For the past 20 years, we’ve consistently innovated to support health professionals and the community in Western Sydney. This past year was no exception - we partnered on regional initiatives, pursued strategic research and advocated for health reform to the government.
Strategic Plan Refresh
This year, we launched our Strategic Plan Refresh, outlining our vision, mission and roadmap until 2027. We aspire to provide everyone in Western Sydney with exemplary health care, support and resources for optimal wellbeing. Our mission is to partner with the diverse communities of Western Sydney to deliver personalised, accessible, and sustainable health care.
Our Goals: 2024-2027
Our goals align with the quintuple aim to ensure comprehensive health and wellbeing in Western Sydney.
Improved Experience when
Receiving Care:
Ensuring that every interaction
within the health care system
is patient-centred, compassionate,
and tailored to meet individual
needs and preferences.
Better Health Outcomes:
Addressing public health challenges
and promoting wellness at the community
level, aiming for a healthier
Western Sydney where preventable
diseases are significantly reduced.
Sustainable and Lower
Cost of Care:
Implementing cost-effective strategies
and innovative care models to enhance
efficiency and affordability
in health care delivery, ensuring sustainability
and accessibility for all.
Improved Experience when
Providing Care:
Creating a supportive, engaging,
and empowering environment for
health care professionals, where
they can thrive, innovate and
deliver the highest quality of care.
Health Equity:
Committing to the elimination of
health disparities and ensuring
equitable access to health care
services for all individuals, regardless of
their background, location or circumstances.
Our Enablers
Research
We continue to invest in high-quality research initiatives that further our understanding of the health challenges facing Western Sydney and catalyse our ability to address them via innovative solutions. This year, we launched a new Strategic Research Framework, providing a contemporary approach for WentWest to effectively engage with, support, and harness research to improve health outcomes for the people of Western Sydney. We’ve articulated our core research objectives as:
- Driving the translation of research evidence into WentWest, the PHN program and the broader primary health sector’s policies, systems and practices
- Engaging with excelling research in four focus areas of strategic priority to improve the health and wellbeing of the people living and working in Western Sydney
- Fostering genuine, balanced relationships with researchers to become recognised as a research partner of choice – especially in areas that directly affect the health and wellbeing of the Western Sydney population
Supporting System Change
Through our policy work, we advocate for innovative, evidence-based and effective solutions that drive positive change and address the health challenges faced by Western Sydney communities. Our approach has evolved from setting the agenda and shaping policy, to actively informing and responding to concrete policy proposals, while supporting health system reforms at both state and national levels.
We focus on priority areas that are highly relevant to our communities and offer the greatest potential for positive impact:
Diabetes prevention and management: We advocate for policies that enhance our capacity to prevent, detect and treat diabetes in Western Sydney. This includes, promoting new models of care that support a multidisciplinary approach, securing funding for advanced technology to aid in early detection, and implementing targeted programs aimed at improving diabetes education for clinicians, communities and priority populations.
Addressing social determinants of health: We consistently advocate for addressing the social determinants of health, recognising their profound influence on long-term health outcomes. This has included contributing to national initiatives aimed at improving Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) through our submission to the sector inquiry. We endorse the Commonwealth’s commitment to pursuing universal access to quality ECEC and call for greater integration with primary care to provide comprehensive support for children and families, particularly in underserved areas.
Promoting prevention and integrated care: We continue to advocate for health system reforms that accelerate the
transition towards preventative and integrated care. In collaboration with NSW’s Primary Health Networks, we are actively participating in the ongoing NSW Health Funding Inquiry, highlighting the importance of improved coordination between primary, community, and acute health services. Our recommendations emphasise the need for increased funding to community services, along with enhanced governance and collaboration among health care providers, to build a sustainable, patient-centred health care system capable of effectively managing chronic conditions and reducing preventable hospital admissions.
