SYDNEY NORTH NEIGHBOURHOOD HEALTH HUBS TO APPROACH HEALTH AND WELFARE IN HOLISTIC WAY Model designed to continue to learn from providers and consumers in priority populations
With
Jacqui Emery, CEO
Sydney North Health Network
Eugene McGarrell,
General Manager, Commissioning
Sydney North Health Network
SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney | April 2026
The Northern Sydney Wellbeing Collaborative is an initiative designed to improve health and wellbeing in the Sydney North community by bringing together people across the health and social care sector, within community and local stakeholders to respond to health and social challenges.
Many people struggle to access the right care at the right time, leading to gaps, delays, and confusion when navigating the health system. By fostering collaboration and integration, the Wellbeing Collaborative will support a primary care system that works better together, making it easier for individuals to receive early intervention and preventative care. By working together and in partnership, Sydney North Health Network aim to create more connected, accessible, and person-centred services that address key health challenges locally, including chronic illness, mental health, aged care, alcohol and other drugs (AOD), and suicide prevention.
The Collaborative operates using a local approach, meaning that local community voices shape the solutions that work best for them. Through local collaboratives, SNHN will bring together service providers, community organisations, and people with lived experience to co-create and implement solutions that respond to community needs. These insights will inform the development of three Neighbourhood Health Hubs in the Sydney North region, and will provide a central point for integrated care and support in the local community. The launch of the Hubs is expected July 2026.
Australian Health Journal spoke to Sydney North Health Network CEO, Jacqui Emery and General Manager, Commissioning, Eugene McGarrell.
These are expected to deliver the following:
- Stronger local connections between healthcare, social care, and community services
- Improved health outcomes for vulnerable and at-risk populations
- A community-led approach that ensures services are shaped by local needs and solutions
- Simplified access to care through integrated Wellbeing Hubs
- Building greater health equity in the Northern Sydney region.
- Reduced demand on acute health services with a focus on prevention and early intervention
- Better coordination to reduce service fragmentation and duplication
Source: Adapted from the Sydney North Health Network website
-
Improving access to osteopathic services and integrated care models
The Chief Executive Officer of Osteopathy Australia, Antony Nicholas spoke with Australian Health Journal about:
– Involvement in the Strengthening Medicare Task Force
– The unique skills osteopaths have that can address the chronic disease burden
– Current workforce issues around osteopaths and if enough are coming through via student placements
– How uploading data to My Health Record by osteopaths could assist team-based care of patients
– How the value of osteopaths in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) could be better understood and better access for residents
– The recommendations around aged care access to allied health services, including osteopathy
– The recommendations around consumer access to osteopaths and GP referrals
– Other osteopathy recommendations in the upcoming Federal BudgetIn the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
-
New option for management of high-risk soft tissue sarcoma of the limb
SARC032 is the first completed randomised clinical trial of its kind and has demonstrated compelling evidence to integrate immunotherapy, with the standard treatment regimen of radiotherapy and surgery for patients with grade 2 or 3, stage III soft tissue sarcoma of the limb.
-
Access and productivity outcomes with radiology technology in Western Sydney
In Western Sydney, there is currently significant growth accompanied by a notable need for cardiovascular support due to the prevalence of related diseases. It is estimated that the population in this area will reach 6 million by 2041.
With this population growth, there is also a pressing shortage of healthcare professionals in Australia, particularly in the field of radiology, where there are not enough radiographers, sonographers, MRI technicians, and nuclear medicine technicians.
