The challenges facing primary care, the importance of collaboration and some of the work underway to improve health outcomes across South Western Sydney took centre stage at SWSPHN’s 2026 AGM Showcase.
Forty-nine people attended the showcase, including SWSPHN Board members and staff, representatives from member organisations and South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD), committee members and service providers.
SWSPHN Clinical Council Chair Dr Vince Roche welcomed guests and reflected on the significant health challenges experienced across South Western Sydney and the important role primary healthcare plays in creating a more effective and equitable health system.
SWSPHN Board Chair Ms Edwards then formally announced Ms Prince as SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer.
Keynote explores future of sustainable primary care
Keynote speaker Professor Anthony Scott, of the Centre for Health Economics at Monash Business School, explored the economics of a sustainable primary healthcare system and Director some of the pressures shaping its future.
Professor Scott discussed changes in workforce supply, GP retirements and working patterns, the increasing role of other health professionals, alternative models of care and the growing demand associated with ageing and chronic disease.
He identified three opportunities for strengthening primary care: increasing workforce supply, improving the balance of care between primary and community care and hospitals, and reforming payment systems.
Professor Scott highlighted the need to better understand local workforce markets, noting different communities can experience different pressures and shortages.
He explored the role primary care can play in providing appropriate care at a lower cost to patients, while cautioning that increasing primary care does not automatically reduce hospital or overall health expenditure.
His presentation reinforced the importance of carefully designed reforms which respond to local population and workforce needs rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Celebrating the past year and setting our future direction
CEO Ms Prince opened the program showcase by paying tribute to former SWSPHN CEO Dr Keith McDonald PhD, who passed away in September.
Dr McDonald led SWSPHN for almost a decade and was a passionate advocate for primary care and the South Western Sydney community.
Ms Prince reflected on his generosity with his time, knowledge and experience and the lasting impact he had on colleagues and partners. Attendees observed a minute of silence in his memory.
The showcase highlighted a small sample of the work undertaken across SWSPHN during the past year, with more featured in the 2025-26 Annual Report, launched on the day.
Ms Prince introduced SWSPHN’s new Strategic Plan 2026-2031, outlining the organisation’s direction for the next five years.
The plan focuses on keeping people well, supporting primary care to meet the needs of a growing population, creating a more connected healthcare system and targeting investment where it can have the greatest impact.
Staff showcase highlights collaboration and local impact
Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Manager Ms Weidner and SWSLHD Acting Director Community Mental Health and Partnerships Ms Thomas showcased the South Western Sydney Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan to 2030.
The joint SWSPHN and SWSLHD plan was developed through a collaborative consultation process, with the experiences of consumers, carers and service providers helping to shape its priorities.
Ms Weidner and Ms Thomas reflected on the plan’s April launch at Campbelltown Hospital, including a moving presentation from lived experience advocate Debbie Roberts about the importance of dignity, clear pathways to care and accessible services.
The new plan includes six objectives and 14 specific actions and builds on the region’s first joint plan, where more than 75 per cent of 128 actions are completed or underway.
SWSPHN’s Ms Noble and Palliative Aged Care Consultancy Service (PACCS) Clinical Nurse Consultant Ms Krebs followed with an update on the Advance Care Planning project.
SWSPHN commissioned PACCS to deliver workshops to increase understanding of advance care planning and support more people in South Western Sydney to have conversations about their future healthcare.
So far, 57 workshops have reached more than 700 participants, alongside one-on-one support that has contributed to 136 known completed Advance Care Directives.
Workforce Engagement Coordinator Mr Chiew then explored SWSPHN’s work to strengthen multidisciplinary team care, highlighting how successful collaboration relies not only on programs and funding, but on trust, professional relationships and understanding the roles different clinicians play.
Initiatives showcased included the MTC-HEAL program, multidisciplinary small grants in Fairfield, allied health outreach and The Common Ground newsletter and CPD series.
Through six Common Ground events, GPs, nurses and allied health professionals have come together to explore priority health issues from different professional perspectives and build stronger connections between professions.
As Mr Chiew told attendees: “Before we can connect care, we need to connect people.”
Director of Innovation and Partnerships Ms Short closed the staff presentations with a look at general practice sustainability in South Western Sydney.
Ms Short highlighted an ageing GP workforce, a high proportion of solo general practices and ongoing recruitment, retention and financial pressures.
Since SWSPHN began tracking practice closures in September 2023, 64 practices have closed, while 24 new practices have opened.
SWSPHN is using data and support from across its Workforce, Service Support and Digital Health teams to identify practices which may be at risk earlier and provide tailored support including workforce assistance, succession planning and digital uplift.
This work will contribute to the Greater Western Sydney Primary Care Workforce Strategy being developed in partnership with Western Sydney PHN and Nepean Blue Mountains PHN.
Read our 2025-26 Annual Report
Closing the Showcase, Dr Roche thanked presenters and reflected on the breadth of work highlighted throughout the day.
The presentations offered just a snapshot of the programs, partnerships and initiatives underway across SWSPHN to strengthen primary care and improve health outcomes for the South Western Sydney community.
Thank you to our staff, partners and stakeholders whose work and collaboration contributed to the achievements highlighted throughout the Showcase and across the past year.
Read SWSPHN’s 2025-26 Annual Report to explore more of the work, achievements and partnerships from across the year.
