South Western Sydney’s Local Health Forums attract vital community feedback

Participants embrace opportunity to tell SWSPHN what matters

A desire to find out exactly what their community wanted — or needed — when it came to health services prompted South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN) to begin hosting Local Health Forums in 2022.

Community members, health professionals and service providers are invited to join the forums which are held twice a year across several locations throughout the region, including in the Southern Highlands, Campbelltown, Liverpool and Bankstown.

This is to ensure the forums are accessible and represent the needs of South Western Sydney, as well as how they differ from region to region. It’s a chance for the community to share their experiences and discuss how the health of the region can be improved.

Ongoing health needs assessments are a key function of SWSPHN. This process includes literature review, data collection and analysis, stakeholder and community surveys, consultations and focus groups to identify any emerging needs.

In line with that role, the forums aim to gain a range of perspectives on important health-related issues so funds and efforts can be directed towards addressing service gaps. They also help to attract and keep quality GPs, and other primary health professionals.

The four sets of forums held since May 2022 have attracted about 400 participants and addressed a range of key priorities across the region.

Each forum successfully promoted an exchange of ideas and helped to create meaningful conversations between attendees and SWSPHN staff. SWSPHN also conducted surveys to allow those who could not attend a face-to-face forum to share their insights.

The focus of the Local Health Forums is decided by the SWSPHN executive team, based on regional and strategic needs. Each event includes a dinner for participants and is run by a main facilitator. There is a presentation from an SWSPHN executive member, followed by a talk about the topic by a subject matter expert.

This is followed by a consultation session involving small groups of five or six participants who talk with each other to answer the six questions presented to them. SWSPHN staff are also there to guide and assist them.

Care Finder Program

The first of the Local Health Forums were held in May and June 2022 and highlighted the care finder program and the challenges older people face in accessing healthcare in South Western Sydney.

The forums offered attendees a chance to learn about the Commonwealth-funded aged care initiative aimed at connecting local seniors to appropriate services. They shared insights and perspectives which have guided the development of local, face-to-face supports to help older people navigate access to aged care services.

Suggestions from participants highlighted the importance of: GPs understanding and supporting the program; including access to bilingual staff and culturally appropriate services; collaborating with local councils, religious groups and other community organisations; and the integration of the care finder program with health, aged care and other systems.

Chronic Disease Management

In February and March 2023, Local Health Forums were held to discuss the barriers, enablers and opportunities around improving chronic disease management.

Through the forums, the community highlighted the need to make healthcare more affordable, support healthcare providers financially, and enhance public awareness and education about chronic diseases.

Specific areas like Bankstown and the Southern Highlands highlighted a particular demand for increased education. Campbelltown and Liverpool were more focused on improving access to care.

Mental Health Services

Local Health Forums focused on the barriers to accessing mental health services in August and September 2023. The forums were part of a bigger deep dive into mental health and suicide prevention being undertaken by SWSPHN.

Information shared during the forums helped to: identify and understand the mental health needs of the community; identify where existing services can be improved to better serve the community; and develop and implement future activities which will benefit the community.

Supporting Primary Healthcare

The focus of the Local Health Forums in March and April 2024 was supporting primary healthcare.

Key priorities for further consideration which came out of the forums included: increasing support for primary care health professionals, including improving general practice support and referral pathways for allied health; supporting patients to access primary healthcare services through educational communications campaigns and improving accessibility; and improving regional directories to provide a clear view of all services.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Forums currently being planned for August and September this year will focus on palliative care and the importance of advance care planning.

SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, said the Local Health Forums explored service and health needs gaps in our community and were essential in better understanding how SWSPHN could ensure the delivery of quality healthcare to our community.

‘Each forum reinforces the importance of engaging and collaborating with our community to identify areas for improvement and develop solutions to help enhance healthcare services in our region,’ he said.