Providing great care to the great people of our regions remains the focus of Rural Northwest Health as it looks to the future.
Welcoming 40 people to it 2024-25 Annual General Meeting today, including online viewers watching the inaugural livestream, RNH Board of Directors Chair Dr John Aitken commented “to say its been an exciting year is an understatement”.
“There have been lots of changes in the organisation and, as we look forward to 2026 and beyond, our mission remains to promote wellness, enhance health and support healthy ageing,” he said.
Touching on some of the challenges the year presented, including COVID outbreaks, Dr Aitken thanked the RNH team for their professionalism: “It’s a 24/7 job and we just don’t know who’s going to walk through the door. We have to be ready for that”.
Also speaking about “growing our own” teams through ongoing training and recruitment, Dr Aitken said the board is committed to providing upskilling for all team members to help provide better care for our communities.
Of course, one of the largest projects throughout the past 12 months has been the completion of the Hopetoun Duplexes. Providing accommodation for skilled staff, the duplexes were one of the first projects to be completed under the Regional Worker Accommodation Fund; under budget!
Recognising just some of the health and wellbeing projects RNH delivers in the community, including the Home Support Program, the donation of bikes to St Mary’s School, and the various activities aimed at engaging our younger and older residents alike, he said the more of these initiatives we can do, the better the outcome.
Dr Aitken also discussed RNH joining the Grampians Local Health Service Network, and how this has enabled RNH to access shared resources for our communities.
“I occasionally get asked about amalgamation and, for the foreseeable future, it’s not going to happen; and it won’t be our choice for it to happen,” Dr Aitken said.
“Rural Northwest Health has no plans to amalgamate, no plans to cede any control to anyone else,” he said.
“In fact, we’re working on bringing more services to our region”.
Finally, Dr Aitken reflected on the 2020-25 RNH Strategic Plan and the goals for 2026 and beyond including the future vision/aspiration to be “a trusted, innovative, and responsive leader in rural health” and the goal of “sustainably delivering great care with a focus on preventative healthcare and equitable access, through a stronger, more capable and responsive workforce that connects our community to the right care close to home” by 2028.
Chief Financial Officer Marivic Vix delivered her financial report which included:
- A $3.099 million increase in total operating revenue for the 2024-25 financial year.
- An 11% drop in operating expenditure, largely thanks to the cessation of using agency nursing staff.
- An operating surplus of $54,000; a turnaround of $1,839 million (or 5%) on the previous year which recorded a $1.785 million deficit!
“Overall, RNH continues to respond to growing service demand and workforce challenges through disciplined and responsible financial management,” Marivic said.
Thanking the RNH team for their outstanding dedication and commitment to ensuring smooth operation of the facility, Marivic also thanked the community for their steadfast and unwavering support of RNH.
“It is through this collective effort that we continue to thrive and serve with excellence. Thank you,” she said.
CEO Jenni Masters spoke about how, during 2024-25, RNH continued to build capacity, capability and stability, while also strengthening the business side of the organisation.
“The 2024-25 year was marked by, what I believe is, continued RNH growth and improvement. At a wider health system level, we began to get some idea of the state-wide health structure plans coming from the Department including the development of Local Health Networks and clarity of the focused financial expectations. The aged care act loomed large with a date of 1 July 2025,” Jenni said.
“Even with the growing understanding that there will be a number of uncertainties or changes in the next 12 months, and beyond, which RNH will need to adapt to, fortunately the strong base we have built over the last 2-3 years gives RNH a solid platform to adapt to the future, ensuring the changes ahead will improve the care to the community,” she said.
Sharing a Māori saying “Ruia ki te koraha ka hua kore. Ruia ki te whenua ka hua mai” (“When the ground is fertile the seeds you sow will prosper. If it is barren the seeds will wither”) Jenni said she believes RNH now has in place a fertile ground.
Also touching on some of the plans and priorities for the year ahead, Jenni said the new Aged Care Act and the impact of the associated strengthened Standards cannot be understated and brings about changes at every area of the organisation from governance to clinical care, to our community services and food services, from financial changes to HR and education, together with a suit of new reporting and targets RNH must comply with.
“The new Act was due on 1 July 2025 but was delayed (with much relief from the whole sector) to give more time for services to meet requirements. In preparation, RNH quickly implemented an aged care Steering Group and developed a program of work allocating staff to groups such as policy and procedure development, food services changes and financial changes,” she said.
“The Act started 1 November 2025. However, there is more to come and, even now, there continues to be regular changes and clarity that the team are leading in residential care. There are also further significant changes particularly with Community Services.”
“The focus for 2025-26 is to bed in what we have already completed and, at the same time, be agile enough to adapt to new ones coming our way. Fortunately, RNH has the structure in place to successfully negotiate these. This will be a significant focus for the next year.”
Some of the other changes during 2024-25 Jenni touched on included gaining clarity on the expectations of financial responsibility and accountability.
“Quite simply we must live within our means, whatever those means are in the future,” she said.
Looking to the future, Jenni spoke about how RNH will begin a 2-year project titled “Great Care”.
“We have been fortunate to engage the services of Dr Cathy Balding and her team to support us to ensure everything is in place and a clear, joint understanding to provide great care to the community,” Jenni said.
“This is a vital project, embedded in the Strategic Plan with a simple, but profound, vision of Great Care -Every Consumer, Every Time”.
“A week of expert-led workshops have already taken place with the RNH Consumer Advisory Committee, Board, Executive and management, and staff across the organisation to consider and articulate what great care looks like for each of us and our place in that.”
“This is not just about clinical staff but all staff who are a part of the RNH team, with a vital consumer voice at the center. This project is now in the implementation phase and will be led by our newly appointed Executive Manager Quality, Risk and Improvement Abraham Mahachi.”
“I strongly believe that health is about people – the people who need health services and the people who deliver them and are involved in the systems vital to that delivery of care.”
“Our staff have been, and continue to be, amazing. With all the changes swirling around the health system they continue to focus on providing the best possible care and supporting each other; a true testament to the leaders and staff of this organisation.”
Finally, Ms Masters said she would like to thank all of the RNH staff for their commitment and dedication to providing care.
“They are a passionate, caring, and highly supportive team who work diligently to provide the best possible outcomes for the community,” she said.
“They also know how to have fun!”
“As this is my last AGM I want to reiterate that is has been, truly, such an honor to be the CEO of this team. I wish RNH and the staff all the very best for the future and have great faith in the foundations we have built together the last 2-3 years. You guys have got this!”.
Before inviting all attendees to mingle over lunch, Dr Aitken presented Jenni with flowers and a gift in appreciation of her service.
“We really do appreciate all you’ve done over the past 3 years,” Dr Aitken said.
“Thank you very much for all that you’ve done,” he said.
Jenni thanked the community for the warm welcome she had received; from the hellos she received in the supermarket, to the genuine, caring enquiries about her family.
“Your kindness, warmth, great sense of humour and not taking the Mickey out of me too much about my accent was appreciated,” she said.
“Thank you all so much, it has certainly made my 3 years here really lovely, and I will always remember this place and what we did together”.
View the AGM livestream here.