Donna Stanley has been announced as Executive Manager of Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing as part of a restructure of the Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSWPHN) in what is being described as "new direction" for the service.

Ms Stanley recently brings with her a wealth of experience and national recognition for her work in the mental health space. Last year, she was recognised for her work and leadership in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health with the Australian Mental Health Prize for 2022.

Previously the acting executive director for Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing for the Western NSW Local Health District, Ms Stanley has spent the last 30 years as a proud advocate for the improvement of First Nations' mental health.

The proud Gunggarri Umby woman and passionate advocate for Aboriginal wellbeing, Ms Stanley told National Indigenous Times late last year that she had noted the long-term impacts COVID was having on her community.

"COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the health and wellbeing in our local health district in Western NSW. I'm very proud of the response of our team at the height of the pandemic."

"Every Aboriginal person who tested positive for COVID was allocated an Aboriginal Support officer who would make daily contact with individuals and their families."

Ms Stanley has also been a coordinator of the Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid program. For this, she trained instructors nationwide to improve the mental health understanding and outcomes in her community.

"It's aimed at helping people to understand what are the some of the signs and symptoms of mental health or mental health conditions," she told National Indigenous Times. "It helps first aiders to be able to identify that there's something happening and then work out what's the right person to refer or get that person support from."

Tailored for Aboriginal people, the first aid program also focusses on social and emotional wellbeing, and effects of transgenerational trauma. After accepting her well-deserved Australian Mental Health Prize last year, Ms Stanley commented that the plans to tackle racism through the Reconciliation Action Plan are a key area for the Western NSW Local Health District.

"We know that this thing around unconscious bias certainly happens in our health facilities. We want to work hard to address that," she said. "When I accepted the prize I put a call to action to everybody in the room and those that were in the room virtually that every day when we sit down with our families, our communities, our colleagues, that there should be those discussions about what we're actually going to do to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people."

Other new faces to the WNSW PHN are Bradley Porter, Chief Operating Officer and Michele Smith, Executive Manager Primary Healthcare Integration and Reform.