24 Country SA PHN has continued to evolve as an organisation to reflect the ever-changing landscape of primary health. We have continued to create exciting new opportunities, foster growth and have attracted and retained skilled and enthusiastic staff members with a diverse range of experiences. I would like to acknowledge Chief Operating Officer Suzanne Delaney for the outstanding support she has provided throughout this time. She has managed Country SA PHN’s operations with great skill and commitment.

I am also pleased to have welcomed back to Country SA PHN two new Executive Directors to our Executive Team – Executive Manager Strategic Engagement Emma Young in October 2023 and Executive Manager - Health System Integration and Innovation Tania Manser. Emma and Tania’s return has complemented our existing strong Executive Team that has done an outstanding job of steering the teams in their respective portfolios to achieve our Strategic Objectives.

The Country SA PHN Board of Directors consistently provides strategic direction, wise counsel and unwavering support for the organisation, our objectives and the country South Australian communities we serve. During 2023-24 the Board developed Country SA PHN’s Strategic Plan to form the cornerstone of the organisation. This plan has become embedded in all that we do, right across the organisation. Dr Simon Lockwood has continued his exemplary work as Board Chair. I am grateful for his continued stewardship and leadership throughout 2023-24.

The Country SA PHN Board has also welcomed a new member Dr David Lam. Dr Lam is a GP in Port Lincoln who also works as an Emergency Doctor at Ashford Hospital in Adelaide. He is a Senior Lecturer at the Adelaide Uni School of Medicine and has been involved in the teaching of Medical Students and Junior Medical Officers since 2012. Dr Lam is also the club doctor for the Port Lincoln Boxing Club, a graduate of the University of Adelaide Medical School and a fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Dr Lam was named the 2019 South Australian/Northern Territory GP of the year by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of outgoing Board member Devinia Binnell. Devinia (Beanz) is a proud Bangarla-Kokatha-Wirangu woman. Beanz is passionate about the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and closing the gap in health and wellbeing outcomes. I would particularly like to thank Beanz for the role she provided as Cultural Advisor to our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group - ensuring our activity was viewed through a culturally appropriate lens.

I would like to thank the Clinical Council that has continued to provide key connections between primary healthcare providers and the Country SA PHN Board. The Clinical Councils bring together key stakeholders with expertise in a clinical practice environment to work in partnership and contribute to ensuring that Country SA PHN’s decisions, investments and innovations are clinically safe, patient centred, cost effective, and local.

Our Community Advisory Committees are our community voice, and I would like to acknowledge them and the activity that has been achieved during another cooperative year of collaboration and activity. Country SA PHN greatly values our relationship with our Community Advisory Committees and the range of information they provide on local health and social issues. They are an integral part of our Strategic Engagement.

Mental Health commissioning continues to be Country SA PHN’s most significant portfolio of activity. Our Mental Health team is growing to accommodate the ongoing and new initiatives we have undertaken. The Head to Health phone service and the associated Medicare Mental Health Centres are progressing well. The Mount Gambier centre continues to provide an excellent service, and the Port Pirie and Mount Barker sites are in train – with the Port Pirie Medicare Mental Health Service now providing service. This expansion of collective programs prescribed by the Commonwealth through our commissioning activities remains a critical pillar of mental health and alcohol and drug support for country South Australian communities.

This has included the Department of Health and Aged Care directing activity across other portfolios through initiatives such as the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (MUCC). The first in country South Australia opened in Mount Gambier and was officially launched by Assistant Minister McBride in March 2024. The Mount Gambier MUCC has treated more than 5,200 patients from this time in 2023-24 – significantly relieving pressure on the Mount Gambier Hospital Emergency Department and helping people to get the urgent treatment they need from highly qualified General Practitioners and nurses. MUCCs offer walk-in, bulk billed services increasing access and equity for all.

Our country South Australian ageing population has continued to grow and require adequate resourcing. Our Ageing and Palliative Care team has been working with Residential Aged Care Homes, service providers and the community to ensure our focus on ageing well in place can be achieved.

The Primary Care Support team has continued to offer significant support to all country South Australian General Practices. These important relationships have been further strengthened to in turn assist our rural and remote communities to access efficient and effective primary health services.

The Rural Health Innovation Fund (RHIF) that Country SA PHN proudly launched in December 2022 has continued to grow and gain awareness and traction right across our region. RHIF provides an exciting opportunity to enhance and support country South Australian’s innovative and holistic health and wellbeing outcomes. Through the inaugural grant round in March 2023 RHIF provided funding opportunities for community led programs to drive initiatives that support positive outcomes for our rural communities. It has been inspiring to see the level of passion the round one grant recipients have for their chosen initiatives and the resulting positive outcomes. The recipients demonstrated a breadth of innovative health solutions for their local communities – ranging from mental health and chronic health condition challenges to innovative ways to improve connectivity for regional communities to access health and wellbeing services. Many of these initiatives have proved so successful they have now been embedded as ongoing activities in their communities. It has been heartening to see the engagement, connectivity and capacity building that these initiatives have achieved.

Throughout 2023-2024 Country SA PHN has continued its commitment to the principles of reconciliation. As Chief Executive Officer, I am humbled by this commitment. It is a privilege to stand with the oldest continuing culture on the planet as we walk towards a truly reconciled future. Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group has been guided by the principles of our draft Innovate RAP. The creation and embodiment of our draft Innovate RAP provides our whole organisation with a set of guiding principles for us to adhere to. We apply this lens across all our decision-making processes right across the organisation. We are fortunate to be able to collaborate with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to understand and support implementation of community based culturally appropriate solutions that are most suited to supporting their own communities.

Country SA PHN has continued to demonstrate good governance and financial stewardship. Prudent management of resources has seen us continue to be a leader across the PHN network regarding efficiency and productivity. Country SA PHN ensures that approximately 85% of expenditure is used to commission frontline services, with corporate expenditure being well managed.

I would also like to recognise our commissioned service providers. Country SA PHN enjoys good productive working relationships with our service providers. These relationships are integral to supporting the best results for our communities and ensuring that we are working toward our mission to bridge the gap in health inequity for country South Australians. I would like to thank our commissioned service providers for their ongoing diligence, commitment and local expertise to provide Commonwealth funded activity tailored to their individual communities across country South Australia.

These productive relationships are vital to achieving our vision for better health and wellbeing for all country South Australians. I would like to extend my thanks to all those with whom we have collaborated with during 2023-2024 - from the communities we serve, to small community groups, to key stakeholders and everyone in between we acknowledge the role you have played in improving the health and wellbeing of rural South Australian communities. I would also like to acknowledge our team at Country SA PHN. Our staff are diligent, passionate, professionals who are committed to our communities and improving their health and wellbeing outcomes.

I look forward to continuing our work as we strive to bridge the gap in health inequity for country South Australians.

Mark Hartigan Chief Executive Officer