CEO’s report

This has been a year of significant change for MPHN – within our organisation, across primary care and in the broader environment in which our communities live and work. Our response has been to work more closely with our partners and communities, to think differently and remain focused on how we can make the greatest difference with the resources we have.  

For me, Stronger Together captures both how we have worked and what we have achieved. 

As I reflect on my time so far as CEO, I also acknowledge the leadership of my predecessors and the contribution they made to MPHN. I was fortunate to step into the role at the helm of an organisation with strong foundations, experienced people and well-established partnerships across the region. 

As a PHN, one of our most important roles is as a connector and system steward. People accessing healthcare are not concerned about whether a service belongs to MPHN, Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) or another provider. They simply need care that works for them. Our job is to help connect those parts of the system, so people receive more coordinated care and are less likely to fall through the gaps. 

That approach can be seen throughout this Annual Report. Our strengthened partnerships has translated into practical initiatives like Better. Together. and Living Well, Your Way, while our inaugural BidgeeCon conference brought together providers, clinicians, communities and our own teams to share knowledge and strengthen regional capability. Internally, we have also focused on working more collaboratively across teams, operating from curiosity, and drawing on different skills and perspectives.  

As we move into the final stages of our 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, it is encouraging to see its priorities reflected so strongly in the work across this report. We have continued to invest in communities, strengthen primary healthcare providers and partnerships, and pursue new approaches to improve care. Just as importantly, we have listened and adapted as the needs of our communities and the health system around us have changed. 

MPHN delivered significant value to the community in 2025-2026, investing more than $35.3 million through over 200 contracts, supporting programs and services aligned with our purpose of creating connected, dynamic and equitable healthcare through empowered workforces and communities. MPHN also secured $5.9 million in competitive Commonwealth funding through the Mental Health Multidisciplinary Service program, enabling the design and delivery of an innovative hub and spoke model in general practice to strengthen integrated, accessible care. Revenue reached $45.7 million and expenditure was managed at $45.6 million. Through strong stewardship, strategic investment and collaboration with our partners, MPHN responded to local priorities, built workforce and community capacity, and delivered meaningful improvements in health and wellbeing outcomes across the Murrumbidgee. 

What has stood out most to me this year is the passion and commitment of our people working across our organisation – people who care, come to work with purpose and genuinely want to make a difference. I am grateful to our staff, our Chair Associate Professor Alam Yoosuff and the Board, providers and partners for their support, and I am proud of what we have achieved together. 

Ultimately, our success will not be measured by what MPHN achieves alone, but by the strength of our partnerships and the outcomes they create for our communities.  

Narelle Mills 
Chief Executive Officer 
Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network