Well People, Resilient Communities
across the Murrumbidgee

Today MPHN staff celebrated National Close the Gap Day with a morning tea to raise awareness of the continuing gap in health and life expectancy between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.

LifeSpan Murrumbidgee and MPHN today hosted training to encourage responsible, accurate and sensitive representation of mental illness and suicide in the public arena. The training was delivered by Mindframe and supported by Black Dog Institute.

Wagga’s first Mardi Gras was held on Saturday, with staff from MPHN and Murrumbidgee Local Health District partnering to form a colourful team celebrating and supporting diversity in our community and workplaces.

MPHN celebrates International Women’s Day by hearing from its two most senior female leaders, CEO Melissa Neal and recently elected Board Chair Dr Jodi Culbert.

MPHN is pleased to launch its Pitch Night initiative, providing grassroots funding for activities aimed at improving community health and wellbeing. The inaugural Pitch Night will be held in Griffith on Thursday 2 May and three organisations will be given the opportunity to pitch their ideas on the night and receive MPHN funding. Participants will assist MPHN determine the funding each finalist receives, with each finalist expected to receive around $25,000 in one-off grant funding.

MPHN is pleased to release its Vulnerable Population’s Framework – Working together for commissioning for vulnerable populations.

MPHN has a strong commitment to applying a lens to commissioning activities that identifies and addresses the needs of socially disadvantaged people in the MPHN region.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback through the online surveys regarding MPHN’s allied health services. MPHN will now be holding workshops across the region to review the survey findings and determine how to best move forward with delivering allied health services across the Murrumbidgee.

Today in Griffith, MPHN and Wellways Australia officially launched ‘Well Connected’; a new psychosocial support program available throughout the Murrumbidgee region for people with severe mental illness.

MPHN is reviewing how it commissions mental health services to ensure delivery within a stepped care framework and to meet the needs of local communities.

MPHN CEO Melissa Neal said this review process will not disrupt existing mental health services.

MPHN has signed the National Communications Charter (The Charter) to formally demonstrate its commitment to how the organisation will talk about mental health, wellbeing and suicide. It’s the first Primary Health Network in New South Wales to formally commit to The Charter.

Last year, more than 900 students in the Murrumbidgee participated in a youth mental health program to build their tools for positive mental health and resilience as well as prevent suicide, thanks to the LifeSpan Murrumbidgee initiative led by Murrumbidgee PHN.

People often don’t know where to start to get the mental health services they need.

Your local GP or other health professionals can help connect you with the right mental health service.

Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) is reviewing its current allied health service delivery approach to ensure people across the region have better access to these health services.

MPHN is pleased to announce that Jenna Roberts has been appointed to the part time role of Deputy Commissioner with the NSW Mental Health Commission. Jenna is MPHN’s Suicide Prevention Manager (LifeSpan) and she will continue in this role during her appointment with the Commission.

Today, Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) launched the Murrumbidgee Community Grants for activities to support communities living with the impacts of drought with a focus on mental health and wellbeing.

Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) is providing $814,250 over the next three years to increase the support services available throughout the Murrumbidgee region for people with severe mental illness.

Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network’s (MPHN) digital health team will have a My Health Record information stall in the Country Lifestyle Pavilion at the Henty Field Days on 18, 19 and 20 September.

Today in Young, Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Riverina Michael McCormack formally launched a new suicide prevention initiative.

Leeton’s local University of the Third Age (U3A) group recently hosted the digital health team from Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) to inform its members of the national My Health Record system, which is an online summary of your key health information such as medical conditions, medicines, allergies and test results.

Over the next three weeks, Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) will be visiting towns spread across the region to have casual ‘conversations on the couch’ with community members and health professionals to take the pulse on primary healthcare services.

Today at The Globe Hotel, Deniliquin, the ‘Stay on Track’ initiative was launched, which provides information and support for those who may be having thoughts of suicide or friends who have noticed a mate is ‘just not the same’. 

Today, Senator Jim Molan, Senator for New South Wales formally launched a new service designed to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing difficulty with work or education due to drug or alcohol use.

From today a range of local community engagement activities will begin informing people in the Murrumbidgee region about the benefits and features of the My Health Record system, which is an online summary of a person’s key health information including medical conditions, medicines, allergies and test results.

MPHN are offering a small number of scholarships for aged care providers to support attendance at the Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG) Regional Symposium which is being held in Wagga Wagga from the 8 – 10 August 2018: Inspire Ageing in Rural Communities: Together we can make a difference.

Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) today joined with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and five other PHNs to announce that ProCare Mental Health Services, a not-for-profit service provider, has been funded to operate a new psychiatry support line for GPs.

New MBS rebate structure for non-vocationally recognised general practitioners from 1 July 2018

This week is Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (11 – 17 June), and parents are being reminded about the various services available across the region to help support families and their young children.

Australians are being encouraged to include My Health Record in the discussion of ‘What Matters Most?’ during National Palliative Care Week for 20 -26 May. 

Congratulations to Southcity Pharmacy Wagga Wagga which has been named the 2018 Pharmacy of the Year at the Australian Pharmacy Professional Conference 2018 held in Sydney yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack officially launched a $1.8 million program today to support pregnant women and new mothers living in Murrumbidgee communities who are experiencing alcohol and other drug disorders.