At Rural Health West, we have always believed that every person – no matter where they live – deserves access to high quality healthcare. Yet we know that rural and remote communities in Western Australia continue to face significant health inequity, driven in part by health workforce shortages.
Our new Strategic Plan 2025-2030 outlines a bold and ambitious roadmap for addressing this inequity and improving health outcomes for country people across our State. It sets out six strategic priorities that will guide our actions over the next five years:
- Advocating for Health Equity
- Partnering with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
- Extending Our Reach and Impact
- Enhancing Our Core Services
- Financial Sustainability
- Empowering Our People
These priorities reflect our enduring commitment to strengthening the rural health workforce, supporting Aboriginal health leadership, and working collaboratively to ensure long-term, meaningful change.
Why partnerships matter
We cannot do this work alone. Our success will rely on strong partnerships and collaboration with healthcare professionals, peak bodies, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, government and non-government organisations, and rural communities. Together, we can co-design culturally safe, community-led solutions that reflect the needs and strengths of each region.
Our commitment to partnering with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations is more important than ever. As health program delivery transitions to Aboriginal-led models, we will act as allies, listening, learning, and ensuring our work supports self-determination and sovereignty. Aboriginal people are the experts in Aboriginal health, and we will be guided by their leadership in our shared goal to close the gap.
Making advocacy count
The need for policy reform in rural health is urgent. We are seeing a growing recognition by governments that the status quo is not working, but change must be shaped by evidence and grounded in community experience.
That’s why we’ve placed advocacy at the heart of our new Strategic Plan. Our advocacy program will focus on bringing the voices of rural communities and health professionals to the forefront – using data, case studies, and respectful engagement with decision makers. This doesn’t mean departing from our traditional approach of forging respectful partnerships and collaborations, but we will speak clearly and confidently on behalf of the communities we serve, ensuring that rural realities are understood and acted upon.
Extending our reach and impact
The challenges facing the rural health workforce are not limited to our most remote communities. To address this, we will extend our reach to areas of greatest workforce need, broadening our programs across the full diversity of primary healthcare professions. We will work alongside communities and health organisations to ensure our support is targeted, culturally responsive, and effective.
Enhancing our core services
As health systems and service delivery models evolve, we must also continue to enhance the support we offer health professionals. This includes expanding professional development opportunities, modernising digital platforms for training and education, and investing in initiatives that attract the next generation of rural health workers. By adapting and improving our services, we can continue to meet the changing needs of those working on the ground.
Why financial sustainability is a strategic priority
For the first time, we have included financial sustainability as a core strategic priority. This reflects our commitment to long-term impact and our recognition that traditional funding models alone will not be enough to meet the challenges ahead for rural communities.
We will explore new sources of income and investment opportunities that align with our mission, ensuring every dollar raised is reinvested into delivering better outcomes for rural and remote communities. Financial sustainability isn’t about profit; it’s about purpose. It’s about being able to do more, reach further, and respond faster to community needs.
Empowering our people
Delivering on this plan relies on our people. We are fortunate to have a passionate and capable team, and we are committed to investing in their development, wellbeing and success. We will foster an inclusive, values-driven culture where everyone feels connected to our mission and empowered to do their best work. Because behind every program we deliver is a dedicated team working hard to make a difference.
Rural communities deserve better
We know our plan is ambitious. But we make no apologies for that because rural communities deserve better. They deserve access to the same high-quality healthcare as anyone else, particularly in a country as wealthy and developed as Australia.
Whether you’re a health professional, policymaker, community leader, or partner organisation; we invite you to be part of this journey. Together, we can turn bold ideas into real change, and ensure that rural and remote Western Australians have the healthcare they need and deserve.
You can read the Strategic Plan 2025-2030 here.
Let’s create a healthier, fairer future for country WA – together.
Professor Catherine Elliott
Chief Executive Officer, Rural Health West