About this report

What we do

Funded primarily by the Australian Government, the Commonwealth priority areas for improvement and innovation for primary health are: Mental health; Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD); Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health; Aged care; Population health; Health workforce development and Digital health.  

Our vision is to create opportunities for people in south east Melbourne to live their healthiest lives.  

We do this by providing:  

• Evidence, planning and influencing services to meet population health needs.  
• Capacity building services to grow primary health and its workforce in our region.  
• Commissioning services to translate national and state policy into local services and the regional health system.  

Our strategy, ‘Path to Impact’, clearly articulates SEMPHN’s role within the wider healthcare system and community to maximise our value to south east Melbourne communities, health service consumers and providers, funders and policy makers.  

How we do it

Meet SEMPHN's people

In this report, SEMPHN staff and providers share their experiences working in the primary health care sector and insights into designing and delivering impactful services. 

At SEMPHN, we are committed to building our organisational excellence and positive culture. This means attracting, retaining, and developing a highly engaged, dynamic workforce. Our team is made up of dedicated professionals, several of whom previously worked on the frontline in primary health. This expertise strengthens our understanding of workforce needs and enables strong relationships to be formed with local services and programs. 

SEMPHN teams report to, and are supported by, an experienced and knowledgeable Executive Leadership Team (ELT). In addition to their practical on-site support, our balanced ELT embodies and promotes the organisational values which are at the heart of our work. SEMPHN’s values are: Community, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, Excellence and Solution focused.

Governance

SEMPHN is governed by a diverse and skilled Board of Directors. Our Board embraces alternative thinking, innovation, strategy, influence and strong governance. The Board is supported by a Governance and Nominations Committee, Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, and Strategic Initiatives Committee, and receives advice from a Clinical and Community Council, supported by focused stakeholder Reference Groups to inform decision making on programs, services and commissioning activities. 

Meeting frequency for Board and Board Sub-Committees

• Board (Minimum 6 meetings annually) 
  
• Governance and Nominations Committee (Minimum 4 meetings annually) 
  
• Finance and Audit Committee (Minimum 4 meetings annually) 
  
• Strategic Initiatives Committee (Minimum 4 meetings annually).
  
  

Clinical and Community Council

The Clinical and Community Council meets at least three times a year and plays an essential role in helping to advise on SEMPHN’s work to make our efforts to strengthen primary health care and connect services across the health care system successful. 

Established in 2015, the Council consists of up to 11 representatives across the community, primary and acute health services whose focus is to provide advice and support to SEMPHN to better meet the needs of our communities. 

During the year, the Clinical and Community Council provided valuable insight and knowledge into First Nations engagement including SEMPHN’s support for the Voice to Parliament, support for Victorian Treaty and SEMPHN’s General Practice Strategy. 

Additionally, to meet the needs of different and expanding populations, SEMPHN sought to widen the range of advice we receive from different populations and stakeholders. 

The Clinical and Community Council supported the establishment of several new reference groups. In line with SEMPHN’s aim to foster consumer-focused healthcare in the region, these reference groups include voices of people with lived experience and professionals who work with local communities. Oversight from the Council ensures gaps in advice from key populations, customers and stakeholders are being identified and actioned, creating an integrated advisory system. 

SEMPHN’s current Reference Groups are the Primary and Aged Care Reference Group and a Mental Health & Wellbeing Reference Group.

Auditor Information

ACCRU Melbourne
Ahmad Sadami Director
T: +61 3 9835 8200
50 Camberwell Road
Hawthorn East VIC 3123 Australia

Company Secretary:

Julie Zammit FCPA, FGIA, GAICD. 
T: +61 412 415 324