emphn-annual-report-2026

Older people

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:20:03 GMT

Supporting older people's health and wellbeing

Improving the health and wellbeing of the region’s ageing population is a key priority for EMPHN.

Commissioning efforts focus on supporting, enhancing access to, and coordinating high-quality primary health care for older people - both in the community and in Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs).

By assessing the health, social, and functional needs of older community members, EMPHN is working to build a sustainable, consumer-driven system that delivers greater choice, easier access, and better care.

Across the region, with our service partners, EMPHN delivered a number of programs including:

Care finder: Care finders specialise in providing intensive assistance to vulnerable older community members, helping them connect with aged care services and relevant community supports.
General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI): Supports residents of Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs) to receive planned, high-quality primary care from a regular general practice and GP by strengthening collaboration among RACHs, general practices, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and Aboriginal Medical Services to improve continuity, health outcomes and reduce avoidable hospital presentations.
Healthy Ageing Service: Support to older people with mental health issues (and their families) who are living in the community or in residential aged care facilities by providing up to six free brief intervention sessions for the older person to support needs such as alcohol and drug treatment, suicide prevention, psychosocial support, housing and physical health.

episodes of service was delivered by Care Finder

GPs delivered care through GPACI across 172 residential aged care homes (RACHs)

hours of support was delivered by the Healthy Ageing Service

Care finder provider

Client reports the Care finder program and the new services set up have meant he can re-engage with his daughter. Now that he has taxi vouchers, he is able to see his grandchild for the first time. Client reports being happier and more settled as a result of involvement.

General practice

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:25:38 GMT

Strengthening the foundations of primary care

General practice remains at the centre of Australia’s healthcare system, providing accessible, continuous and person-centred care for individuals, families and communities.

Across the region, EMPHN delivered a number of programs including:

Australian Digital Health Agency workplan: EMPHN is commissioned by the Australian Digital Health Agency to promote use of the My Health Record System , Provider Connect Australia, electronic prescribing and other digital health initiatives.
GP Data Tools, POLAR AND WALRUS: POLAR data tool extracts data from General Practice software to support practices with quality improvement activities, business development, and provision of better patient-centred care. It is used by Practice Managers, Practice Nurses, General Practitioners and Practice Staff. Walrus is a point of care prompting tool used by Practice Nurses and General Practitioners to identify gaps in care, identify patients at risk and improve data quality.
HealthPathways Melbourne: HealthPathways Melbourne is a collaborative online platform between EMPHN and North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN), that provides health practitioners with access to localised assessment, management and referral information for several health conditions.
Practice Incentive Program Quality Improvement (PIP QI) Incentive: Supports general practice in continuous improvement and achieving better health outcomes. EMPHN’s QI model guides practices in enhancing data management, improving processes, and positively impacting patient health outcomes.
Strengthening Medicare Reform: EMPHN supports general practices to implement Medicare and MBS reforms that strengthen continuity of care, patient enrolment and patient-centred care.

During 2025–26, EMPHN supported general practices to expand access, strengthen continuity, manage chronic and complex conditions and connect patients with the right care.

Programs supported care in general practice, specialist services, community health, schools, residential aged care and urgent care settings.

practices registered for Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP)

practices have a full version of POLAR installed

Practices registered for My Medicare

healthcare professionals access HealthPathways

practice reports were delivered

GP, HealthPathways user

"HealthPathways Melbourne - An excellent resource for study, review and CPD, with useful content, practical links and valuable resources I hadn’t known about in almost 10 years of general practice.”

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:01:03 GMT

Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing

EMPHN is committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ right to self‑determination, working towards equity in health outcomes and the ongoing journey of reconciliation.

Across the region, with our service partners, EMPHN delivered a number of programs including:

Integrated team care (ITC) and ITC Support : Services focus on care coordination, brokerage and chronic disease management for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Aboriginal Wrap Around Programs: Wrap Around services deliver holistic, culturally safe care addressing chronic disease, social and emotional wellbeing, suicide prevention, AOD, and access barriers.

EMPHN commissions a range of programs delivered by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and mainstream providers to support the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

episodes of care coordination was delivered

outreach activities were delivered

consumers seen by the ITC program

Consumer of Wrap Around Programs

They offered to help my whole family, not just me... it was all in one spot

Aboriginal Consultative Council

In 2024, EMPHN established the Aboriginal Consultative Council to support the commitment to reforms made in the Closing the Gap initiative, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan, and the 2024 recommendations from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Federal funding review (undertaken by Ninti One and First Nations Co).

The Council comprises of representatives from ACCHOs and ACCOs in our region and plays a pivotal role in strengthening cultural safety in mainstream services in the catchment, supporting the development and sustainability of the community-controlled sector, and facilitating a move towards self-determination.

View Council Members here.

Alcohol and other drugs

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 01:56:04 GMT

Recovery built around the person

EMPHN commissions services to support people experiencing drug and/or alcohol dependence in the catchment.

These programs are designed to provide holistic care to both individuals, families and carers.

Across the region, with our service partners, EMPHN delivered a number of programs including:

AOD Relate: The program offers peer support, dual diagnosis care coordination and psychological intervention, enabling direct client care and secondary consultation.
Dual Diagnosis Program: Supports individuals and their families to address substance use and their mental health in the community, or as an inpatient.
Family Alcohol and Drug Service (FADS): Supports families with children under 25 facing substance use issues. Also assists individuals affected by a family member’s alcohol or drug use. Focusing on harm minimisation and relapse prevention, the program is underpinned by integrated family therapy, including individual counselling and family therapy.
Northeast Recovery and Support Program (NeRASP) : An eight-week recovery-oriented group program with individual and peer support to enhance AOD treatment outcomes.
Supporting Health Education, Recreation, and Personal Autonomy (SHERPA): Offers therapeutic recreation and adventure based group activities in conjunction with one-on-one case management and care coordination to young people (aged 12-21) experiencing substance use.
Youth Northern Outreach Team (YNOT 2.0): Provides personalised, confidential outreach counselling, support, education and referrals for young people with alcohol and/or other drug abuse or dependence issues.
Youth Primary Health Support and Coordination Service (YPHSCS): Provides vulnerable young people aged 12-21 with substance use management and holistic treatment.

Services included counselling, treatment, peer support, youth outreach, harm reduction, care coordination, family support and recovery-oriented assistance.

occasions of service were delivered across all AOD programs

16,758 of service delivery hours was funded

episodes of care delivered across all AOD programs

AOD consumer

My counsellor has been a rock for me. Their understanding and insight into my values and motivations were outstanding. They have helped me enormously in my recovery from alcohol addiction.

Family member of AOD consumer feedback

My daughter’s worker is amazing. They have been the only person over the last three years to connect and take the time to understand her, and with that have gained her trust.

Primary care

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 01:37:12 GMT

Strengthening the front door of the health system

Primary care is often the first and most consistent point of contact people have with the health system.

Across the region, with our service partners, EMPHN delivered a number of programs including:

Doctors in Secondary Schools (DiSS): The program makes primary health care more accessible to students, supports young people through the early identification of health issues, and reduces pressure on working parents.
Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Clinics: Aims to improve access to timely, multidisciplinary diagnosis, treatment, management and support services for people experiencing endometriosis and pelvic pain symptoms, particularly those from priority populations and underserved communities.
Healesville After Hours GP Clinic: Access to after-hours GP services for communities located in the Outer East.
Medicare / Urgent Care Clinics: Improves access to timely, free urgent care for people with non-life-threatening conditions by providing GP-led Medicare Urgent Care Clinics as an alternative to hospital emergency departments, while supporting integration with local primary care services and reducing pressure on the broader health system with clinics open 14 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Right Care Better Health: A nurse-led care coordination program delivered through participating general practices intended to support people with chronic and complex conditions.

During 2025–26, EMPHN supported general practices to expand access, strengthen continuity, manage chronic and complex conditions and connect patients with the right care.

Programs supported care in general practice, specialist services, community health, schools, residential aged care and urgent care settings.

patients were seen across all EMPHN Urgent Care Clinics

264 unique patients accessed Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain clinics

2,119 consultations delivered to students through the DiSS program

of patients reported a positive experience of care from Right Care Better Health

Consumer, Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Clinic

After feeling unheard elsewhere, the clinic provided a holistic and supportive experience. The nurse listened with empathy, offered practical advice and resources, and left me feeling more confident about managing my health.

Consumer, Right Care Better Health

The program helped enormously to understand and work through the system.

Mental health

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:52:36 GMT

Support that meets people where they are

A large proportion of EMPHN’s work is focused on improving the mental health and wellbeing of those who live in the catchment.

Across the region, with our service partners, EMPHN delivered a number of programs including:

After Hours Mental Health Nursing Service: This service provides free, accessible mental health support outside standard hours 6–11pm weekdays and 2–7pm weekends/public holidays. The program offers brief interventions, assessments, and referrals for individuals experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns such as stress, anxiety, or grief.
Enhancing Mental Health Services in Secondary Schools (EMHSS): The program improves access to early intervention mental health support for Victorian government secondary school students by providing free counselling and related services through local headspace centres and school partnerships.
Head to Health Hubs: Provides access to multidisciplinary teams of mental health workers, including psychologists, nurses, social workers and peer workers. The Hubs provide a flexible model of care tailored to the person, recognising that people have different mental health care needs at different times.
headspace : headspace centres act as a one-stop shop for young people with mental health and wellbeing concerns, providing access to youth-friendly health professionals in a safe, confidential and youth-friendly environment. The purpose of the program is to provide no cost, youth friendly, holistic care to young people aged 12-25.
Medicare Mental Health phone line: A free service that connects consumers with the mental health support that is right for them. The national service is staffed by experienced mental health professionals who will listen to needs and match consumers with support options tailored to individual needs. Staffed by experienced mental health professionals.
Psychosocial Support Program: The service helps people build social skills, navigating relationships, managing money, looking for and after a home, building skills and qualifications, and developing work goals.
Stepped Care: A staged system of support that matches the intensity of services to a person’s needs, allowing for flexibility and responsiveness as those needs change. Offering a spectrum of interventions, from low-intensity options like self-help and peer support to high-intensity clinical treatments such as psychiatric care and hospitalisation.
Support following suicide: Postvention, bereavement counselling and support groups to people in the region who have been affected by suicide.
Youth Enhanced: Also known as BounceBack, provides specialist mental health treatment and support for young people aged 12-25 experiencing complex mental health challenges, helping them access care that sits between primary care and tertiary mental health services.

Programs and services funded by EMPHN are designed to put the patient at the centre of care, ensuring that they are culturally safe, accessible and involve shared decision making. It is recognised that the community within the catchment has a diverse range of needs, which require collaborative support from service partners, general practitioners, specialists, support staff and peer workers.

inbound calls received to the Medicare Mental Health phone line

individual counselling sessions and 381 group sessions delivered to support people after a suicide

people supported by Stepped Care through 12,279 consumer hours

occasions of service delivered to young people at headspace

episodes of service delivered by the After Hours Mental Health Nursing Service

Young consumer, headspace centre

Thank you so much, that really means a lot to me. I’m grateful for all the support and kindness you’ve shown me. It made a difference more than you know.

Lived experience suicide bereavement volunteer

There is an immediate connection and easy rapport with other bereaved people that you don’t get anywhere else. It is rewarding. You get as much out of it as you give.