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Study topic
Analysis of the Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including governance, service delivery, telehealth, HealthPathways, and evaluation.

Study type
Descriptive case study and internal evaluation.

Key findings

• The PHN rapidly mobilised a COVID-19 response team, redeployed staff, and adapted governance and communication protocols.
• Over 287,000 masks were distributed, including donations beyond federal supply, enhancing engagement with PHC providers.
• Six community respiratory clinics were established with PHN support, assessing over 6,000 patients by June 2020.
• 27 training events reached over 9,000 participants, with webinars aligned to HealthPathways content.
• COVID-19 HealthPathways pages were accessed over 82,000 times; patient info views exceeded 20,000.
• A capacity tracker tool was developed to monitor provider status in real time, with 189 registered users.
• A survey of 300 PHC providers found 74% rated HealthPathways and PHN updates as the most valuable support.
• Telehealth uptake was high: 48% of practices used it for 50–100% of appointments; 97% supported continued MBS rebates.
• Five recovery strategies were adopted: supporting GP/allied health recovery, community campaigns, access to care, allied health strategy, and internal culture development.