More than 1,000 people provide health feedback

A total of 1,001 people from communities across the Murrumbidgee region have provided their ideas, opinions and shared their experiences of health across the Murrumbidgee region as part of Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network's (MPHN) Health Needs Assessment (HNA) Community Feedback activity.

Specifically, the feedback consisted of 865 completed online surveys, including 45 responses to a survey focussed specifically on understanding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health needs; five Conversation on the Couch events where 84 people provided in-depth information; and 52 people provided feedback through social media channels.

Responses talked to a wide range of issues and concerns including access to access to care both in hours and after hours, maintaining services in hospitals, concerns about travel to access care and health workforce issues in regional areas. Some also praised their local general practitioners for their service to smaller communities.

MPHN Acting CEO Julie Redway thanked those who provided the feedback which will help inform how identified health needs are met in the region.

“To help MPHN identify any new or emerging needs for us to consider as we plan our activity for 2021 and beyond, it’s important for us to know and understand from locals what people are actually experiencing,” Ms Redway said.

“I would like to thank all those who took the time to complete a survey, comment on social media, or attend one our Conversations on the Couch events. Your feedback was heard and will add depth of understanding to the region’s health needs.

“While it was disappointing we were unable to hold our Conversations on the Couch events in Coolamon and Lockhart as planned due to COVID-19, we would like to assure these communities we will be there next year.”

MPHN’s Senior Manager Population Health Planning and Data Dr Alison Koschel said analysing the feedback and health data to develop an effective assessment of the region’s future health needs will take some time.

“I’m now working through the quantitative population health data from various sources such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and the region’s qualitative data from our online surveys and Conversations on the Couch,” she said.

“This is then used to develop the 2022-2024 Health Needs Assessment for the Murrumbidgee region, which will assist MPHN in identifying opportunities to improve health outcomes for people living across the Murrumbidgee, in particular those people and communities whose health outcomes are vulnerable.”

In the next two to three months, once the 2022-2024 Health Needs Assessment is drafted a short period of community feedback will be made available.

For more information about Health Needs Assessment and HNA Community Feedback visit www.mphn.org.au/hna