Andrea McLeod
Chief Executive Officer
Kirstan Corben
Board Chair
This year marked an important milestone in Better Health Network's journey.
As our inaugural Strategic Plan drew to a close, we took the opportunity to reflect on who we are as a community health organisation, the unique contribution we make to the health system and the outcomes we want to achieve alongside our communities. This work informed the development of our Strategic Directions 2026–30 and refreshed brand, providing a clear expression of our purpose, ambition and shared direction for the years ahead.
Throughout this process, we continually returned to a simple but important question: how can BHN create the greatest possible value for the clients and communities we serve?
Answering that question requires us to look beyond the services we deliver and consider the broader role we play in supporting healthier, more connected and more equitable communities. It also requires us to ensure that BHN remains a strong and sustainable organisation, capable of responding to changing community needs both now and into the future.
This year was therefore both a year of reflection and a year of transformation. Alongside delivering essential services and support across our communities, we continued strengthening the foundations of the organisation.
We progressed work to improve access to services, strengthen leadership and governance, build organisational capability and enhance the systems and processes that support our teams to deliver high-quality care and support. While much of this work occurs behind the scenes, it is essential to ensuring BHN can continue to deliver impact for years to come.
These efforts have taken place against a backdrop of growing demand for local, affordable healthcare and support. Communities continue to experience the impacts of chronic disease, increasingly complex health and social needs, housing insecurity and cost-of-living pressures. At the same time, longstanding underinvestment in community health services and infrastructure continues to constrain the sector's ability to respond.
Despite these challenges, BHN has continued to grow its impact. During the year, we completed delivery of the priorities established under our 2023–26 Strategic Plan and laid the foundations for our next phase of development.
We expanded our reach through new opportunities, including securing delivery of the Care Finder Program in Melbourne's Inner South and partnering with the City of Port Phillip to develop an innovative health-led Pre-Housing Support Model for people experiencing homelessness. We also continued to strengthen the ways we engage with communities, improve service access and use evidence and insights to shape future planning and service delivery.
The stories throughout this report provide a snapshot of the difference being made every day across BHN. They highlight the collective efforts of our employees, volunteers, partners and communities to improve health and wellbeing outcomes, address inequity and support people to thrive. They also reflect the power of prevention, early intervention and integrated care in improving lives and strengthening communities.
Our new vision, Equitable health and wellbeing, shaped with our communities, reflects our belief that the best outcomes are achieved when communities are active partners in shaping the services, supports and systems that affect their lives. As we begin implementing our Strategic Directions 2026–30, we do so with confidence in our purpose, clarity about our future direction and a deep commitment to the communities we serve.
We extend our sincere thanks to the clients and communities who place their trust in BHN. We also acknowledge the dedication, compassion and professionalism of our people, leaders, Executive Team, Board Directors and volunteers, who continue to support our communities through a period of significant change and opportunity. We thank our partners, funders and supporters for their ongoing collaboration and shared commitment to improving health and wellbeing outcomes.
Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable BHN and creating the foundations for lasting impact in the communities we serve.
