Tom’s LHAC chat
Conversations on the Couch at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga Campus. From left, MPHN’s Chief Data Officer Dr Jason Bennie, Community Engagement Coordinator Tom Parker, Research Analyst Ryan Du Toit, and Primary Care Engagement Officer Alanah Christie.
The last month has been cold and wet but full of engagement activities including attending Mawang Gaway which is a Wagga Wagga based consultative group run by local Elders and community members. This was a great opportunity to chat about LHACs with the Elders and to listen to what is happening in their community. To find out more about this group visit facebook.com/WaggaAboriginalConsultativeGroup
The second week of July was also NAIDOC week, which started with a well-attended Yarns on the Couch in West Wyalong hearing about local health issues from community members and Elders in West Wyalong. To round out NAIDOC week MPHN Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Manager Maxine Honeysett and I held an information stall at the very successful Wagga Wagga Base Hospital NAIDOC week event. I would like to thank the Wagga Wagga LHAC for supporting this great event.
Planning is well underway for the next LHAC Forum, which will be held in Corowa on Friday 6 September. Thank you to Anne and Dave from the Corowa LHAC who met Setchen and I for a forum planning session. I, and the rest of the MPHN team are very much looking forward to coming to Corowa for this Forum.
MPHN’s Chief Data Officer Jason Bennie and I have been travelling the Hilltops region attending Planning and Priority sessions in Harden, Boorowa and Young. Thank you to each of these LHACs for your warm welcome and engaging discussions on local topics.
Our Conversations on the Couch events continue throughout the Murrumbidgee region with July seeing successful events held in Narrandera and Leeton. As always MPHN’s Conversations on the Couch events are a great way to engage with local communities and hear directly from community members about what’s working well and what could be better. Conversations on the Couch is also an integral part of forming MPHN’s Health Needs Assessments. To find out more, please visit mphn.org.au/health-needs-assessments
Keep an eye out for our last two Conversations on the Couch events for 2024 in Tumut and West Wyalong, which will both be held in August. Details: mphn.org.au/convos-on-the-couch
Thanks for the chat, Tom.