News

Last week, Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) hosted an Integrated Team Care (ITC) Roundtable in Dubbo, bringing together ITC Care Coordinators, WNSW PHN teams, and stakeholders.

The roundtable was designed to support Care Coordinators and partners in their vital work, providing opportunities to share updates, exchange knowledge, and strengthen collaboration, helping them deliver services that are making a real difference in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living with chronic conditions.

The day opened with a heartfelt Welcome to Country from Aunty Sandra Riley, setting a respectful and inclusive tone for the event.

Attendees heard updates from across WNSW PHN, including the Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Team, Program Manager for Chronic Disease, Practice Development Team, Commissioned Services Business Partners, and the Education Team. The Department of Health and Aged Care Disability and Ageing also shared a presentation highlighting national priorities in this space, and gave an opportunity for questions.

One attendee said the most valuable take away from the day was “meeting members of PHN and the roles they play”.

The program also featured Care Coordinator presentations from Orange Aboriginal Medical Service, a panel discussion, and interactive networking activities. These sessions created opportunities to share experiences, ideas, and best practice approaches to supporting people with chronic conditions.
The ITC Roundtable fostered open conversations and strengthened connections between teams and services. Participants left energised to continue working to improve access to care and health outcomes across the region.

The WNSW PHN team looks forward to connecting with ITC providers at our upcoming ITC Yarn Up to strengthen care coordination in regional communities. This event aims to ensure service providers receive the support and professional development needed to effectively deliver high quality care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“The roundtable has strengthened connections across the region and provided valuable insights for our Care Coordinators,” said Donna Stanley, Executive Manager of Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing, WNSW PHN. “We look forward to continuing this work at the upcoming ITC Yarn Up to further support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

Integrated Team Care

The ITC program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western and Far West NSW with chronic health conditions by providing access to care coordination, multidisciplinary care, and culturally appropriate mainstream primary care services. This initiative aims to enhance health outcomes through tailored support and improved access to necessary health services.