New month, new updates — let’s dive into July!
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Member Update
UPCOMING PHPN EVENTS
Friday 1 August 2025 | 7.15am – 8.15am | Karratha and ONLINE!
Distress and why mental health and wellbeing matters for health professionals
Hosted by the Regional Men’s Health Initiative, this session will delve into the often-unspoken challenges faced by those working in healthcare. Learn to recognise signs of distress—not only in yourself, but also in your colleagues and the communities you serve.
Expect honest conversations, practical strategies and an opportunity to break down stigma while building stronger support networks in your workplace and beyond.
All health professionals are welcome — because your wellbeing matters too.
Can’t make it to Karratha in person? No worries!
An online attendance option is available. A link will be emailed to all registered participants in the lead-up to the event.
Wednesday 6 August 2025 | 7.15am – 8.15am | Karratha and ONLINE!
Breastfeeding in the Pilbara: How do we create sustainable support systems as health professionals?
Join renowned International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and founder of Milk & Kindness Natalie Gray, for an evidence-based practical session designed to empower your work with families and strengthen community breastfeeding outcomes.
Why attend?
- Update on WHO infant feeding recommendations
- Understand local breastfeeding trends and barriers in the Pilbara and Australia
- Learn how to better support exclusive breastfeeding in your practice
- Gain insights into the Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) – 10 Steps
- Discover local and online resources to support your clients
- Build a more informed, sustainable support network for new parents
Not in Karratha? No problem – online attendance available. Online link will be shared with registered participants prior to the event.
Friday 15 August 2025 | 8.00am – 3.00pm | Karratha
Join us for an engaging full-day, hands-on workshop led by wound care specialists from Royal Perth Hospital.
This comprehensive session will cover essential topics including:
- Principles of wound healing and thorough assessment
- Differentiating acute and chronic wound infections
- Managing biofilm in wound care
- Best practices in wound hygiene and dressing selection
- Approaches to traumatic wounds and plastic surgery considerations
- Effective management of leg ulcers and high-risk foot conditions
- Emerging trends shaping the future of wound care
Hands-on practical demonstrations will include:
- Debridement techniques
- Topical Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT)
- Compression bandaging
Cost:
PHPN Members: $70
Non-Members: $90
Join Noni Osland, Health Professional Education Officer at the WA Cervical Cancer Prevention Program to discuss the 2025 updates to the National Cervical Screening Guidelines. Sessions will equip all health professionals with the knowledge to discuss and implement these guidelines effectively, ensuring improved patient care and outcomes in the Pilbara region. It will be a one-hour event including a presentation and Q&A opportunities.
- Paraburdoo | Monday 18 August 2025 | 5.30pm–7.00pm
- Tom Price | Tuesday 19 August 2025 | 5.30pm–7.30pm
- Newman | Wednesday 20 August 2025 | 1.00pm–2.00pm
Wedneday 20 August 2025 | 5.30pm – 7.30pm | Newman
Come together with the PHPN for a laid-back evening at Mia Mia House in the Desert. It’s the perfect chance to reconnect with colleagues, meet new faces and relax in great company.
We can’t wait to see you there!
LATEST HEALTH NEWS
FREE Menopause Education for Health Professionals I Online
Managing Menopause - Evidence-based online CPD Course
Australian health professionals can now access two free courses to help women manage the effects of menopause. These government-funded, online accredited courses are delivered by Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, in partnership with the Australasian Menopause Society, as a key action in the Women’s Health Strategy 2020-2030.
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WA HIV Prescriber Update – ARV Update I Online
Tuesday 15 July 2025, 7.00pm- 8.00pm
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Upcoming ECHO Sessions
Health eMinds ECHO (Mental Health)
Telehealth Skills ECHO
Palliative Care ECHO
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Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention Training Workshops | Pilbara
This tailored 2-hour seminar is designed specifically for primary care support staff to develop key skills in suicide prevention, triage strategies and effective response techniques.
Key Features:
- Skills training to support effective triage and response
- Recognise “at risk” signs and take appropriate action
- Build awareness and strengthen your team’s confidence in managing mental health situations
South Hedland Program
Date: Tuesday 22 July 2025
Time: 5.30pm-8.00pm
Location: South Hedland Lotteries House Inc., 2 Leake St, South Hedland
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SOUTH HEDLAND
Karratha Program
Date: Thursday 24 July 2025
Time: 5.30pm-8.00pm
Location: The Rural Clinical School of Western Australia, 7/11 Hedland Place, Karratha
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR KARRATHA
For more information, please call 1800 100 024 or email lifeforce@wesleymission.org.au
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MICRO-CREDENTIAL: Working with Men in Domestic and Family Violence – A Culturally Responsive Approach
25 July – 24 October 2025 | Online
Build your skills to work with men who use DFV through a First Nations lens. Designed for professionals in health, legal and community sectors, this course supports safer communities through healing, accountability and culturally responsive practice.
Self-paced + live “Meet the Experts” sessions.
Developed by University of Western Australia and WA Centre for Rural Health.
Click to LEARN MORE or to REGISTER Please note: Registrations close 18 July
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WA Ear and Hearing Health Forum 2025 | Perth
Thursday 7 and Friday 8 August 2025
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Aboriginal Health Conference | Perth
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 August 2025
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WA Rural and Remote Mental Health Conference 2025 | Busselton
4-7 November 2025
Breaking Barriers: Tackling Stigma and Promoting Mental Health Awareness in Rural Communities
This year’s theme focuses on:
• Reducing stigma through advocacy and education
• Promoting understanding and help-seeking behaviours
• Building cultural change and empowering community voices
• Encouraging collaboration between services, communities and individuals
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL EVENTS
You’re Invited – A Thank You Lunch with RFDS Hedland at their
TRIPLE ZERO BBQ
Saturday 19 July 2025, 11.00am - 2.00pm | Port Hedland Base
The Pilbara Health Professionals Network is pleased to share this invitation on behalf of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Hedland team, who would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to you for the vital role you play in supporting their work.
You're invited to join them for a special thank you lunch—a chance to relax, connect, and be appreciated. Feel free to bring your family along so they can get a glimpse of the incredible work you’re part of.
Highlights of the day include:
✈️ Plane tours (sign-up sheet available on arrival)
🍽️ Lunch, soft drinks, and water provided
👨👩👧👦 Family-friendly atmosphere
Please note: Spots are limited for this event, but if you miss out, don’t worry—a larger Open Base event open to the public is planned for later in the year.
The RFDS team is really looking forward to the opportunity to thank you in person!
Pilbara Health Ball for Telethon
Join us for a special evening celebrating the incredible work of our local healthcare community. The Pilbara Health Ball promises a night of connection, inspiration, and generosity — all in support of Telethon and the vital health services that make a difference in our region.
✨ Enjoy champagne and canapes on arrival, a delicious meal and drinks throughout the night, live entertainment, and the chance to network with fellow health professionals from across the Pilbara.
✨ Pull together some colleagues and book a table of 10 for a great night out together!
✨ Be part of something bigger — raising funds to help support children’s health and wellbeing.
📅 Date: 23 August 2025
📍 Venue: Red Earth Arts Precinct, Karratha
🕐 Time: 6.30pm to 11.30pm
Let’s come together for a cause close to all of our hearts — we can’t wait to see you there!
MEMBER PROFILE
Meet Caitlin McEwen
Medical Student and Radiation Therapist
Meet Caitlin McEwen, a final-year medical student with a deep passion for oncology, rural health and creating meaningful opportunities for future health professionals—especially those growing up in regional and remote communities. With a background as a qualified radiation therapist, Caitlin brings a unique, multidisciplinary lens to her medical journey.
Originally from rural Canada, Caitlin’s path to the Pilbara began in 2020 when she moved to Port Hedland to prepare for the GAMSAT. While she later relocated to Perth to pursue medicine, her connection to the Pilbara remained strong—both through her partner’s continued work in the region and her own sense of belonging to the local community.
“I believe in the potential of young people in the Pilbara,” she says. “That belief led me to create Pilbara Health Futures, an initiative aimed at helping local students explore and pursue careers in healthcare.”
While Caitlin didn’t always envision herself becoming a doctor, she was ultimately drawn to the lifelong learning, breadth of opportunities and intellectual challenge that medicine offers. “I was fascinated by the potential to grow in so many directions,” she reflects.
Outside of study and clinical placements, you’ll likely find Caitlin camping, mountain biking, or soaking up the Pilbara sun at the beach. She loves the raw beauty, down-to-earth lifestyle and strong sense of community the region offers.
“I’m passionate about improving access to healthcare in rural communities and supporting the next generation of health professionals. There’s something incredibly real and grounding about life out here—it’s a place that inspires you to give back.”
To learn more about Caitlin’s newly founded initiative, Pilbara Health Futures, please click on the image below.
Moving to a new region in WA?
Join your local Health Professionals Network!
Did you know that the Pilbara Health Professionals Network is one of seven networks operating across regional Western Australia? If you're relocating to another region in WA, reach out to your new region's network to build local connections and learn of upcoming education and networking opportunities.
For more information and for links to each region's Health Professionals Network website, visit the Rural Health West website.
The Pilbara Health Professionals Network is brought to you in partnership with the following stakeholder organisations.
You have received this newsletter as a health professional working in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Email addresses used to disseminate this newsletter were obtained through Rural Health West's databases. Unsubscribing from this newsletter will remove you from the distribution list for all Rural Health West publications. To stop receiving this newsletter only, please email contact@phpn.com.au
