RDN 2023-2024 Annual Report: A message from our CEO Richard Colbran

The following is an excerpt from RDN's 2023/4 Annual Report which has been published to the RDN website:

The post-COVID world continues to throw challenges to society and the health sector. I am so proud that RDN, and its broad network of people and organisations, continues its dedicated focus for community-at-thecentre and striving to positively impact equity of access to health and social care services for all — no matter where they live.

RDN is solutions-orientated, and benefits from evidence, collaborations, resources and delivery networks to develop integrated and scalable solutions across our Health Access pillars to address health and social care access barriers.

We don’t work alone. We collaborate with an extended network of rural community health stakeholders, including federal and state governments, local councils, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and communitycontrolled organisations, universities and research institutions, peak bodies, service providers and philanthropists. Working together, we share the goal of accelerating and extending positive impact for the health and wellbeing of those living in remote, rural, regional, Aboriginal and other communities in need.

In 2023, we enjoyed the celebrations of RDN’s 35th anniversary and the progress made since the 1987 NSW Rural Doctors’ Dispute. We continue to foster the science-based perspectives, strategies and methods which have been strongly advocated by RDN’s stakeholders over the past decades. I also wish to acknowledge our reciprocal relationship with rural doctors, who continue to support rural communities.

I offer my sincere thanks to A/Prof John Kramer OAM for his leadership, dedication and wisdom during his time as RDN Chair. John is a champion of rural health, who is deeply committed to improving access to highquality, sustained and tailored health services in rural communities and  to building the capacity and wellbeing of health professionals and  RDN’s staff.

I welcome the appointment of proud Wiradjuri man Professor Peter O’Mara as RDN Chair. Peter has vast experience as a rural community GP and has held many significant governance positions within the sector. His insights are proving very valuable as we continue our on-the-ground support for communities, health workforce and provider organisations.

I wish to thank Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart, who served as National Rural Health Commissioner for nearly four years, and welcome Professor Jenny May AM to the role. It is an important role that ensures there is a strong policy focus on the needs of rural communities. As always, I thank our Board, staff and broader RDN network for their inspiring team effort in working towards equitable health access for  all — no matter where they live.

- Richard Colbran PhD

RDN Chief Executive Officer

Read the Annual Report here.