2025 Annual General Meeting
Our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 30 October ran very smoothly. Thank you to all the Western Victoria Primary Health Network members who attended, both in-person or online.
Proudly on behalf of our organisation, Chair Rob Grenfell launched our new WVPHN Strategic Plan 2026-2030. This document will guide our organisation for the next four years, and outlines our future direction based on the four strategic pillars of: engaged partnerships, enabled communities, improved care pathways and sustainable health workforce.
We also released our 2025 Annual Report. Aside from the financial reporting, this document offers an excellent snapshot of the health challenges for our region, and also outlines some of the major pieces of work we’re doing the region through the lens of integration, equity and advocacy – the three pillars of our existing Strategic Plan 2023-25.
Finally, thanks to our guest speaker, Abby McGrath, Deputy Chair 4EK Meningococcal Disease Awareness. Abby’s daughter died after contracting meningococcal, and it was moving to hear her story and how Abby has since gone on to start a charity to honour her daughter, raise awareness about meningococcal, and ensure that other children are vaccinated against the disease.
Read our Strategic Plan 2026-2030
2025 Palliative Care Forum – Dr Trevor Banks Scholarship Winners Announced
On Thursday 6 November, we ran our annual Palliative Care Forum in Fyansford, with both an in-person and online audience.
The focus of the forum was palliative care and neurodegenerative conditions, centered around a case study presentation with discussion from a multi-disciplinary panel.
As in previous years, the forum was also a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the winners of the Dr Trevor Banks Palliative Care Scholarship, which is given to support education in palliative care. The awards were presented by Rohan Banks, son of the late Dr Trevor Banks to the following recipients: Dr Samantha Buchholz, Dr Austin Duignan, Dr Brigette Agostinelli, Dr Faizal Kassam and Dr Nigel Lambert (who was not in attendance).
The Scholarship is an annual award of up to $5000 to assist a Geelong GP to attend a national or international educational event or program related to palliative care in 2026. It is named to recognise the outstanding contribution of Dr Trevor Banks, OAM, to establishing palliative care in Geelong in the 1970s.
A big thank you to everyone who attended the forum and also to the sponsors: Hospice Foundation Geelong, AstraZeneca, WVPHN and the Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care program. A special thanks to Dr Deb Harley for her leadership in organising the event.
Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program
Finally, if you’re seeking guidance with the new Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program that launched on 1 November, we have a lot of information on our website. You can read more on our Bulk Billing Practice Incentives webpage.
And, as always, if you can also email our Practice Support team via [email protected].
Craig Wilding, WVPHN CEO
14 November 2025