EGHS launches Strategic Plan

After extensive community and stakeholder consultation, East Grampians Health Service has launched its Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

EGHS Chief Executive Nick Bush said development of the Strategic Plan by the EGHS Board involved development of a list of priority strategies, stakeholder consultation and synthesis of information to set directions and specify objectives and actions that could be monitored.

Consultation sought to capture views and opinions of a broad range of staff, partners and community members. A total of 656 engagements occurred, either through surveys, interviews or face-to-face consultations.

Mr Bush said five key emerging trends were identified as issues requiring consideration in the strategic plan, including demographics of an ageing population, increasing levels of chronic disease, efficiency of the current role and configuration of the Willaura Campus, role delineation and changes to local and regional economies.

He said the Strategic Plan focuses on three directions:

“The first direction, ‘Rebalancing the distribution of service across the care continuum’, will involve developing community based chronic disease management models to meet demand and avoid acute and residential aged care service intervention and enhance pathways into and connection with primary care,” he said.

“We plan to develop a model of care for community based chronic disease management, proactively plan and extend the Better@Home initiatives, further develop the In-home Aged Care Program, and establish a partnership mechanism to address care improvements that intersect with primary and community care. A key component of this will be working on the Willaura Healthcare Service Model, and hopefully redevelopment.”

Direction two, ‘Improving access, efficiency and integration through identifying and implementing alternative models of care and service provision’, will see EGHS deliver more services using virtual models of care supported by technology and improve access to targeted specialist services across the community.

“EGHS will develop a digital health strategy which incorporates a coordinated approach to utilising telehealth for specialist services, virtual rounds, and e-health solutions,” Mr Bush said.

“We will also implement a capacity plan which incorporates enhanced surgical services, a sustainable model for maternity services and enhanced Urgent Care services.”

Mr Bush said direction three is ‘Partnering to drive collaborative practice, service and workforce sustainability’.

“This will involve using partnerships to address workforce shortages and extend existing workforce capabilities, and using partnerships to drive collaborative action,” he said.

“EGHS will refine the EGHS workforce strategy to align with changes in service delivery across the organisation and develop a research strategy that positions EGHS as a destination for rural health research.

“We will also establish formal role delineation with partner health services for medical, maternity and surgical services and review all existing pathways of care where more than one service provider is identified and act on gaps.”

Mr Bush thanked all staff and community members who participated in the survey and formulation of the Strategic Plan, which the Board is looking forward to implementing.

“The Strategic Plan has many priorities to be addressed and these have been delegated to executive staff to implement or commence the implementation of. The progress is reported to the Board each month,” Mr Bush said.

Caption: EGHS Chief Executive Nick Bush discusses the Strategic Plan at a recent staff briefing.