Executive General Manager's foreword

As we wrap up 2025, I want to thank you for your commitment to person-centred, high-quality care across Western Australia. Together, we’ve sought to strengthen local partnerships, improve care pathways, and deliver tangible outcomes for communities who need them most.

This year has highlighted what we can achieve through strategic alignment, inclusive partnerships, and decisions informed by data and lived experience. Across programs and regions we have focused on commissioning services that meet local needs, reduce barriers to access and improve outcomes - work made possible by the dedication and contribution of each of your teams.

We’ve also continued strengthening our procurement and contract management practice so collaborative planning and clear, two-way communication are embedded in day-to-day delivery. These improvements are about supporting you to do what you do best - provide high-quality, culturally safe care for the communities you serve.

2026 promises to be an even bigger year with increased opportunities for collaboration, planning and service commissioning to better meet local needs.

Thank you for your commitment and the work you do, for the partnership you bring, and for the shared purpose we hold, achieving health equity across WA. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season, and I look forward to working together again next year.

Kind regards,

Mark Cockayne

Executive General Manager – Commissioned Services

General information

Valuable insights from Goldfields visit 

WA Primary Health Alliance’s (WAPHA) Executive General Manager Primary Care, Tony Mottershead, Regional Integration Manager, Sarah Brown and Senior Manager Workforce Prioritisation and Planning, Jodie Green, recently visited the Goldfields region to hear from GPs and local stakeholders about challenges and opportunities in the region.

Stakeholders shared successes through the Kalgoorlie health workforce meeting held in partnership with Rural Health West and Goldfields University Department of Rural Health. The focus was on partnering and working collaboratively to find solutions to systemic workforce issues.

Kalgoorlie’s workforce challenges go beyond numbers, they involve systems, stories, and relationships. To address these, Dr Daniel Jeffrey, Principal at Beacon Strategies, was engaged by WAPHA to conduct a workforce and service access review. Dr Jeffrey’s innovative presentation tackled structural barriers, reframed the narrative, and emphasised investing in emotional and professional sustainability. This approach aims to build a resilient, modern, and community-rooted workforce. Success will depend on coordinated action, empowered local leadership, and viewing workforce stability as essential for regional prosperity.

Dr Jeffrey’s presentation highlighted the need to fundamentally rethink how workforce challenges in health and community services are understood and addressed. He advocated for “reframing” both the data and the language used, drawing on principles from cognitive behavioral therapy to move beyond traditional, deficit-focused narratives. Rather than seeing persistent issues like shortages, high turnover, and administrative complexity as purely technical problems, he encouraged a shift to a more interpretive, systems-oriented perspective.

While there, Tony also participated in the panel at the Australasian College of Health Service Management WA Regional Leadership Forum, discussing how WAPHA’s leadership works in place-base. 

“Over the three days we were in town, we met with close to 90 stakeholders. The conversations were informative, inspiring and offered so much strategic opportunity for WAPHA to continue further investment into the primary care ecosystem of the Goldfields.” Tony Mottershead

headspace WA State Meeting 

The recent headspace WA State Meeting brought together headspace centres, headspace National, and WAPHA as the commissioner of headspace services in WA. The event provided a valuable opportunity for colleagues to collaborate, share knowledge, and gain deeper insights into working within the WA headspace network.

Discussion explored key topics including:

• good care in the headspace context
• approaches to clinically responsive care
• workforce initiatives
• digital programs.

A joint governance session presented by WAPHA and headspace National highlighted our strong partnership across the network of 23 headspace services in WA. The session also reinforced the important role of WAPHA and the PHNs in the broader primary health landscape emphasising system integration and our local presence across the regions.

Booragoon Medicare Urgent Care Clinic launching in 2026 

A new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) has been confirmed for Booragoon, opening in early 2026, offering more choice for local residents needing urgent care.

This will expand access to same-day treatment for urgent but non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries for people who might otherwise go to an emergency department.

The clinic will operate seven days a week, and accept walk-in patients, with all services provided free of charge. 

The Booragoon Medicare UCC, operated by Brecken Health, will be located next to the Booragoon Medical Centre at 1 Aldous Place, Booragoon, within the Melville area and close to Bateman. The clinic is scheduled to commence operations in early 2026, following an extensive fit out.

Planning is well underway for five more Medicare UCCs in or near Ellenbrook, Geraldton, Nollamara (Mirrabooka), Mundaring and Yanchep.

As the commissioner of this Australian Government funded service, WAPHA will be encouraging new providers to reach out to their local general practices, hospitals, and other health care providers to build awareness and local care pathways. This will include provision of treatment/referral information to the patient’s regular GP/practice to support continuity of care.

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New Geraldton pilot to support long-term recovery from family, domestic and sexual violence

A new trauma-informed recovery service is being piloted by WAPHA to provide long-term psychological therapies for women and children impacted by family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV). The Supporting Recovery pilot will deliver up to two years of free, trauma-informed therapies in Geraldton, supported by a small care team providing intake, assessment and case management.

WAPHA Executive General Manager Commissioned Services, Mark Cockayne, said WAPHA is delighted to be partnering with Ruah Community Services and 360 Health + Community to deliver a service designed specifically for long-term recovery from family, domestic and sexual violence.

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The National Suicide Prevention Outcomes Framework

The National Suicide Prevention Office has released the National Suicide Prevention Outcomes Framework, providing a way of measuring the impact of efforts being made in suicide prevention by providing a more meaningful and complete picture of what is working well and what needs to be improved.

This Framework aligns with WAPHA’s focus on primary care led suicide prevention, including our work with general practice, aftercare, Aboriginal communities and regional priority populations. It will also strengthen our commissioning and evaluation activities by offering clearer, person-centred outcomes and nationally comparable indicators to guide planning, performance monitoring and advocacy.

As the Outcomes Map and reporting tools are released during 2026, WAPHA will be well positioned to integrate these insights into our needs assessments, commissioning priorities, and continuous improvement across mental health and suicide prevention.

View the Framework

National pilot project builds better connections for mental health referrals 

The National Mental Health eReferral Prototype Project addressed long-standing challenges in referral workflows, disconnected systems, and limited visibility between general practice and mental health teams.

The project was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and led by NMWPHN in collaboration with PHNs across Australia.

Over 12 months, the project developed several tools to support timely, consistent referrals nationwide

Read the report

Release of the National Allied Health Digital Uplift Plan  

In collaboration with the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and supported by Allied Health Professions Australia, the Australian Digital Health Agency has launched the National Allied Health Digital Uplift Plan—a strategic pathway to strengthen digital health capability across the allied health workforce.

The plan brings allied health professionals, governments, peak bodies and software vendors together to deliver more integrated care for Australians. By embracing digital health tools and improving the way health information is shared and accessed, allied health professionals can provide more timely, coordinated and personalised care.

Read the plan

Cancer Australia's grants program to improve cultural safety in cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 

Cancer Australia is excited to share the opening of the 2025 round of the Partnerships for culturally safe cancer care grant program. The grant was recently launched by the Hon Rebecca White MP. A media release is available here.

This national grant program supports mainstream cancer services working collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations to deliver innovative, community-driven activities to embed culturally safe cancer care in mainstream services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Grants of up to $700,000 over two years (2025-26 to 2026-27) are available through this round. The lead applicant must be a mainstream cancer service partnering with local community-controlled organisation/s to improve the delivery of culturally safe cancer care for their clients and communities.

The grant guidelines and further information are available at GrantConnect – GO8081.

Support at Home Thin Markets Grants

To provide more high-quality, dignified care where there are traditionally fewer providers of home care, the Australian Government has opened applications for a second round of the Support at Home Thin Markets Grants. This $100 million round will support eligible Support at Home providers to continue operating in thin markets, helping keep prices down for aged care services outside cities and suburbs. To be eligible, existing aged care Support at Home providers must deliver either: services in a regional, rural or remote area; tailored services to older people with diverse backgrounds, such as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, members of the LGBTIQ+ community, or those at risk of homelessness.

Find out more

Latest news 

WA Primary Health Alliance's Greater Choices team honoured at Palliative Care in WA Awards

WAPHA’s Greater Choices team received the CEO’s Special Mention Award for the Sensory Loss Project at the recent Palliative Care in WA Awards. The Sensory Loss Project, a partnership between WAPHA and Palliative Care WA, explored health literacy for advanced care planning and palliative care of people with sensory loss in WA and created resources to optimise the capacity and capability of the Auslan interpreting sector through professional development sessions.

Clinics using grant to support those experiencing or at risk of homelessness 

Through a Homelessness Access Program grant, St Lukes Family Practice has established a safe place for those needing access to primary care services. The clinics are run by an experienced local team who are passionate about supporting under-served communities and who are skilled at creating a person-centred and welcoming environment. Triaging and referral to support services, wound management, immunisation, health assessments, and counselling are all part of the service.

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