Executive General Manager's foreword

A significant focus of work internally at WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) is on our Commissioning for Better Health program – this seeks to improve our systems, processes and enable us to take a planned and informed program approach across all our activities. In turn, this will support greater transparency, efficiencies and certainty for our commissioned service providers. We look forward to providing more information to you soon as this work takes form and we take steps to implement.

Following the endorsement of the National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations 2022 (NSQMHCMO) by the WA Chief Psychiatrist, mental health community managed organisation service providers commissioned by WAPHA will be required to transition from the National Standards for Mental Health Services 2010 to the NSQMHCMO by 30 June 2027. This aligns with the WA Mental Health Commission.

The NSQMHCMO Standards provide a contemporary, nationally consistent statement about the level of care consumers, families and carers can expect from a community managed mental health service. They also provide a quality assurance mechanism, which tests whether relevant safety and quality systems are in place. This is an important step forward.

WAPHA is committed to supporting commissioned service providers in updating their accreditation status through the Mental Health Accreditation Grant. This grant provides financial assistance to eligible commissioned service providers seeking to achieve accreditation under the NSQMHCMO Standards. Organisations that have already attained NSQMHCMO 2022 accreditation are also eligible to apply. Please reach out to your contract manager if you have any questions.

I was fortunate to open the care finders community of practice forum last week here in Perth, where we had a number of providers from across WA attend. This supported interaction, sharing, learning and networking across the group to strengthen and support the work they do. This activity, and the people it aims to support, greatly aligns with WAPHA’s focus on equity within under-served communities and locations – the outcomes that are being supported by many of these organisations and their teams is outstanding.

Thank you all for the commitment, effort and connection to purpose that you bring to your roles and organisations each and every day – it is making a difference across our communities.

Kind regards,

Mark Cockayne

Executive General Manager – Commissioned Services

General information

Youth Focus to fun headspace Manjimup

headspace Manjimup is one step closer with Youth Focus awarded the contract to establish and operate the service.

As the operator of WA’s three Primary Health Networks, WAPHA selected Youth Focus as the lead agency to establish and operate the site following a competitive open tender procurement process.

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New primary care approach to family, domestic and sexual violence in Perth South

A new system integration service is being piloted in the Perth South Primary Health Network region to increase the capacity of GPs, practice nurses and Aboriginal health services to support patients impacted by family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV). Following a competitive open tender procurement process, WAPHA has appointed Anglicare WA to operate Perth South FDSV Local Link services.

The Perth South FDSV Local Link will help busy general practice teams to intervene early and work collaboratively with specialist FDSV providers to connect victim-survivors to the support they need.

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Integrated Primary Mental Health Care Pilbara update 

WAPHA is pleased to confirm that the Integrated Primary Mental Health Care program will commence implementation in late 2025.  

Operated by Anglicare WA, the service will take a person-centred stepped care approach to ensure multidisciplinary treatment and support is tailored to meet the client’s current mental health needs.

The three levels of support will be low intensity psychological support (via self or agency referral), psychological therapies and clinical care coordination (both via GP or relevant health provider referral).

Anglicare WA has secured a central Karratha location and will soon recruit qualified mental health professionals to deliver the service.

WAPHA acknowledges the extensive preparation undertaken by Anglicare WA to ensure the service can meet the unique needs of the Pilbara community.

This initiative reflects our joint commitment to improving mental health outcomes in the region.

Recognising that strengthening relationships across the primary health care sector contributes to better patient experience, better access to care and ultimately better health outcomes, WAPHA is creating a Multidisciplinary Health Care Advisory Panel.

We are calling for expressions of interest from a range of multidisciplinary health care professionals who work within a community or general practice setting to provide timely guidance and advice to support WAPHA's projects and initiatives. This includes:

• Aboriginal health workers and practitioners
• nurses, nurse practitioners and midwives
• mental health professionals
• occupational therapists
• physiotherapists
• podiatrists
• dieticians and diabetes educators
• pharmacists
• other allied health professionals.

Express your interest by Monday 13 October and find out more.

Cultural Competency, Equity and Inclusion Guidelines 

WAPHA’s Cultural Competency, Equity and Inclusion (CCEI) Guidelines were established to set out the organisation’s expectations and requirements of commissioned service providers in relation to cultural competency, cultural safety, equity, and inclusion.  

The CCEI Guidelines were tabled at the recent Service Provider Panel held in June, with the panel providing valuable feedback on how to progress with the roll out of the Guidelines. Feedback will be incorporated in the revised Cultural Capability Frameworks and Procurement Policy, and these will be released in the coming months. 

Tools to support inclusive, culturally competent commissioning 

Along with the CCEI guidelines, WAPHA has developed a suite of tools to evaluate and support cultural competency within commissioned service providers, including:

• Tender assessment questionnaire for Aboriginal, multicultural and LGBTIQA+ populations.   The purpose of this questionnaire is to assess an organisations cultural maturity through a series of questions that will form part of the evaluation criteria within the tender process. 
• Self-assessment score card and action plan for Aboriginal, multicultural and LGBTIQA+ populations. This quality improvement tool enables commissioned service providers to self-assess and commit to actions that advance their cultural maturity.  

The suite of tools is being tested by several commissioned service providers to assess suitability for intended use.

Department of Veterans' Affairs new quick guide to support allied health providers 

Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) has released two new quick guides designed to help allied health providers understanding of DVA’s health care arrangements and processes.

The Allied Health Treatment Cycle quick guide provides clear information on what DVA’s allied health treatment cycle arrangements mean for veterans and providers, including eligibility and referral requirements.

The Rehabilitation Appliances Program quick guide provides information about the program, including what items are available, who can prescribe, how to apply and eligibility requirements.

Procurement and contracting

Training and events

Resources