More than 500 health professionals and experts will gather in Darwin this week to discuss the future of health care in the Northern Territory at the highly anticipated 2022 Compass Conference from 11-12 August at the Darwin Convention Centre.
After a 3-year hiatus due to several disruptions from COVID-19, Compass returns with a record number of registrations and a jam-packed program of Keynote speeches, interactive presentations, workshops, networking events and the latest in healthcare virtual reality technology.
NT Primary Health Network CEO, Gill Yearsley, said the theme of this year’s conference, ‘Navigating the way forward’, was timely.
“After riding the tumultuous wave of COVID-19, it is time to celebrate the resilience of our primary health care workforce, reflect on recent learnings, look outside the pandemic response and plan for the future we want to see,” she said.
“The aim of the Compass Conference is to ensure our primary health care professionals working in the NT are armed with the latest tools, knowledge, and most importantly inspiration, to help plot the course forward for primary health care in the Territory.”
Some of the topics set to be discussed at the Conference include empowering people with chronic illness and disabilities to live their best lives, how Territorians can be supported to age healthier and how can we make digital health technology work for remote communities.
Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart, the National Rural Health Commissioner for Australia, will deliver a Keynote speech about her vast experience with improving health outcomes in rural and remote Australia.
Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) will give a taste of its widely successful Damulgurra – Culturally Responsive Trauma Informed Care program, which teaches participants how to create a safe environment for healing for Aboriginal patients suffering from trauma.
There will be an important focus on mental health throughout the program, with a Self-care for the carers session focusing on the welfare of our own health workforce to help prevent burnout and fatigue.
While Fay Jackson, inaugural Deputy Commissioner of NSW Mental Health Commission and CEO of Vision in Mind, will deliver her Keynote speech on improving attitudes towards people with mental health issues.
In exciting news, the Compass Conference will also see the national launch of 2 new resources for clinicians. Caring@home will launch a new tailored resource for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, the Palliative Care Clinic Box, a first-of-its-kind tool kit to assist families and carers look after their loved ones during end-of-life.
And the Tropical Health Orientation Manual, which will help health practitioners unfamiliar with tropical diseases and new to rural and remote communities to be better prepared for practice in Northern Australia.
The Compass Conference is Northern Territory PHN and Rural Workforce Agency NT’s premier professional development and networking event for people working in primary health care.
The conference will be held on 11-12 August at the Darwin Convention Centre.
A full list of conference speakers is available on the conference website here.
To arrange any interviews or for any other media requests, please contact Lisa Andrews.
