‘We exist to champion health equity for everyone in our community’.

 

In reflecting on the past year, our organisational purpose feels especially impactful. This call to action is the compass by which Star Health travels. It has led us through challenges and towards exciting opportunities to enhance community health and wellbeing and champion health equity for the people we exist to serve.

 

One of the most significant opportunities over the past year is the decision to progress a Voluntary Amalgamation with Connect Health & Community and Central Bayside Community Health Services. We have now commenced the transformation into Better Health Network (BHN). The principles of BHN continue to steer every decision, with a shared vision to be Better for Clients, Better for Staff, and Better for our Communities. As a part of this new organisation with the commitment to delivering Better, Star Health should feel immensely proud of the legacy we have established. BHN’s Inaugural Board was elected this year, comprising of three Directors from each of the legacy Boards, representing a safe and experienced set of hands which will lead the new organisation into the future. We are delighted that current Star Health Directors Doris Whitmore, Anne Garrow and Kirstan Corben will be bringing their values and skills to the BHN Board. We also congratulate Damian Ferrie on his appointment as the Inaugural CEO of Better Health Network and acknowledge his work in preparing Star Health for this important achievement.

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In Star Health Board news, David Endean retired from our Board this year. David was elected in 2014, and contributed his expertise in governance, financial management and compliance through his Committee membership, in addition to his Directorship on the Board. David’s presence was valued not only for his experience and expertise, but also for his principles and commitment to Star Health’s Vision. We are grateful for David’s service and wish him the very best in his next chapter.

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Of course, while we have been busy preparing for this new organisation, we have continued to pursue excellence and impact in all of Star Health’s activities and operations. The past year has been an innovative time for the community health sector, and Star Health has participated in the delivery of some key reform programs, such as the Pop-Up Mental Health and Wellbeing Service. The Star Health Board recently endorsed the Framework for Growing, Enabling and Integrating the Lived/Living Experience Workforce. The Framework was developed by an internal working group and it represents our organisational commitment to growing our peer workforce, building meaningful career trajectories, and ensuring that the expertise of experience is reflected in all activities.

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Star Health has been applying a transformative agenda to our service designs focusing on the development of an evidence-based and clientcentred Outcomes Framework. We will now, with greater confidence, be able to evaluate the impact that our work has on the lives of our clients and to lean into what works and reassess what doesn’t. Many of our service teams have similarly used the dynamism of the COVID-19 landscape to find new efficiencies within their programs, in order to increase accessibility for our clients. From Allied Health to Dental and GP Clinic teams, we are seeing creative approaches to enhancing our physical infrastructure, analysing the most helpful appointment mix for our clients, and pursuing partnership opportunities. All of these efforts reflect the deep commitment that our staff bring to their work and to our communities.

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As if balancing internal and external transformations weren’t enough, we of course continue to work and live within a pandemic. COVID-19 continues to challenge us to adapt and pivot our services to where they are most needed at any point in time, while we simultaneously work to meet the urgent community health needs which have arisen since the recent transmission peaks. We are proud of the work undertaken by Star Health, particularly through the difficult winter months.

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As the truism goes: nothing is achieved alone. We are very grateful for the dedication demonstrated by our staff, Consumer Representatives and volunteers, as they carried Star Health through another energetic year. We appreciate the ongoing support from our funders including the Department of Health, and our stakeholder partners, most particularly Connect Health & Community and Central Bayside Community Health Services, alongside whom we will achieve Better than the sum of our organisations. Our Board of Directors have shown unwavering diligence in ensuring that Star Health is continuously improving, we thank you for your contributions and efforts.

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As always, and most of all, thank you to our clients and our communities, for being our guides and our reason for everything that we do. Thank you for trusting and choosing us.