REDUCING PATIENT ACCESSIBILITY BARRIERS IN THE CLINICAL SETTING AND THE VALUE OF LIVED EXPERIENCE
With
Hannah McPierzie, Disability Consultant & Advocate &
Chair, Deafblind West Australians &
Non-Executive Director, Deafness Forum Australia
PEOPLE IN HEALTH CARE SEGMENT
Filmed in Perth | October 2025
Hannah McPierzie is a globally respected presenter, disability advocate, and educator who offers a unique perspective on disability and communication. She lives with Neurofibromatosis Type 2, a rare degenerative condition, and has two auditory brainstem implants. After 15 years teaching in the disability sector, Hannah acquired disability herself in 2020, when life-saving surgery left her deafblind.
Combining her professional expertise with lived experience, Hannah’s advocacy highlights the barriers people with disability face when navigating health systems, particularly in relation to communication access. She works with universities, hospitals, research institutes, private companies, and government agencies to build critical awareness of disability and to embed inclusive practices into policy and service design.
As Chairperson of Deafblind West Australians, Hannah has led initiatives that strengthen peer support and outreach for people with deafblindness. She is also a Non-Executive Director of Deafness Forum Australia, where she contributes to national advocacy on hearing loss. Her projects have included making advance care planning accessible for people with sensory loss, delivering community awareness training, and supporting the next generation of young leaders with disability.
Hannah is a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, where she champions the role of lived experience in health professions education and systemic reform. Her work consistently addresses the challenges of fragmented systems, inaccessible communication, and the need for genuine inclusion in decision-making. Based in Perth, Western Australia, Hannah continues to drive change that prioritises dignity, accessibility, and equity.
Source: Supplied
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Medical research institutes association responds to draft national research strategy
On 27 August 2025, the Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing announced the release of the draft National Health and Medical Research Strategy (the National Strategy).
Involved in the initial consultation phase, was the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI), the peak body for medical research institutes across Australia. Member institutes work on a broad spectrum of human health issues such as preventive health, chronic disease, mental health, immunology and Indigenous health. Their research ranges from fundamental biomedical discovery through to clinical research and the translation of research findings.
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Outstanding Achievement
George FaithfullGeorge has been in the medical device industry in a variety of roles for over 35 years including Sales, Marketing, Business Development, General Management, R&D, Clinical, Regulatory and Government Affairs. He has worked for Stryker in Australia, USA and across Asia.
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Co-design, adoption and interoperability
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