Western NSW LHD year in review

On behalf of Western NSW Local Health District, we are pleased to present our Year In Review for the 2024-25 financial year.

Our Year In Review provides a snapshot of our District’s achievements and performance across 2024-25, reflects on the milestones we marked, and outlines our future plans and priorities.

It reflects our unwavering commitment to safety and quality in all our initiatives, driven by our CORE values of Collaboration, Openness, Respect and Empowerment.

As we celebrate the milestones and achievements of 2024-25, we remain steadfast in our vision of promoting healthier rural populations and vibrant communities.

Our mission to deliver exceptional healthcare across Western NSW remains the cornerstone of our dedication.

We have taken significant strides to improve workplace culture, enhance staff and patient experience, improve community engagement, develop future-focused services and facilities, and empower our communities.

We continue to mark key dates such as National Sorry Day, NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Week and Human Experience Week, and reaffirm our commitment to reconciliation and cultural inclusivity as we do so.

In the past year, our District has celebrated some significant achievements and so too have our dedicated staff, including significant recognition through several of NSW Health’s state-wide awards programs.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our workforce. Your tireless efforts ensure the delivery of high-quality, safe healthcare services in our District.

While 2024-25 was another difficult year in many ways, our workforce once again rose to those challenges and showed unwavering commitment to caring for our communities.

We look forward to another year of continued growth and success, driven by our collective commitment to exceptional care and community well-being.

Our annual plan outlines how we approach our key priorities, and has a clear focus on delivery and simplification to achieve real outcomes.

In line with this plan, our many teams and services are able to develop corresponding strategies to reflect local priorities.

Review our progress towards annual actions:

• Established the VirtualADULTS Urgent Care Service Regional Hub in partnership with healthdirect, improving access to care for patients across seven regional LHDs.
• Commenced expanded virtual care services to support clinicians managing paediatric patients in many rural emergency departments, in partnership with Sydney Children’s Hospital Network.
• Delivered Men’s Assessment, Screening, Talking, Education and Referral Program clinics for Aboriginal men in eight rural and remote communities, alongside community partners.
• Piloted the Virtual Early Talkers Program, expanding access to assessment, care and therapy for children and families in rural and remote areas with no local access to speech pathologists.
• Hosted the first dedicated haemophilia clinic in Dubbo, welcoming specialists from all over the state and ensuring local patients could receive specialised care closer to home.
• Launched a new Specialist Menopause Referral Service, significantly improving access to support for women experiencing severe or complex menopause symptoms.
• Established Dubbo Health Service’s Outpatient Hysteroscopy Clinic, improving access to the procedure by ensuring it can be conveniently delivered in an outpatient setting.
• Introduced the Partnered Pharmacist Medication Charting model, significantly improving patient safety and reducing medication charting errors across hospitals.
• Established and developed the ADHD and Behaviour Management Service, which has made significant progress addressing waiting times, improving access to care and strengthening collaboration.

• Broke ground and commenced construction on the Canowindra HealthOne Redevelopment, following the appointment of a main works contractor and completion of early works.
• Significantly progressed planning of the Dubbo Residential Rehabilitation Centre, including finalising Concept Designs and submitting the project’s initial Development Application.
• Supported Health Infrastructure to progress the $200 million Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment, including public exhibition and final preparations to commence construction in late 2025.
• Successfully and temporarily relocated Bathurst's Panorama Clinic, to support planning for the Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment and prepare the campus for construction.
• Supported Health Infrastructure to commence construction of the Blayney Multipurpose Service Redevelopment, and reach a number of key milestones thereafter.
• Supported Health Infrastructure to continue construction of the $110.2 million Cowra Hospital Redevelopment, including milestones such as first concrete pours and topping out.
• Supported Health Infrastructure to commence construction of the Orange Health Service palliative care expansion, following the appointment of the project builder.
• Progressed planning, construction or redevelopment on a number of Key Health Worker Accommodation projects including Orange, Bathurst and Dubbo, and many in smaller areas.

• Implemented District-wide waste diversion initiatives as part of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy, saving more than; 9 tonnes of physical waste, 16 tonnes of carbon emission equivalents and $100,000 of procurement costs.
• Continued leading the execution of the NSW Government's Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme, to recruit and retain staff to hard-to-fill and critical roles.
• Expanded the Rural Nurse Practitioner workforce from 21 to 34 positions, to strengthen specialist services, reduce treatment delays and improve access to care in rural areas.
• Established a data-sharing agreement in Bourke with Maranguka Community Hub, to enhance data-driven decision-making and service design to support the community.
• Celebrated the graduation of 28 Adult and School-Based trainees, including 12 Aboriginal trainees, the vast majority from small, rural areas of the District.
• Hosted the District’s inaugural Neuropsychology Symposium, providing local clinicians with access to the latest research, developments, practices and leaders in the field.
• Expanded the unique, innovative, FIFO workforce model at Dubbo across a range of departments, significantly improving workforce retention and delivery of safe care.
• Led the re-launch of the NSW Remote X-Ray Operator Program, significantly improving training opportunities for radiographers, enhancing the workforce and improving rural care.

• Established three, place-based Sub-Regional Health Planning Committees to significantly enhance collaboration and co-design opportunities with our communities.
• Delivered an expanded Community Conference, the first as a standalone event, welcoming more than 160 attendees to discuss and focus on mental health and wellbeing.
• Expanded Engage Western NSW Health opportunities, with more than 20,000 surveys completed on topics such as midwifery models, vaping and health literacy.
• Launched the Building Healthy Communities Challenge, empowering towns of up to 5,000 people to lead and implement sustainable, grassroots health programs and initiatives.
• Launched the ‘Hello, my name is…’ initiative, through new staff identification badges, to provide patients with a simple, cheerful way to easily identify their healthcare professionals.
• Hosted the first Bourke District Hospital Reunion in 20 years during the Back O’ Bourke Easter Festival, allowing past and present staff to reconnect, reflect and celebrate.