Our advisors play an important role in informing Murray PHN’s strategic planning and helping us work towards better health outcomes for people in our region. With strong local, personal and professional networks, they gather and share information and contribute by helping us set priorities and understand current health service and community needs.
Our commitment to engagement with general practice is underscored by the embedding of GPs in our regions and projects. In particular, the employment of place-based Medical Advisors to ensure that the needs of general practice across the region are identified, considered and addressed.
Medical advisors
We employ Medical Advisors to ensure that the needs of general practice across the region are identified and addressed. Medical Advisors are available to staff at least one day a week for specialist input and advice about primary care system design and inform Murray PHN’s strategy and operations.
Dr Wendy Connor
Medical Advisor
Having previously spent more than 30 years’ as a GP, Wendy brings a wealth of experience to the role. Wendy lives locally in Beechworth and has also worked as a medical educator and been Board Chair of the North East Victorian Division of general practice and the Hume Medicare Local.
Dr Sue Furphy
Medical Advisor
Sue is passionate about rural general practice and systematised care in the management of chronic illness such as diabetes and heart disease. She has enjoyed working as a GP for more than 30 years, in the Murchison, Shepparton and Mooroopna areas, in Aboriginal health, aged care, rehabilitation and hospital settings. Sue is a clinical supervisor of medical students with the Melbourne University Faculty of Medicine and is also an accreditor with Australian General Practice Accreditation Ltd.
Dr Philip Webster
Medical Advisor
Philip lives and has practised as a GP in Mildura for 40 years. He has previously worked with Medicare Locals and on the board of RWAV from 2005-2017, including as chair. Currently, he is a Director of Zoe Support Australia, a not-for-profit organisation providing services to pregnant women with parenting support and life skills.
First Nations
Murray PHN acknowledges the knowledge, strength and wisdom held by our First Nations Peoples and is committed to authentic engagement, working closely with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations in our catchment. Read more about our First Nations Health and Healing Strategy.
Clinical Advisory Council
Up to thirteen members provide clinical and health system perspectives to ensure that decisions, investments, and innovations are culturally safe, patient centred, cost effective and reinforce the ongoing need for joined up planning and service systems.
Membership is appointed for a minimum of 12 months and up to a maximum of six years, and on the basis of connection with clinical networks, knowledge and experience of working within the Murray PHN catchment. While the council is GP-led, membership comprises of other local professionals, including nurses, allied and community health, specialists and hospital representatives.
For more information read the Clinical Advisory Council Terms of Reference.
Community Advisory Councils
Our four councils represent each of our sub-regions of Goulburn Valley, Central, North East and North West Victoria. Up to a maximum of 21 members are appointed for a minimum of 12 months and up to three years. They bring their expertise, local knowledge and connection to community networks to enable and inform us of place-based, practice and system level improvements.
For more information read the Community Advisory Council Terms of Reference.
Health Voices
As PHNs work largely behind the scenes to support general practices and other primary health providers, many patients are unaware that they are attending a Murray PHN funded service.
Our work is informed through the collection and analysis of data, which may take many pieces in order to build a complete picture and understand the reasons behind it. Our online community of Health Voices has been assisting us with our understanding of health needs since June 2017.
From time-to-time, Health Voices are asked to contribute their knowledge, experience and ideas of the local health system to help inform our funding and planning decisions. By listening to many voices, our funding is as targeted and tailored as possible and we can invest in communities and services where it’s needed most.
For more information
Email our strategy and performance team at strategicplanning@murrayphn.org.au
Noting that advisory council vacancies and Health Voices surveys are advertised from time-to-time on our website, in our eNewsletter and social media channels: Facebook, LinkedIn and Platform X.
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