NENW innovators impact health and wellbeing of our community
‘Innovating for a Healthy New England’ was the second Back Stories of Innovation event for 2023, and introduced some of the great people in our region innovating for the health and wellbeing of our community!
“Back Stories of Innovation is a free lunchtime event that invites the community to NOVA to hear from innovative local businesses and organisations, within the framework of historical New England innovation,” said UNE SMART Region Incubator’s Regional Connector in Armidale, Cherene Spendelove.
“There is a long history of innovation in our region, and the series provides a good reminder to keep perspective by looking behind at what has gone before, while considering what’s possible ahead.
“This time we were focused on health - a broad topic with many elements, all of which are fundamental to ensuring the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual health of us as individuals as well as that of our whole community. In turn, that health and wellbeing is fundamentally impacted by, and also directly impacts, our community’s environmental and economic health.”
John Atchison, Armidale and District Historical Society provided an historical backstory and overview of health and health provision in our region, and introduced four innovative, research-driven NENW health businesses:
Anna Barwick, PharmOnline - shared her journey as founder of Australia's first pharmacist led online telehealth service, and provided insight into the research and pharmacy trials she is driving and advising.
Peter Annis-Brown, ManageHealth - told the ManageHealth story, and shared his powerful ‘why’. ManageHealth provides tools to manage physical and mental fitness, and is delivering in the growing space of workplace mental health first aid training.
Deborah Martin, ObservaCare - shared her founder journey, and the research, high-fidelity sensor technology, and trials underway that will enable her to facilitate care for patients regardless of their geographic location, health system jurisdiction, or living circumstances.
Anne Williams, HealthWISE - introduced the broad scope and great work of HealthWISE, a specialist provider of rural and remote services across the New England North West (ranging from primary and allied health, mental health, and Aboriginal health), and committed to creating healthier communities.
Each of these innovative health professionals shared their stories and their work, and answered the questions:
What is the innovation and research angle on your business?
Why are you doing this in New England, why now?
What’s your prediction for the future of your business / New England?
“Each of these panellists generously shared their time and their stories - something which we are grateful for, but which also demonstrates their broader generosity. That is something that will always benefit us all!”
This event was proudly funded by the NSW Government under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund and delivered in association with Armidale Regional Council.
