Message from our CEO

As we enter SEMPHN’s second decade, we have structured our annual report to showcase some of the outstanding achievements delivered by SEMPHN, our partner health providers, and communities in the 7 priority areas set by the Australian Government for primary health networks (PHNs) to improve and innovate in primary care. 

We have also renamed our report Our Impact: Report to the Community 2024–25 to align with our ‘Path to Impact’ strategy, with this report covering the second year of our 5-year strategy. As we head into our third year, I’m delighted to report we have made considerable progress in key areas.

Internal organisational development

We continued to invest in improving capability across all levels of our organisation to support our strategy. Much of this work will help us frame our future, and develop our processes, partnerships and people. For example, we continued the work we began in 2023–24 on our operating model, to facilitate more effective planning throughout the year, drive more commissioning activity, and ensure a more consistent experience for our stakeholders. 

During the year, we gained valuable information on how our stakeholders engage with, experience and rate our staff and services through our 2025 Stakeholder Engagement Survey, which had more than 305 responses. More than half the respondents were from general practices, and we learnt that education, training and events, general practice support and access/referral services are the most frequently used core services.

Respondents confirmed we are seen as an important partner and support in delivering better quality health services – but we have some work to do in elevating our visibility and communications. This will be a key focus for us over the coming months and years.

External engagement


Beyond the developments within our organisation, we have also continued to build our relationships with the broader health sector and our local community. 

At a national level, we encouraged participation in the Patient-Reported Indicator Survey, which aims to improve how we measure the primary care service outcomes and experiences of people living with chronic conditions.

At a state level, we produced a landmark report to support the South East Metro Interim Regional Body, which was established following the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. The report delivered a comprehensive picture of mental health needs across south east Melbourne’s priority populations, combining clinical, consumer, and population data with insights from local service providers to identify critical service gaps and opportunities. Although the Interim Regional Bodies have since concluded, this work continues to shape our conversations with partners and policymakers. It stands as a key regional evidence base, guiding more localised, data-driven decision-making in mental health planning and service design.

Regionally, we continued to work closely with our local health services to improve patient care and build capability within our workforce. This included the delivery of 2 highly successful skills-building workshops for residential aged care staff in collaboration with Alfred Health, Monash Health and Peninsula Health through their South East Metro Health Services Partnership (SEMHSP). While the SEMHSP no longer has the same structure, I would like acknowledge the Partnership’s work in building connections across the region. We aim to continue strengthening these important relationships and pushing forward in our collaboration and coordination. 

Locally, we had some great engagement in our programs with Federal Members of Parliament across bipartisan lines, giving them a glimpse of the on-the-ground difference our partners are making in the community. In September 2024, Federal Member for Macnamara Josh Burns MP and then Federal Member for Goldstein Zoe Daniel MP attended the launch of the headspace Early Psychosis 10th birthday celebrations in Bentleigh, while Federal Member for Bruce Julian Hill MP attended the official opening of the new headspace Dandenong centre in October 2024. We also had several representatives attend the opening of new headspace centre in South Melbourne in April 2025.

SEMPHN was a sponsor of the Get your Reconciliation On fun run and community event for First Nations mob and allies on the Frankston Foreshore in May 2025. The all-abilities event was a remarkable success, and I was delighted to be interviewed on community radio on the day. 

In finishing, I extend my gratitude to our Board, Clinical and Community Council and reference groups, and to our wonderful SEMPHN staff for their unwavering commitment to fostering and supporting a more equitable, person-centred, and seamless healthcare system that positively impacts the health outcomes of our community. 

I also acknowledge and thank our local service providers, dedicated healthcare professionals, and individuals with lived experiences. Without your partnership, collaboration and input, we would not have been able to achieve what we have over the last year in our mission to create opportunities for the people of South East Melbourne to live their healthiest lives. 

– Quinn Pawson, SEMPHN CEO