The recent WA ACCHS Corporate Services Forum was held at Optus Stadium on the lands of the Wadjuk Noongar People.
The forum commenced with a heartfelt Welcome from Uncle Nick Abraham from Warrang-Bridil, who offered a reflective insight into the history of the Noongar Nation and provided a greater understanding of the Noongar cultural influence in the development of the Optus Stadium Precinct and Matagarup Bridge. Exploring cultural elements, stories, and a traditional Noongar Ceremony set an inspiring tone for the rest of the event.
AHCWA CEO Des Martin opened the second face-to-face Corporate Services Forum for 2024 with a welcome message and acknowledgement of the collaborative spirit that fuels our efforts.
Des said it was great to see the event bring together such a diverse mix of corporate services and administration roles.
“The gathering is designed to address the specific needs and concerns raised by you, the heartbeat of our healthcare community,” said Des.
“This forum is a platform for exchanging knowledge, experiences, and innovative strategies. By focusing on corporate services, we aim to provide our Members with the essential tools and resources needed to navigate the intricate landscape of modern healthcare services.”
People and Culture Advisor Kimberley Biggs guided us through the ever-changing HR and IR landscape of WA’s health and medical sector. The morning session concluded with a practical workshop on ‘The ChatGPT Revolution’ by Professor Ross Yates, equipping attendees with skills to engage with AI effectively.
The day continued with enlightening sessions on cybersecurity by Biz365, and digital marketing tips and tricks by Perth is OK! Founder Luke Wheelan and associate Margarette from Social Meteor. This session shared a case study based on the work they have been doing with BRAMS. AHCWA’s Hayley Warner presented on Events Management 101. He walked participants through a thorough checklist that anyone can use to deliver quality events, ensuring all aspects of the event coordination process are completed. The day concluded with an interactive workshop on the WA ACCHS Workforce Strategy, focusing on building a brand identity for the WA ACCHS Sector and brainstorming ideas for a captivating employee value proposition video.
Day two unfolded with Mel Bainbridge from Lotterywest presenting the Community Impact Hub, covering how to write a great grant, followed by informative sessions by Special Counsel James Parkinson on the new work health and safety regulations for Psychosocial Safety and the control of psychosocial risks, including promoting an employer’s Duty of Care Obligations, Brooke Burgess and Leanne Tomkinson from Grant Thornton discussed revenue and fringe benefit tax and Bruce Donald, Department of Finance with a costing and pricing workshop.
The forum concluded with a thought-provoking panel discussion by Tabetha McCallum from Integrity ABC, Chona Garabato from Yura Yungi Aboriginal Medical Service and Tim Grey-Smith from Community Employers WA on overcoming challenges within corporate services, covering compliance audits, workforce planning in remote communities, and sustaining community services.
The interactive discussions and workshops by industry experts provided valuable insights and practical takeaways.
We were grateful to have Pauline Murphy, AHCWA’s Graphic Designer, graphic record the sessions on ChatGPT and Community Impact Hub. You can check out Pauline’s incredible work here.