Taking Murrumbidgee innovation to the national stage

At a glance 

• MPHN showcased regional innovations at 2025 APNA Festival of Nursing in Brisbane 

• 2 x presentations made by MPHN at festival: Collaborative commissioning Living Well, Your Way and Nurse-led clinics  

• Murrumbidgee experiences shared nationally, demonstrating how locally designed approaches can improve access and health outcomes 

Innovation happening in the Murrumbidgee took centre stage at the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) Festival of Nursing in Brisbane in July 2025. 

The national event provided an opportunity for Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) and local primary care representatives to share approaches being used across the region to strengthen healthcare and make better use of the skills of the primary care workforce.  

MPHN Practice Nurse Program Officer Elise Penton and Change Manager Danniell Taylor presented on Living Well, Your Way, a collaborative commissioning initiative between MPHN and Murrumbidgee Local Health District. Their presentation explored how working collaboratively across the health system and investing in community-based solutions can reduce hospitalisations and improve health outcomes.  

Elise also joined Tumut Family Medical Centre Practice Manager and Transitional Nurse Practitioner Rebecca Manski to showcase the growing role of nurse-led clinics in rural communities. 

Their presentation demonstrated how supporting nurses to work to their full scope of practice can expand access to care and help deliver stronger health outcomes, particularly in communities where workforce shortages can make accessing healthcare more difficult.  

Presenting at the Festival put Murrumbidgee innovation in front of a national primary healthcare audience, highlighting how regional communities are not simply responding to workforce and healthcare challenges, but developing and testing models that can help inform primary care more broadly. 

“It was a great opportunity to share some of the innovative work happening here in the Murrumbidgee and show what’s possible when we support nurses to work differently and to their full scope of practice,” Ms Penton said. “Just as importantly, it gave us the chance to learn from others and bring new ideas and connections back to the region so we can keep strengthening primary care in our communities.” 

Images from blog?