Chair report

Earlier this year as I was going through my personal archives I came across some old media clippings from my time as a junior doctor at the Wagga Base Hospital. One article, with accompanying photo, welcomes us as 10, fresh faced, new interns and speaks of rural general practice as interesting and varied. The second, features the same group being asked for their opinion about a financial incentive being offered for rural general practitioners. We were all in agreement then, that financial incentives alone were not the answer. Now, here I am 15 years later and not much has changed. Rural GPs have the best job in the world, one where we get to build relationships and change the lives of our patients. Yet, despite the rewarding career a rural GP presents, recruitment and retention for regional and rural general practices continues to be an issue.

As a local GP I understand the challenges facing the primary healthcare sector. The impacts on patients and all primary care clinicians arising from the hardships of the previous few years, has only exacerbated health workforce issues. And as Board Chair the industry experience of myself and fellow board directors, in delivering primary healthcare in a regional and rural setting continues to be critical in providing guidance and support for the work of Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN). Over the past 12 months there have been a range of NSW and federal reviews, policies and reforms which will guide our future direction. Among them Australia’s Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022-2032, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the NSW Health and NSW Primary Health Networks Joint Statement – Working together to deliver personcentred healthcare. The Joint Partnership, in particular, recognises patientcentred care requires collaboration and integration between the primary, community, hospital and social care settings. We know when we work together to get this right, health outcomes for people and communities are improved. Over the coming years, MPHN will continue to support clinicians and primary healthcare providers to implement the range of various health reforms at a local level. Ensuring the needs and priorities of local communities are addressed remains a key focus of the Board. Critical to this success will be developing locally led and collaborative approaches with the aim to develop innovative solutions to improve health outcomes for our most at-risk population groups. Despite the perennial difficulties, there are significant opportunities ahead for primary healthcare. And I know the strength of our partners and the outstanding and unflagging commitment of the CEO and staff to deliver on the MPHN vision of well people, resilient communities will help us meet the challenges head on.

Dr Jodi Culbert