Workforce Archives | Page 2 of 9 | South Western Sydney PHN

18 February 2026

SWSPHN’s Primary Care Workforce team joined representatives from other PHNs on Wednesday, 11 February to give GP registrars a sample of the resources and support they can expect to receive from their local PHN as they begin their careers in general practice.

About 150 registrars turned out for the Metro PHN Showcase, held alongside GPT1/2 Orientation Day, at CommBank Stadium at Parramatta.

The registrars heard from WentWest Board member and Riverstone GP, Dr Michelle Crockett, who introduced them to the role of PHNs and HealthPathways.

SWSPHN’s Hannah Reveley and Karen Fildes (pictured right) hosted a stall where they chatted with about 40 registrars and shared information about SWSPHN’s activities, services and resources, and introduced them to our new registrar hub.

Visit the registrar hub

The Metro PHN Showcase was also a great opportunity to network with colleagues from other PHNs and connect with the RACGP coordinators who play a key role in supporting the registrars throughout their training journey.

These efforts ensure our newest GPs feel informed, welcomed and supported from day one.

29 January 2026

Developed by allied health professionals, for allied health professionals

A new quarterly newsletter, The Common Ground, is launching for allied health professionals working in primary care across South Western Sydney. GPs and nurses are welcome to subscribe.

Developed by allied health professionals, the newsletter is designed to support day-to-day practice by bringing together relevant updates, opportunities, and information in one place.

Launching on Thursday, 5 February, The Common Ground will share invitations to local events and workshops, updates on primary care initiatives, and news and resources relevant to allied health professionals working in the region.

The newsletter aims to support stronger connections across primary care, improve awareness of local opportunities, and help allied health professionals, GPs, and nurses stay informed about initiatives impacting their work in South Western Sydney.

Subscribe now to receive the first edition of The Common Ground.

Subscribe now

Get to know our Workforce Team

Our team includes people who know what it’s like to work in allied health.

Brendan is a pharmacist with more than seven years of experience. Nisha is an occupational therapist who works to support families and adults with disabilities. Anielka is a registered nurse with a background in emergency care and chronic disease management.

They’re here to listen, connect, and support you.

Learn more

27 January 2026

South Western Sydney PHN is offering cervical screening training scholarships to support practice nurses to build skills, confidence, and capacity in cervical screening. This includes recent updates to self-collection, with the aim of increasing cervical screening participation in general practice using both speculum-based and self-collection options.

Scholarships currently at capacity. We are still accepting registrations for the waitlist, however places are limited and you may miss out.

What’s available

General practices, women’s health centres and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services can receive $1,000 per practice nurse who completes the training. There is no limit of applications per practice.

practices pay the $285 course fee upfront
$1,000 reimbursement is paid after the enrolment receipt and course completion certificate is submitted
funding is intended to help offset course fees, staff time, backfill, travel, and parking costs
up to 50 scholarship places are available
eligible nurses must work in primary care within South Western Sydney. This includes the local government areas of Bankstown, Campbelltown, Camden, Fairfield, Liverpool, Wollondilly or Wingecarribee.

Scholarships are outcome-based and paid on completion. Funding is limited and prior approval from SWSPHN is required before course registration.

About the course

This blended learning course, delivered by Family Planning Australia clinical facilitators, combines online learning with hands-on, face-to-face skills practice.

Practice nurses will strengthen their:

knowledge of cervical screening
practical skills and technique
confidence in discussing and providing screening, including self-collection

The online learning component must be completed before attending the in-person training session.

Course content includes:

updates to the National Cervical Screening Guidelines, with a focus on self-collection
human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer
communication and history-taking skills
taking cervical screening samples
case studies
practising cervical screening on pelvic models

Accreditation

Participants, who complete all the online learning and attend the workshop will be issued with a Statement of Completion.

The course is a CPD Activity under the RACGP CPD Program and gives 3 Education Activity hours and 2.5 Reviewing Performance hours.

This course is equivalent to 5 hours to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) requirements for CPD.

Family Planning Australia course: Cervical Screening Comprehensive Skills Training

Course dates and locations

The below course dates are current as of 18 February 2026. This page will be updated as new dates become available.

Tuesday, 14 April 2026
10am – 12.30pm
SWSPHN Education Room, Level 2, 1 Bolger St, Campbelltown

Tuesday, 5 May 2026
10am – 12.30pm
Family Planning Australia, 13 Reserve St, Penrith

Tuesday, 2 June 2026
10am – 12.30pm
SWSPHN Education Room, Level 2, 1 Bolger St, Campbelltown

Tuesday, 16 June 2026
10am – 12.30pm
Family Planning Australia, 8 Holker St, Newington

Friday, 26 June 2026
2pm – 4.30pm
Family Planning Australia, 8 Holker St, Newington

How to apply and receive reimbursement

To help manage limited funding, practices must receive SWSPHN approval before registering for the course. (We encourage practices to book and pay for the Family Planning Australia course, rather than nurses paying personally, as reimbursement will be made to the practice.)

Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to SWSPHN
- Eligibility will be confirmed
- Approved applicants will receive written confirmation to proceed via email, including instructions
Once approved, visit the Family Planning Australia website course page
Click Register here and select an available course date
Register and pay the course fee of $285 (save the payment receipt)
Complete the training and obtain your course completion certificate
Submit the below reimbursement form, attaching:
- your payment receipt from Family Planning Australia (bank statements and course registrations will not be accepted)
- your course completion certificate
Complete the short pre-training practice survey
- survey details will be in the confirmation email we send you
- this survey only needs to be completed once per practice

Reimbursement will only be made for applicants who received SWSPHN approval before enrolling.

Please allow two to four weeks for payment processing.

If you have any concerns about scholarship eligibility, please phone or email the Integration and Priority Populations Coordinator – Deborah Ferry before enrolling.
Em: deborah.ferry@swsphn.com.au
Ph: 4632 3000
Deborah works Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

EOI – Cervical Cancer Screening Nurse Scholarship

Scholarships currently at capacity. We are still accepting registrations for the waitlist, however places are limited and you may miss out.

Complete this expression of interest for the Cervical Screening Comprehensive Skills Training scholarship.

Reimbursement instructions

Once the course is complete and your practice has completed the pre-training practice survey, you can request reimbursement.

Step 1 – Complete the survey
Complete the survey linked in your confirmation email from SWSPHN.
This survey only needs to be completed once per practice.

Step 2 – Complete the reimbursement form
Download and complete the reimbursement form:
Reimbursement form

Step 3 – Email your request
Email the completed reimbursement form with all three attachments below:

completed reimbursement form
$285 course payment receipt from Family Planning Australia
Course completion certificate from Family Planning Australia

Send to: deborah.ferry@swsphn.com.au
Once received, your practice will be reimbursed $1,000.

Cancer Institute NSW recommended cervical screening resources for participants

Translated cancer resources for multicultural communities

15 January 2026

CPD events connecting disciplines in primary care

High quality healthcare in South Western Sydney is built on strong relationships between general practice and allied health.

The Common Ground series are ongoing free CPD events bringing local GPs, nurses and allied health professionals together to explore real-world case studies, practical workflows, and shared approaches to managing complex care.

Hosted by the SWSPHN Allied Health Engagement team, each session supports open discussion, shared learning, and meaningful connection across professions, with a focus on holistic person-centred care and local health priorities.

Why multidisciplinary collaboration matters

Every profession brings its own skills, experience and way of understanding care. These differences are strengths, but when services work in silos, they can also lead to fragmented care and missed opportunities for coordination.

The Common Ground series creates a neutral, inter-professional space for primary healthcare providers to learn together, share perspectives, and build a common understanding of holistic person-centred care.

Through open discussion and shared learning, the series supports clearer role understanding, stronger professional relationships, and greater trust across disciplines.

Benefits of attending

All participants will:

gain local insights into managing chronic conditions and multimorbidity
learn practical strategies to improve communication and multidisciplinary collaboration
better understand how different professions can work together to address shared care challenges
receive a certificate to claim CPD point for eligible sessions

GPs and GP registrars will:

build trusted local connections with allied health providers
strengthen referral pathways and team-based care
explore opportunities to improve coordination and future collaboration
experience the professional benefits of shared care through more connected local networks

Nurses will:

better understand their role and scope within GP-led chronic condition management
support patient engagement through coordinated, team-based care
identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration within multidisciplinary teams

Allied health professionals will:

increase visibility of their expertise within the local primary care network
strengthen relationships with nearby GPs
gain insight into GP priorities and pressures
contribute to discussions shaping how multidisciplinary care is delivered locally

Upcoming events:

Multidisciplinary collaboration in managing adults with complex mental health needs

Face-to-face event
Date: Thursday, 14 May
Time: 6.30 – 9pm
Where: The William Inglis Hotel Warwick Farm, 155 Governor Macquarie Drive

This event brings together local healthcare providers to explore practical, team-based approaches to managing complex mental health needs and multimorbidity more effectively by using real-world case studies.

CPD hours:

GPs can earn 1 hour educational activity and 1 hour reviewing performance
Allied health professionals and nurses will receive a certificate for 2 CPD hours

Participants will be able to:

recognise key local challenges in managing chronic conditions and multimorbidity
understand the roles of different healthcare professionals in coordinated care
apply practical strategies to improve multidisciplinary collaboration
use local tools and approaches to support patient-centred care

From left to right, presented by:

Amanda Butt – Nurse Practitioner, Founder and CEO of NPathy

Amanda Butt is an endorsed nurse practitioner and award-winning mental health leader with more than 15 years’ experience, and founder and CEO of NPathy, Australia’s first virtual nurse-led mental health clinic.

Hanan Dover – Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, Founder of Mission of Hope

Hanan Dover is a clinical and forensic psychologist and founder of Mission of Hope, supporting culturally and linguistically diverse communities through culturally safe mental health services.

Dr Hamshi Singh – GP with an interest in lifestyle medicine

Dr Hamshi Singh is a general practitioner with a strong interest in lifestyle medicine, supporting patients to improve long-term health through sustainable changes and chronic disease management.

The Common Ground newsletter for allied health professionals

Sign up to receive updates, opportunities, and relevant information for allied health professionals in South Western Sydney.

Subscribe now

08 December 2025

The GP Living 101 series of workshops (webinars), now in its third year, will return in 2026.

GP Living 101 recognises the importance of providing holistic support to South Western Sydney’s GP workforce.

The series aims to share localised, practical advice on running practices more efficiently, and the tools to improve the wellbeing of staff.

In this setting, GPs can concentrate on patient care, practice staff effectively support their GPs, and the entire practice collaborates to identify system improvements which streamline their operations.

In February 2026 and May 2026, two workshops will be held, focusing on: Reclaiming resilience – resetting before you burn out and Boundaries, compassion and the power of ‘enough’.

Why attend?

Practical strategies: Learn actionable solutions to enhance practice efficiency and team collaboration
Address burnout: Gain insights and tools to overcome common stressors in healthcare
Tailored insights: Workshops designed around real-world challenges faced by healthcare professionals
Boost resilience: Equip your team to thrive in an ever-changing healthcare environment

About the workshops

Topic 1: Reclaiming resilience – resetting before you burn out (for GPs and practice staff)

When: Thursday, 5 February 2026, 7pm to 8.30pm

Aim: Healthcare professionals are often so focused on serving others they forget how to check-in with themselves. This session provides a gentle space to pause, reflect and reset, with dignity and practical support. Participants leave with increased emotional awareness, a personalised reset strategy, and a renewed connection to their own wellbeing as a foundation for care.

You’ll learn how to:

identify the key indicators and manifestations of burnout in high-pressure, care-centred environments
explain the neuroscience behind stress, fatigue and emotional depletion
identify early warning signs of being overextended before reaching a breaking point
apply practical reset techniques, such as the A.R.I.S.E 3-2-1 technique, for real-time emotional and physiological regulation
apply guided self-reflection to reconnect with their personal sense of purpose and assess current capacity for sustainable caregiving or service

Speaker: Christina Foxwell, Founder and CEO, Ignite Purpose

Topic 2: Boundaries, compassion and the power of ‘enough’ (for GPs and practice staff)

When: Thursday, 21 May 2026, 7pm to 8.30pm

Aim: Boundaries aren’t barriers, they are bridges to more intentional care. In teams where ‘yes’ is the default, resentment and burnout quietly grow. This session helps participants protect their energy, uphold their values and continue to serve with grace. Participants leave with clearer boundaries, reduced emotional reactivity and the tools to communicate needs without guilt or shutdown.

You’ll learn how to:

Analyse how over-functioning and people-pleasing behaviours contribute to burnout and emotional collapse
Assess the impact of blurred boundaries on care quality and team culture
Assess the guilt associated with saying ‘no’ and develop strategies for setting and maintaining healthy limits
Implement effective boundary-setting scripts for patient interactions and team dynamics
Develop emotional leakage into sustainable compassion, fostering long-term well-being in caregiving roles

Speaker: Christina Foxwell, Founder and CEO, Ignite Purpose

About the speaker

Christina Foxwell is a globally recognised voice in leadership transformation, resilience- building, and emotional wellbeing in the workplace. With more than two decades of experience, she is the founder and CEO of Ignite Purpose and the creator of the A.R.I.S.E. Resilience Program, a clinically researched, trauma-informed and neuroscience-aligned model of growth for individuals, teams and organisations.

Workshop participants will receive the following resources:

Resilience in Action ebook

A practical and beautifully designed guide with everyday strategies, reflection prompts, tools and checklists which support resilience in the workplace. It is ideal for team discussions and personal development.

Resilience Self-Assessment Tool

A digital self-check activity to help participants evaluate their current state of well-being and identify key focus areas. This tool is based on our research-aligned resilience markers and supports reflective growth.

Drive Time ARISE Podcast Access

Participants will receive exclusive access to the Drive Time ARISE Podcast – a series of 20-minute guided reflections and grounding practises, designed for busy healthcare professionals to listen to on their way to or from work. These bite-sized episodes reinforce the lessons from the sessions and offer daily emotional support. unding practises, designed for busy healthcare professionals to listen to on their way to or from work. These bite-sized episodes reinforce the lessons from the sessions and offer daily emotional support.

08 December 2025

Three Primary Health Networks (PHNs) have joined forces to develop a Greater Western Sydney Primary Care Workforce Strategy – a five-year plan to grow and sustain the region’s primary healthcare workforce and improve health outcomes for one of Australia’s most diverse and rapidly growing populations.

The Strategy is a collaborative initiative of the Nepean Blue Mountains, South Western Sydney and Western Sydney PHNs, responding to critical workforce challenges including an ageing GP workforce, recruitment and retention issues, and inequitable distribution of health professionals.

It is predicted the population of Greater Western Sydney (GWS) will increase by a third in the next decade, as too will the demand for accessible, high-quality healthcare.

“This Strategy is a bold and necessary step toward addressing the workforce shortages that are impacting access to care across our region,” said Lizz Reay, Chief Executive Officer, Nepean Blue Mountains PHN.

“We know that a strong primary care workforce is the foundation of a healthy community. By investing in workforce development now, we’re ensuring that future generations in the Nepean Blue Mountains have access to the care they need, when they need it.”

greater western sydney workforce strategy “Developing a joint workforce strategy will enable a data-driven, evidence-based and strategic approach to identifying and tackling challenges within the primary care workforce specific to the GWS region,” said Amy Prince (pictured), Acting Chief Executive Officer, South Western Sydney PHN.

“This is not just a numbers issue – it’s a people issue. We need to make primary care a more attractive and sustainable career path. That means better support, better training and better pathways for professionals at every stage of their journey.”

“Western Sydney is growing fast, and so are the demands on our health system,” said Andrew Newton, Chief Executive, Western Sydney PHN.

“We’re proud to be part of this joint mission. It’s about more than just filling gaps – it’s about building a workforce that reflects the diversity, resilience and potential of our communities. Collaboration is key, and this Strategy sets the stage for lasting impact.”

The Strategy will outline key actions to:

Attract and retain a diverse and skilled primary care workforce
Support workforce development and innovation
Improve access to care and health outcomes for all residents

The three PHNs are calling on health professionals, educators, policymakers and community leaders to join them in shaping a stronger, healthier future for Greater Western Sydney.

Learn more about:

SWSPHN’s Primary Care Workforce team

WentWest – Western Sydney PHN

Wentworth Healthcare – Nepean Blue Mountains PHN

03 December 2025

The Nurse Re-entry Program is an Australian Government initiative supporting general practices to build their capability by hosting nurses in supervised placements.

The program helps nurses who haven’t practised in the last five to 10 years to return to the workforce through paid, supervised placements in general practice. The program also supports nurse practitioners transitioning into general practice.

Eligible nurses are matched with accredited general practices to complete their placement, meet Nursing Midwifery Board of Australia requirements and regain full registration.

The program also benefits practices by strengthening their teams, training nurses in-house and creating efficiencies.

Eligible practices may receive a grant to support participation and there is no obligation to employ the nurse permanently after the placement is complete. * Please note: for practices to be eligible for the $2,000 grant, they must employ the re-entry nurse for the duration of the supervised placement.

Wentworth Healthcare, provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, has been selected to lead the delivery of the Nurse Re-entry Program at a national level.

Wentworth Healthcare coordinates the matching process, confirms supervision requirements and provides resources to guide you.

Expressions of interest are now open for the Nurse Re-entry Program

Nurses can submit an EOI to return to practise and practices can submit an EOI to host a placement.

For more information, visit Wentworth Healthcare’s website or contact their Nurse Re-entry Program team via email at nursereentry@nbmphn.com.au

Frequently Asked Questions

For nurses: Nurse-FAQs

For practices: Practice-FAQs

27 November 2025

Expressions of Interest (EOI) open for Focused Psychological Strategies Skills Training

Are you interested in training to better equip you to support patients with mental health concerns?

SWSPHN is funding Level 2 Focused Psychological Strategies Skills Training for GPs and GP registrars practising in South Western Sydney.

You’re invited to express your interest in undertaking the training delivered by The Black Dog Institute in Warwick Farm over two consecutive Saturdays in May 2026 (dates to be confirmed).

SWSPHN will cover the cost of the training – valued at $1,279.

The training allows vocationally registered GPs to bill MBS item numbers 2715, 2717, 2721, 2723, 2725, 2727. Item 2715 | Medicare Benefits Schedule

Important information about participation

All participants are required to pay a $200 refundable deposit via Mastercard or Visa to confirm their registration. SWSPHN will refund the deposit after participants have attended the training.

Please note, the deposit will be forfeited if you do not attend the event or if your registration is cancelled less than one month before the event.

Payments can be made to Ashleigh Budd by calling on 4632 3009. Spaces are limited and registrations will be based on a first-come, first-served basis. Late registrations cannot be accepted due to training restrictions. 

To undertake the Level 2 Focused Psychological Strategies Skills Training, you must first have completed the prerequisite course, Level 1 Mental Health Skills Training. SWSPHN will also be funding and running the Level 1 training. Please indicate using the EOI which course/s you will be completing.

Please complete your EOI using the link below by Friday, 31 January 2026.

Complete the EOI

20 October 2025

Expressions of Interest open – Nurse Focus Group

Are you passionate about practice nursing?

SWSPHN is seeking expressions of interest from primary care nurses in South Western Sydney who are keen to work with us to improve the recruitment, engagement and retention of practice nurses in our region.

Seven nurses are being sought to join a two-hour focus group in early November at the SWSPHN office, on Bolger Street, Campbelltown.

What is the aim of the focus group?

Your contribution will support SWSPHN in creating programs to attract and keep practice nurses, which are fit for purpose and tailored to the needs of practice nurses in our region.

By participating in the focus group, you consent to sharing your professional experience as a practice nurse in South Western Sydney. No identifiable information will be included in the focus group discussion, analysis or will be shared.

Participants will be remunerated $300 (plus GST if registered) for their time.

If you have insights to share, please, apply to join our focus group.

Who should express their interest?

To be considered for the focus group you must work as a primary care nurse within the Bankstown, Campbelltown, Camden, Fairfield, Liverpool, Wingecaribee or Wollondilly Local Government Areas.

We’re aiming to gather a variety of perspectives and strongly encourage nurses from First Nations and culturally diverse backgrounds to apply. Participants will be chosen on a first-come basis.

If you would like to express your interest in joining the focus group, please contact us by 30 October 2025 at primarycareworkforce@swsphn.com.au or call Workforce Engagement Coordinator Mary Soriano on 4632 3022.

24 September 2025

National_allied_health_practice_engagement_toolkit_swsphn The National Allied Health Practice Engagement Toolkit is now available to support allied health professionals in South Western Sydney working in primary care.

This online resource brings together key information to make it easier for clinicians to deliver high-quality, connected care for patients and communities.

The toolkit includes guidance on:

understanding local health care systems
accessing local services and resources
finding education and training opportunities
strengthening safety and quality in allied health practice
exploring funding streams and grants opportunities
using digital health systems

Download your local toolkit

By bringing this national initiative to clinicians in South Western Sydney, the toolkit provides practical resources to enhance professional practice, build networks, and support integrated care. It is part of a broader focus on supporting allied health professionals to work more closely with general practice and other parts of the primary health system.

SWSPHN is also developing local opportunities for allied health professionals, including networking events, education, and initiatives designed to strengthen engagement across the region. To learn more about our commitment to supporting allied health, visit our allied health page.

The Common Ground newsletter for allied health professionals

Sign up to receive updates, opportunities, and relevant information for allied health professionals in South Western Sydney.

Subscribe now