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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Gold Coast paediatric emergency nurse leads world’s largest study in securement
Brooke Charters is a dynamic Paediatric Emergency Nurse who works at the Gold Coast University Hospital in Queensland. Brooke’s research became the world’s largest study of its kind and in May 2024 the results of the study were published in JAMA Pediatrics. Her mission is to drive change and enhance the hospital experience for children globally.
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Health equity
For 30 years the Humpty Dumpty Foundation has worked to help bridge the gap that often exists between available resources and actual needs through the donation of paediatric medical equipment. Humpty, like many other charitable initiatives, began with a humble goal. Its Founder and Executive Chairman, Paul Francis OAM, together with Patron Ray Martin AM, set out to raise some money to paint the walls of the Children’s Ward at Royal North Shore Hospital.
To date more than 440 hospitals and health services have shared in over $85 million of essential and lifesaving medical equipment for sick and injured paediatric patients.
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Strategic research investments for health and prosperity
The CEO of Research Australia, Nadia Levin spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
– Current medical research and development landscape in Australia
– Investment required to support the Health and Medical Research and Innovation pipeline
– The National Medical Products Industry Plan and its impact on the Australian economy
– The Health and Medical Research WorkforceIn the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
