Moving to the Pilbara from Newcastle, New South Wales, Dr Fiona Cleary hoped to experience something completely out of her comfort zone.
The GP intended to work in the region for just 12 months.
“It is definitely different here and I have enjoyed it way more than I would have imagined,” Fiona said.
More than three years later, Fiona’s life is embedded in the Roebourne community as she continues to practise at the Mawarnkarra Health Service.
Her choice to stay was helped in part through the assistance of the Pilbara Health Professionals Network (PHPN).
Fiona dubbed Roebourne, which is 1563 kilometres north of Perth, a “transient town”.
She said network events helped new arrivals and families to quickly form both professional and personal connections with existing professionals.
“I always encourage new doctors, nurses and other health professionals in town to come along to these events,” she said.
“Meeting the new people in town ensures we know who we can refer to.”
Retaining professionals
Led by Rural Health West, the Health Professionals Networks (HPNs) play a critical role in workforce retention by ensuring health professionals feel connected, supported, and part of their local community.
More than 5500 health professionals are now members of the networks.
A recent survey found that more than half of HPN members (51.5 per cent) believed the networks actively influenced their decision to continue working in rural Western Australia.
Three in four health professionals (75.3 per cent) reported that HPN participation supported their long-term career development and decision to remain in rural practice.
Panaceum Karratha Program Manager Katie Wootton has seen firsthand the success the Pilbara Health Professionals Network has had on rural practices.
“The HPNs create local communities of practice,” she said.
“Everyone feels like they’ve got a little bit more of a sense of community. Creating an important stakeholder network across a very broad region is incredibly necessary in a transient location.”
One of the social networking events the HPNs offer is the annual welcome event, which is held in each region’s main towns at the start of each year, before travelling to the smaller towns in March and April.
This event gives families a chance to meet within a fun and friendly environment.
Katie said a recent social event in Karratha was a huge success.
“Many young GPs in the Panaceum staff room raved about it,” she said.
“Going to the sundowner and just having a chat with other people, it’s like you’re just immediately surrounded by a community.
“If you’re a new grad and you just moved somewhere for the first time, you don’t know anyone, it’s useful for that perspective.”
Warm welcome
The largest network, with 1401 members, is the South West.
A recently joined member is gastroenterologist and hepatologist Dr Halim Elsherif.
He arrived in Bunbury in February and currently spreads his time across the South West Gastroenterology Clinic, Bunbury Day Hospital, and St John of God Hospital Bunbury.
As a new arrival, Halim was invited to a “very warm, friendly and well organised” welcome event.
“It was a great opportunity to meet other healthcare professionals working across the region and helped me feel welcomed into the community,” he said.
Off the bat, Halim started to build professional connections and recommends the network to other health professionals working rurally.
“It provides a platform for networking, collaboration, education, and support for healthcare professionals working in regional areas,” he said.
Aside from the social benefits of the HPNs, education events offer the opportunity to refresh their skills, learn new abilities or build confidence in specific areas.
Bunbury Urgent Care Clinic Clinical Nurse Manager Nellie Streeter may have 23 years of emergency nursing under her belt, but was still drawn to opportunities the South West HPN offered.
Nellie attended a workshop on emergency presentations in September 2025.
“Even though I am quite familiar with how to manage emergencies, it served as a good refresher and allowed me to get an update,” she said.
The suturing and acute hand workshop boosted Nellie’s confidence in certain situations.
“I suture in the Urgent Care Clinic, but I tend to shy away from hands because they scare me a little bit,” she said.
“The workshop was great. It was good to talk to someone who specialises in hands.”
Rural Health West General Manager, Education and Engagement Leesa Thomas said the HPNs continue to attract more organisations in helping deliver health messaging across rural WA.
“Organisations are increasingly approaching HPNs to assist in delivering health messaging and updates to rural health workers,” Leesa said.
“These include supporting the Department of Health’s 2026 Winter Strategy as well as boosting education on topics like syphilis.”
Leesa said communities also want more events to increase professional and social connection.
“In order to fulfil this need, we are hoping to secure additional funding. We must decrease professional isolation felt by health workers to increase retention and attract more to the regions,” she said.