CEO and board chair message

Working closely with our partners, the Northern Territory Primary Health Network (NT PHN) has achieved much to be proud of during 2021–22, notwithstanding the continuing challenges associated with COVID-19.

Under our ongoing transformational change program, we built on earlier work to streamline our commissioning processes, looked at options to further expand our regional approach and started work to develop a new strategic plan.

We secured agreement from members to transition the two clinical councils into one, with representation from all areas of the NT, and continued support for workforce strategies across the NT in support of our stakeholders and partners across the sector.

We facilitated the expansion of the Headspace program with funding secured for a satellite centre in Palmerston, along with two innovative models in the Central Australia communities of Yulara and Mutitjulu.

Importantly, we continued our commitment to supporting the NT community through COVID outbreaks over the last year. In November, we farewelled board members Di Walsh and Judith Oliver, and welcomed to John Rawnsley as the new board chair and David Blair as deputy chair.

We thank the outgoing members for their sterling contributions over many years, and we look forward to working with the new chair and deputy chair.

We also said goodbye and thank you to long-term Executive Manager Le Smith, who has been with NT PHN since 2010, and was instrumental in supporting the implementation of the some of the early commissioning within the organisation.

This report presents a snapshot of our work and progress in 2021–22; however, we encourage you to contact us if you would like any further information.

The work we have undertaken in 2021–22 will stand us in good stead as we continue our progress towards an integrated, high-quality primary health care system in 2022–23.