Twelve people showed up to the session to share their experiences with the healthcare system and any concerns going forward. The MPHN is hosting seven of these events through the year in order to get a better picture of the concerns facing Murrumbidgee residents.

MPHN's Planning and Reporting Manager Toni Preuss said that the initiative played an important role in involving communities with healthcare.

""Some of the key issues raised included concerns around mental health and suicide rates, the lack of a local fracture clinic and patient transport problems. Another common problem was difficulty getting into a GP," Ms Preuss said.

"We also heard people have found great benefit and value in the use of telehealth services particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was also many who expressed appreciation for the GPs who have lived and worked in the community for many years."

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The goal of the sessions is partly to help guide the Murrumbidgee's upcoming Health Needs Assessment, a three-yearly document examining and noting where the Murrumbidgee's health needs lie and possible outcomes.

MPHN Acting CEO Julie Redway said that while the data was still being collected, she was confident that the sessions would yield valuable information, in addition to other methods of information gathering.

"We won't be reviewing all the data until later in the year, but we're confident it will provide us with some rich data to help get a better picture of what is happening in health at the local level and inform our next Health Needs Assessment for the region."

The next conversations on the couch session will be held in Junee on the 27^th, followed by Howlong on the 28^th.

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