Lori-Anne Sharp1
1Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia
Biography:
Lori-Anne, the CEO of the Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia, is recognised for her leadership and commitment to strengthening the nursing and midwifery workforce. She works to foster collaboration, support nurses and midwives to thrive, and advocate for meaningful change within the health and community sector.
Lori-Anne was a key champion for the establishment of the Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia (NMHPA), successfully lobbying for the initial funding during her eight-year tenure as Federal Assistant Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF). Lori-Anne brings significant experience, strong national connections and a longstanding commitment to the nursing and midwifery professions. A Registered Nurse, Lori-Anne spent a decade working in the community sector, including with Victoria’s Homeless Persons Program, before moving into leadership roles at the ANMF, where she served for over two decades.
Abstract:
Nurses, midwives and students working and studying in rural, remote and isolated settings may experience occupational stressors associated with workforce shortages, complex care demands and isolation. While a range of wellbeing and counselling services are available to support health professionals, peer-to-peer models of care are increasingly recognised as a complementary approach within a broader support ecosystem, with relatability and shared professional context supporting acceptability and engagement for some members of the workforce.
Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia (NMHPA) provides support primarily via telephone and telehealth in rural, remote and isolated settings, with face-to-face options available in some regional sites and metropolitan areas, offering flexible and accessible pathways to support help-seeking across diverse locations.
NMHPA is a national peer-to-peer counselling and general health support service delivered by nurses and midwives for nurses, midwives and students. An independent mixed-methods evaluation was commissioned in 2024 and was finalised in January 2026 examining the reach, impact, outcomes and quality of the service during its early implementation.
This presentation reports findings from this research while providing an overview of the program’s functions, the people delivering services and how people can engage if they need support.