HOME
A professional body is an organisation with members practicing a profession or occupation in which the organisation collates the knowledge, skills, conduct and practice of that profession or occupation. NPON operates as a professional body for patient organisations and our 2025 conference will focus on creating systems where equity is sustained over time, addressing systemic inequalities and ensuring long-term fairness in resource distribution.
24 July 2025 – Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
2025 conference outcomes
Click below to access each document
This video below provides an overview of NPON activities since its establishment in 2019
NPON Member contribution to the health system
$200M
Collective health system investment
96%
Provide health information to patients
68%
Direct patients to clinical trials
78%
Provide information to health professionals
Conference discussion papers
Each month in the lead-up to the NPON conference, a discussion paper aligned with the conference sessionswas released. These don’t have all the answers to the challenges and opportunities we have as a sector, rather they were aimed at providing participants with viewpoints and considerations that can be brought to the conference for discussion and action.
Paper # 1
Paper # 2
Paper # 3
Paper # 4
Paper # 5
Conference Agenda
Session 1: Sustainable consultations
Overview: Meredith Cummins from Neuroendocrine Cancer Australia spoke about their experience in relation to equitable access to diagnostics and treatment for individuals with rare and less common cancers, including Neuroendocrine Cancer report, and the significant delays in implementation of recommendations
Session 1 workshop
Delegates worked in small groups to brainstorm guidelines for external stakeholders setting expectations of engagement and feedback, including timelines, for consultation processes.
Session 3: Leadership
Overview: Helen Jentz from Musculoskeletal Australia spoke about the qualities of leadership in the context of patient organisations, commenting on the differences between non-profit and for-profit leadership. The address also considered the personal toll that leading a patient organisation can take, particularly for founders.
Session 3 workshop
Delegates worked in small groups to brainstorm a code of conduct for patient organisations, identifying what we expect of ourselves as leaders.
Session 2: Long term sustainability
Overview: Alex Green from the Arthritis Movement spoke about the merger between Arthritis NSW and Arthritis Queensland to become the Arthritis Movement. This was in the context of operational, strategic and long-term impact and sustainability.
Session 2 workshop
Delegates brainstormed an efficiencies checklist identifying where patient organisations make better use of and mobilise resources
Session 4: Infrastructure fund
Overview: Petrina Fraccaro from Cystic Fibrosis Queensland spoke about the importance of a diverse financial portfolio for patient organisations and provide some examples of the experience of Cystic Fibrosis Queensland, with a focus on the infrastructure costs that organisations need to cover through unrestricted funding.
Session 4 workshop
Delegates discussed an infrastructure fund for patient organisations (with the intention to submit this as a pilot to government).
Thank you to the generous sponsors that made this conference free to all NPON members
