The Biggest and Most Influential Healthcare Exhibition In The Southern Hemisphere
19-20 March 2025 | ICC, Sydney
Care Reimagined Day Two: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Care Reimagined Day Two: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Health Facilities Design & Development Day One: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Health Facilities Design & Development Day Two: Thursday,20 March 2025
Healthcare 2040 Day One: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Healthcare 2040 Day Two: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Aged Care Transformation Day One: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Aged Care Transformation Day Two: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Digital Health Day One: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Digital Health Day Two: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Care Reimagined Day One: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Care Reimagined Day Two: Thursday, 20 March 2025
9:30 am - 10:10 am
Keynote Panel Discussion | Enabling The Healthcare Workforce to Deliver Effective Preventative Care
Maree Ruge -
Chief Nursing & Midwifery Informatics Officer,
Metro North Health
A/Prof Clair Sullivan - Chief Digital Health Officer, Metro North Hospital and Health Service
Rebecca Roberts - Group Chief People and Culture Officer, St Vincent's Health Australia
- Understanding the workforce planning changes needed to support a new operating model
- Considering how to best connect workers outside of the hospital to deliver high-quality care
- Exploring the digital capabilities needed to maximise mobility
- Understanding the needs of all frontline care workers to evolve the care they provide
10:10 am - 10:30 am
Presentation | The Future Starts Now: Showcasing The Real Technologies Ready to Transform Frontline Care
JEN BICHEL-FINDLAY -
Chair, Nursing and Midwifery Community of Practice,
Australian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH)
The innovative technologies available today present exceptional possibilities for enhancing patient care and supporting clinicians. This session will explore a myriad of transformative tools that streamline workflows and improve patient outcomes – such as AI-assisted dressing, medical-grade stethoscope apps, vein finders, personalised discharge instructions, keyless documentation systems & more. By focusing on safety, quality, and efficiency, these technologies aim to minimise errors and improve overall care. Join to see how they can empower clinicians and redefine the standards of healthcare delivery.
JEN BICHEL-FINDLAY
Chair, Nursing and Midwifery Community of PracticeAustralian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH)
10:40 am - 11:00 am
Reserved for Sponsor
11:00 am - 11:40 am
Panel Discussion | No Health Without Mental Health: Addressing Australia’s Declining Mental Health Landscape To Improve Health Outcomes
Maria Casbolt -
Student Health & Mental Health Wellbeing,
NSW Department of Education
Sally Hasler - CEO, Women's Health Victoria
Harry Iles-Mann - Patient/Consumer Advocate and Consumer Reference Lead, Australian Digital Health Agency
- Recognising different trends in rural versus metropolitan areas
- Homing in on demographics of concern including regional communities, young people, low socio-economic status & more
- Aligning with changing regulations
- Regaining patient and public trust in modern mental health care
Harry Iles-Mann
Patient/Consumer Advocate and Consumer Reference LeadAustralian Digital Health Agency
11:40 am - 12:00 pm
Case Study | Mental Health: Treating it as the Emergency it is
Penny Jones -
Director Integrated Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs,
Mid North Coast Local Health District
The EMHAART program is a trauma-informed, recovery-oriented program designed to provide rapid, specialised care for individuals experiencing acute mental health and alcohol and other drug needs. The model values diversity and inclusion, ensuring that care is responsive to the unique needs for people seeking immediate cultural and gender-specific care and support in regional and rural areas.
Grounded in best practice principles, EMHAART seeks to address the social and political determinants of health by promoting equitable access to mental health support and mitigating factors that contribute to common disparities. By integrating mental health and alcohol and other drug professionals with emergency teams, the program enhances patient outcomes, reduces restrictive practices, enhances cultural safety and fosters long-term recovery through person-centred, compassionate care.
Penny Jones
Director Integrated Mental Health Alcohol and Other DrugsMid North Coast Local Health District
12:00 pm - 12:40 pm
Panel Discussion | Mental Health Reform: Creating a Modern System that Works for Providers, Workers and Patients
Wendy Hoey -
Chief Executive,
NSW Justice Health & Forsensic Mental Health Network
Simon Stafrace - Program Director, Alfred Mental Health and Addiction, Alfred Health
Butho Moyo - Mental Health Clinical Lead, The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department
Oliver Higgins - Associate Director Mental Health, Central Coast LHD
Taimi Allan - Menta Health Commissioner, South Australian Government
- Exploring what an effective mental health care system looks like and how expertise, technology and resources can be best utilised to realise the vision
- Utilising HITH, community and virtual care options to reduce strain on traditional care facitilies
- Embedding lived experience into transformation
- Gauging how community mental health care should sit within the wider healthcare system
- Addressing access disparities by increasing availability of rural resources and care
- The role of psychology within the mental health industry
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm
Panel Discussion: Prioritising the Wellbeing Needs of Your Frontline Staff – Preventing Burnout and Enabling High-Quality Care
Sandhya Limaye -
Director of Wellbeing, Staff Specialist,
Sydney Local Health District
Peter Shine - Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health & Workforce, North Sydney LHD
Hayley Farry - Executive Director Workforce, Sunshine Coast Hospital & Health Service
- Creative initiatives for a positive culture among frontline staff
- Enabling a healthy work-life balance, championing self-care and encouraging healthy sleeping patterns
- Creating easily accessible avenues for support and guidance
- Ensuring any workforce wellbeing and talent initiatives include the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Peter Shine
Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health & WorkforceNorth Sydney LHD
1:00 pm - 1:20 pm
Learners to Leaders - Creating an 80% Retention Rate with a Graduate Rural Allied Healthcare Program
Katrina Rohr -
Allied Health Rural Graduate Program Coordinator,
Western New South Wales LHD
The Allied Health Rural Graduate Program (AHRGP), launched in 2023, aims to improve recruitment and retention of allied health professionals in Western NSW Local Health District. This structured two-year initiative provides recent graduates with support, education, and networking as they transition to the workforce. The program has shown success, with an 80% retention rate in its first year, and expansion to 50 graduates across eight allied health disciplines in 2024. In 2025, the program is moving AHEAD as the Allied Health Early Accelerated Development (AHEAD) Program, an embedded model supporting early career allied health professionals as ‘learners to leaders’ and strengthening the District’s allied health workforce.
1:20 pm - 2:00 pm
Panel Discussion | Futureproofing Your Workforce! Attracting, Retaining & Enabling Talent
Elle Slade -
Workforce Development Lead,
The Royal Children’s Hospital
Heather Flynn - Director Workforce & Organisational Development, Albury Wodonga Health
- Training and upskilling for an increasingly digital workplace
- Reshaping career paths for frontline care workers
- Creating leadership programs that foster improved patient outcomes
- Focusing on early career talent to improve retention rates
- Attracting talent into rural healthcare
