- Posted on 18 Jun 2025
- 3-minutes read
How can we prepare for the future of healthcare in NSW?
The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is supporting NSW Health staff to use futures thinking to prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. On 28-29 May, 51 participants from 24 health agencies across the state came together for a Futures Thinking Course to build their futures literacy and practice futures thinking methods.
The course provided time to focus on...thinking where healthcare is heading and how to best prepare for it.
The course was co-designed by the Institute for Sustainable Futures, the Transdisciplinary School, and the Faculty of Health, working closely with NSW Health to ensure it met the specific needs of its workforce.
Delivered by Professor Chris Riedy, Dr Susanne Pratt, and Hollie Cheung, the program introduced participants to key futures thinking concepts and methods, including scenario development, the Three Horizons framework, and backcasting.
“The course provided time to focus on...thinking where healthcare is heading and how to best prepare for it.” – Matthew S, Operations Manager
Participants engaged in interactive sessions that encouraged creativity, collaboration, and practical application. The course aimed to build foundational literacy in futures thinking and empower staff to apply these tools in their own work contexts to actively shape the future.
"A great mix of theory and interactive, practical activities, allowing us to learn and share in a safe but also fun space. It was quite fast paced with a lot of tools and techniques covered, which didn’t trouble me as it kept me really engaged.” – Nicole T, Acting Strategic Planning Lead
The course marks the beginning of a broader journey to embed futures thinking into the culture of NSW Health. Instead of a one-off course, the program was designed to provide participants with the foundation for an ongoing community of practice. Post-course support will be key to sustaining momentum and includes six live online sessions and individual coaching to help participants to overcome challenges they may face when trying to apply futures thinking in their specific work context.
If your organisation is interested in running a similar course or exploring how futures thinking can support your strategic goals, please reach out. We’d love to collaborate with you.
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