EQUIPD NEWSLETTER ISSUE TEN

Celebrating One Year of Movement and Impact

As we come out the other side of winter, we’re reflecting on a year of growth, connection and momentum at EQUIPD. From new programs and partnerships to powerful community moments, this issue is packed with updates, milestones and what’s coming next.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in late August to celebrate EQUIPD’s first birthday. It was a fantastic day of connection, reflection and gratitude. We were pleased to welcome Minister Chris Steel for an informal visit and appreciate the support from all our members, stakeholders, friends and family.

Chief Minister Visit – Friday 21 November at 2:00pm

We’re proud to announce that Chief Minister Andrew Barr will be visiting the EQUIPD Community Gym on Friday 21st November at 2:00pm. This is another significant moment for our community and a chance to showcase the incredible work that’s happening.

Alongside the Chief Minister, we’ll welcome the return of the Chief Allied Health Officer and potentially other ACT Labor representatives. Their visit reflects growing recognition of the role community-based exercise services play in shaping future models of care.

This is more than just a visit, its an opportunity to share your voice, your experience and your vision for what accessible, inclusive and high-quality gym and allied health services can look like. The gym is setting a powerful example, and together we can continue building a model of care that we’re all proud of.

We encourage all members, clients and supporters to attend, connect and be part of this important conversation. Let’s show what community-led health can achieve.

Winter Appeal Wrap-Up

A big thank you to everyone for the generous contributions to the Woden Community Service Little Pantry Winter Drive. We celebrated the success of the appeal with a warm evening of soup and fresh bread, joined by Minister Suzanne Orr and the team from Woden Community Service, who came to honor and accept the fantastic efforts of our community. Together, we collected:

The soups were a hit, with many requests for the recipes. They’ve now been typed up, and Dylan may be open to negotiations if you’re keen to get your hands on them!

WCS Little Pantry is now running a Christmas Drive for those who wish to give again directly. EQUIPD is saving its energy for something even bigger next year but may look to collect toy and gift donations once the tree goes up to help spread some joy this Christmas.

Christmas Party Save The Date:

On the topic of Christmas, we’re excited to invite everyone to our annual Christmas party on Friday 5th December at 12:00pm.

Catering will be provided, but if you’re able to bring a plate to share, we always love having some of the community’s amazing cooking. It’s a great way to scale up the celebration and make it even more special. We’re hoping for our biggest community turnout yet, so please mark it in your calendar and come along to celebrate with us!

Christmas Opening Hours:

We’ve also finalised our Christmas opening hours. Here’s what to expect over the holiday period:

Up to 24th December: 7:00am to 6:00pm
25th December: Closed
26th December: Closed
29th December: 7:00am to 1:00pm
30th December: 7:00am to 1:00pm
31st December: 7:00am to 1:00pm
1st January: Closed
2nd January: 7:00am to 1:00pm
From 5th January: 7:00am to 6:00pm

Group fitness classes and instructor availability will be reflected in the members app, so please check there for the latest updates. Exercise physiology appointments will be updated individually to reflect clinician availability during well-deserved break periods.

Exercise Physiology Service Update

We’re continuing to evolve our clinical services as we strengthen our governance framework across both private and compensable schemes. While price sustainability remains a key consideration, we’re actively refining our service model to ensure it remains high quality, responsive and future ready. This includes:

• Expanding our delegation framework to better integrate Accredited Exercise Scientist, Allied Health Assistants and Disability Support Workers into service delivery, improving access and efficiency while maintaining clinical oversight.
• Preparing for system reforms, including the recent Support at Home rollout and NDIS reform to align our services with the evolving needs of the community
• Planning for future award growth, ensuring we can continue to attract and retain skilled, passionate staff who deliver exceptional care.

While this is not a price increase announcement, we want to be transparent that as funding models and service demands shift, Exercise Physiology pricing will be adjusted to reflect the sustainability of individual schemes.

To help manage this, we’ll continue expanding access to non-clinical supports through our growing community gym services, reducing reliance on higher-cost clinical interventions where appropriate. Our goal remains clear: to deliver safe, effective, and affordable services that meet the needs of our clients and community, now and into the future.

New Community Gym Services:

1. Free Equipment Familiarisation & Facility Tour

Prospective members can now book a free 15-minute session with a team member for a guided tour of the gym and its equipment. This is ideal for those who want a quick overview of our facilities and group fitness classes, and who do not require additional support. After the tour, members can collect a free program card that outlines how to use the cardiovascular and pin-loaded strength equipment. This allows individuals to self-prescribe and track their progress while attending group fitness classes, without needing clinical services. Exercise clearance may be required*

2. Community Gym Initial Screening & Orientation

For those seeking a more structured start, we now also offer a 60-minute gym screening and orientation session for $145. This includes efficient pre-exercise screening and risk assessment, basic gym program development, and a complete equipment tour. It’s designed to give members a safe and confident kick-start, set them up in the gym and reduce risk without diving too deeply into medical history or entering a formal exercise physiology treatment plan.

Both services are designed for general community access and are separate from our referred clinical exercise physiology consultations.

Aged Care Support Expansion

With aged care legislation changes taking effect from November 1st, our team has been actively preparing for the rollout of Support at Home. EQUIPD will continue delivering exercise physiology services as an associated provider for a wide range of local aged care organisations.

Please note that travel can no longer be billed as a separate item. We’ve introduced a new service list for clients currently engaged through a Home Care Package to reflect this change with flyers soon to be available.

As part of support at home, Exercise Physiology services remain classified as clinical. This means there is no out-of-pocket contribution required, only an assessed need. There are still some grandfathered arrangements and future cases that will require further consideration. If you’ve been assessed and would like to explore your options, we encourage you to get in touch for a conversation.

Multidisciplinary Approach to Diabetes Care:

Eligible patients at Conder Surgery and Gungahlin Medical & Surgical Centre are now accessing free, multidisciplinary diabetes care through a GP referral as part of CHN’s new allied health pilot program.

This program offers coordinated support from a team of health professionals, including a Exercise Physiologist, Diabetes Educator, Dietitian, Physiotherapist and Podiatrist with care tailored to each patient’s needs. The focus is on patient empowerment, aiming to improve blood glucose control, metabolic health, cardio-respiratory fitness, strength, and mobility.

Find out more in CHN’s recent newsletter: https://news.chnact.org.au/t/t-e-gijjykk-tillihllui-oy.

Low EverActive – Coming Soon

We’re currently finalising the schedule and design for Low EverActive, a new chair-based exercise class being added to our group fitness calendar set to commence later in the year. This class will focus on functional movement, balance, low-impact aerobics and light free weights, all delivered in a supportive and inclusive environment.

It’s a great option for those looking for gentle, guided activity. A reminder that our Tuesday and Thursday Chair Yoga and Friday Tai Chi classes offer similar levels of movement and are already available to join.

Final call for EQUIPD Community Advisory Group

Thank you to everyone who reached out after our last email to express interest in joining a more formalised feedback group. We’re excited to be moving ahead, with official invitations just about to go out for our first meeting.

This is a final call for anyone who’d still like to be involved in its first iteration. If you’re passionate about shaping the direction EQUIPD takes and want to lend your voice to the conversation, we’d love to hear from you. The Community Advisory Group is a chance to share ideas, raise concerns and help guide how EQUIPD continues to grow and serve the community. If that sounds like something you’d like to be part of, please get in touch.

NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee Review

Exercise Physiology is currently under review by the NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee. The review will assess its effectiveness, value for money and role in supporting independence for people living with disability.

Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA), alongside EQUIPD, will be submitting formal responses to advocate for Exercise Physiology as a safe, effective and cost-efficient support. While decisions are still some time away, this is a key moment to contribute to the conversation and stand up for supports that make a real difference in the lives of many Australians living with disability.

If you’re part of our community and have the capacity to share your experience, client stories or professional insights, we encourage you to get involved. Your voice matters.

Complete the consultation survey here: https://healthau.aul.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/sv_07WviqoRhUtWy58

Award’s Season.

EQUIPD is in the midst of a busy awards season and proud to share some recent recognition:

• Winner, 2025 ACT Quality & Safety in Health Care Awards
  • Emerging Quality and Safety Leader
• Finalist, 2025 Australian Disability Awards
  • Rising Changemaker (announcement on 13 November)
• Finalist, 2025 Allied Health Excellence Awards
  • Consumer Recognition

We’re honored to be acknowledged across these categories and look forward to celebrating with our community as results continue to roll in.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and resources are still available in the community library. You can pick up free drink bottles, notepads, bookmarks, brochures and posters while supplies last.

For more information about Breast Screen Australia, visit: www.health.gov.au/bsa

Allied Health Professional Day

October 14th was Allied Health Professional Day, and EQUIPD marked the occasion with a visit from Chief Allied Health Officer Dr Sue Fitzpatrick and her team. The group toured the gym, engaged in meaningful discussions, and joined us for a relaxed afternoon tea featuring some themed biscuits.

The Chief Allied Health Officer’s team includes a diverse range of allied health professionals who recognise the value of facilities and services like those offered at Chifley. EQUIPD is proud to continue showcasing our work to key decision-makers at both local and federal levels.

We also extend our thanks to the Chief Allied Health Officer’s team for organising the Allied Health Excellence Awards night, held on the same evening. The event was a wonderful celebration of the remarkable contributions made by allied health professionals across the region, and a fitting way to honour the impact.

COTA Expo and Parkinson’s ACT Conference

Dylan recently attended both the Council on the Ageing (COTA) ACT Seniors Expo and the Parkinson’s ACT Conference, proudly flying the flag for EQUIPD and Exercise Physiologists across the state.

Both events were packed and productive, filled with great conversations, new research, referrals, stakeholder engagement and plenty of networking. The COTA Expo remains a highlight on the senior’s calendar, and it was fantastic to see the Parkinson’s ACT Conference return to an annual schedule after the COVID break. It’s always energising to connect with others in the sector and share what EQUIPD is doing, while also learning from the broader community. We’re looking forward to being part of both events again next year.

Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare

As part of the recognition for the Emerging Quality and Safety Leader award, Dylan has been invited to attend the upcoming International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, taking place in Canberra in a few weeks. It will be an exciting opportunity to connect with global leaders and bring back fresh ideas to enhance the quality of EQUIPD’s clinical services.

Parking

Just a friendly reminder that parking is available on both sides of the Chifley Health and Wellbeing Hub, off Maclaurin Crescent. The parking area closest to the corner of Eggleston Crescent includes accessible spaces, wheelchair access and a ramp. For those happy to walk up the hill, overflow parking near Chifley Preschool offers a side entrance and may help leave the more accessible spots available for those who need them most.

We’re also looking into adding a small bench seat and shelter at the base of the ramp to support those arriving via community transport or taxis. In addition, we’ll be reviewing the current bin
placement to improve flow.

Guest WIFI

Just a friendly reminder that guest Wi-Fi is available for all members, look for EQUIPD Community Gym in your network list.

If you’re having trouble connecting or need help with your fitness app, feel free to ask one of our team members. They’re not just great at what they do, they’re also unofficial tech support and always happy to help.

Request for Trades:

EQUIPD is currently seeking skilled tradespeople to assist with a range of carpentry projects. This includes redesigning and shortening the reception desk, completing final fit-out touches, and, pending approval, construction of the shelter and bench.

If you’re a handy member, have a trusted family business, or know someone reliable, we’d love to hear from you. Please reach out if you can help or point us in the right direction.

Lost Property

We’ve gathered a collection of lost items, including drink bottles, jumpers, glasses and plates that never made it home. If you recognise anything, please check the bottom right bag storage area; these items are in their final days.

Reminder of Key Dates