This year marks an enormous milestone for WentWest, as we celebrate 20 years of serving the Western Sydney community. From the onset, we have striven to lead the way in health system reform by taking a patient-centred approach to health care and supporting primary care providers to deliver high-quality, accessible health services.
On Thursday 10 November, we hosted a WentWest 20-Year staff event, followed by a 20-Year Alumni event. The events brought together staff past and present, GP Leaders, Board members, health partners, community advisors, clinical advisors, academic partners, and past and current leadership teams. It was a celebration of the diversity of Western Sydney and the collective efforts made towards driving health reform and building an equitable health system for everyone. Ray Messom, CEO of WentWest, provided the opening remarks, commenting, ‘Communities, individuals and a sustainable primary care workforce and system is what drives us, but it is our people and the promise of a brighter tomorrow and a brighter Western Sydney that sustains us.”
The events celebrated the evolution of WentWest over the past 20 years, from a Regional Training Provider for the Australian General Practice Training program, to a Division of General Practice in 2006, to a Medicare Local in 2011, and to the Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN) in 2015. Throughout our evolution, we have continued to expand our partnerships and search for innovative, data-driven solutions that deliver better health outcomes for the region.
Adopting the role of WSPHN allowed us to broaden our work with partners to deliver a more integrated and cohesive health system. Our work aims to address national and regional health priorities, identify health service gaps, and commission solutions that responded to community needs. Utilising our key enablers, collaboration, innovation, data evaluation, analytics and research, sustainability, and people and culture, we endeavour to reach our ultimate goal of “One Western Sydney Care System”.
Our work over the past two decades would not have been possible without the collaboration and commitment of countless staff, partners and community members. “Thank you to all of those who have advised us, worked with us, collaborated and partnered with us, all of our consumer and clinical councils and particularly our GP leaders who have been with us for more than 20 years.” – Diana O’Halloran, WentWest Board Chair.
In an online forum with WentWest’s longest-standing employees, the group collectively stated, ‘The dedication of all of WentWest’s CEOs and Senior Managers throughout the years has driven integrated care across the region. WentWest has always had such respect and value for its staff and hired people with such passion for health reform. That passion has a ripple effect. It inspires innovation and action amongst partners, and it empowers our community.’
Over the next 20 years and beyond, our mission will remain robust – to lead better system integration and coordination, strengthening equity and empowerment for Western Sydney communities and the people who care for them.
What memories do you have of WentWest over the past 20 years? Share your thoughts at marketing@wentwest.com.au
