Our Regional Approach to Wellbeing
Aug 07, 2025
Our Regional Approach to Wellbeing
A roadmap designed by and for our people.
Aug 07, 2025
Last week Brisbane North PHN and Metro North Health gathered with 74 commissioned service providers, lived experience (LE) and Queensland Health representatives from across our region to mark the launch of Our Regional Approach for Wellbeing – the next chapter in a regional partnership between Brisbane North PHN and Metro North Health, building on the foundation of Planning for Wellbeing (2018–2024).
This new five-year roadmap will guide our collective efforts to strengthen mental health, alcohol and other drug (AOD), and suicide prevention responses across the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region.
Led by Brisbane North PHN and Metro North Health, and shaped by over 700 contributions through consultations, workshops and surveys, the event celebrated both the process and the promise of what's ahead:
More connected, person-centred, and responsive systems, grounded in lived and living experience, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Grounded in human-centred design principles and moving away from static, fixed actions, Our Regional Approach to Wellbeing instead embraces real-time flexibility and responsiveness.
An opportunity to reflect
In launching the new shared Approach to stakeholders at Victoria Park last week, our esteemed speakers asked us to be reflective in our practice, strategic in our partnerships, and bold in testing new models of care and ways of working.
Libby Dunstan, CEO | Brisbane North PHN, acknowledged the deep and meaningful collaborative efforts that shaped the new Regional Approach and recognised the contributions of commissioned partners, Metro North Health, and especially the lived experience community.
This approach reflects the commitment of all of you—our supporters, partners, and community members. With over 700 pieces of feedback, this plan is grounded in real experiences and real needs.
Ben Wheatley, LE representative and member of our Community Advisory Committee (CAC), delivered a Lived Experience Recognition Statement from the heart, honouring the wisdom, leadership and contributions of people with lived and living experience.
Dr Hitesh Joshi, Acting Executive Director | Metro North Health, reflected on the journey from Planning for Wellbeing (2018–2024) to today, and how changing global contexts require renewed approaches rooted in agility and inclusion.
“We’re now responding to a changed world post-pandemic, with greater emotional and social complexity. This plan is an invitation for everyone – service providers, carers, and people with lived experience – to co-create solutions that work,” said Dr Joshi, reflecting on the broader context of the Approach.
Drawing on a career spanning clinical leadership, community sector design, and national policy advice, keynote speaker, psychiatrist and Deputy Commissioner of the NSW Mental Health Commission, Dr Paul Fung invited attendees to embrace complexity and move toward whole-of-community responses. He reminded us that "relationships are the core product" – that better outcomes come not from doing more, but doing better.
A standout moment was the Lived Experience Panel (pictured below), facilitated by Alicia Reid, Manager | Mental Health Strategy and Partnerships | Brisbane North PHN. The panel featured powerful voices including Anne Jenkins (Lived Experience Director | Metro North Health), Liz Asser (Lived Experience Consultant), Brooke Starr (Practice and Development Manager | Communify), Ben Wheatley (Lived Experience Representative), and Yasmin Groom (Director of Lived Experience I Children’s Health Queensland). Their reflections grounded the event in authenticity, compassion and hope.
Alicia also co-led a highly engaging morning tea activity, Stop, Start, Continue: Realising Our Shared Vision for Mental Health and Wellbeing, alongside Karina Smith, a strategic design leader who has journeyed throughout the development of the plan. Karina, an award-winning expert in human-centred design, brought her more than 15 years of experience across healthcare, technology, government and social impact to help embed design thinking throughout the planning process.
Wade Norrie, General Manager | Metro North Health, spoke to the power of human-centred design, and the importance of strong partnerships in the co-creation of solutions that flex with the system, environment and needs.
“This isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about working together, solving the right problems, and making meaningful impact,” said Mr Norrie.
In closing, Caroline Radowski, Executive Manager | Mental Health and Wellbeing | Brisbane North PHN, emphasised our shared responsibility to embed iterative quality improvement and stay curious about how we work.
Today’s launch is about celebrating the progress so far, but also about committing to continuous learning and doing things differently. We want to hear how you’ll contribute to this work.
L-R: Karina Smith, Dr Jennifer Schafer, Dr Hitesh Joshi, Libby Dunstan, Wade Norrie, Alicia Reid, Dr Paul Fung, Caroline Radowski.
Our Regional Approach to Wellbeing
This iteration of regional planning accordingly reflects a shared commitment to creating a connected mental health, suicide prevention and AOD ecosystem that is:
- person-centred and recovery-oriented
- responsive across the lifespan
- inclusive of family, carers and community
- supported by a skilled, valued and diverse workforce
The work will be implemented across four Focus Areas:
- planning and working together
- community awareness and access
- responsiveness to diverse life needs
- workforce and professional support.
As the region moves into implementation, the message is clear: transformation starts with collaboration and relationships, and everyone has a role to play.
Read Our Regional Approach to Wellbeing online.
