A forum of local health advisory committees met at Temora last week to make connections with other advocacy bodies across the region.
Deniliquin LHAC chair Lourene Liebenberg and committee member Dan Salmon attended the Temora event, themed ‘how to connect with mindfulness and harness happiness’.
“The highlight for me was the opportunity for face to face networking and having one-on-one advocacy conversations with executives about specific health areas of concern for Deniliquin,” Mrs Liebenberg said.
LHACs under the Murrumbidgee Local Health District encompass communities across the Murray, Riverina and Murrumbidgee districts.
They were set up through their local health districts under NSW Health, as envoys between local communities and the LHDs, and Primary Health Networks.
Representatives from both were also in attendance to hear feedback from LHAC representatives.
“Workforce shortage was one of the very important issues discussed, with feedback received from MLHD and (Murrumbidgee PHN) about strategies being implemented across the organisations to address this nation-wide problem,” Mrs Liebenberg said.
Members of LHACs hold monthly local meetings, and connect with committees from their broader district annually.
Mrs Liebenberg said “there was also ample opportunity to engage with other LHAC members and to share ideas of what they are doing in their communities to promote health and wellbeing initiatives”.
“This is always a great opportunity to reflect on what we can do differently and better.”