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#32 - No One Left Behind: Transforming Community Health in the Nepean Region with Tripti Deswal

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The fractures in our healthcare system aren't just statistics – they're people waiting months for knee surgeries, children losing developmental progress, and families watching loved ones suffer unnecessarily. In this powerful conversation, frontline social worker Tripti Deswal shares her eight years of experience witnessing the actual human cost of healthcare delays in the rapidly growing Nepean region.

Drawing from countless patient stories, Tripti reveals how waiting lists not only delay treatment but also fundamentally alter recovery trajectories. When people miss their optimal recovery windows, conditions worsen, independence diminishes, and psychological well-being deteriorates. Yet most disheartening is how the system strips away dignity, reducing complex individuals to mere patient numbers without honouring their values, goals or unique circumstances.

Tripti doesn't just identify problems – she shares the practical solutions being implemented at Nepean Advanced Rehab and Health Centre. Their approach centres on meeting people where they are through mobile therapy services and telehealth options, making healthcare accessible for those with mobility challenges or in remote locations. Equally important is their commitment to collaborative care, where GPs, allied health professionals, families and case managers work in concert with meaningful communication and shared responsibility.

What makes this conversation especially resonant is host Leon Goltsman's perspective, having navigated severe arthritis and experiencing firsthand the difference between being treated as a number versus receiving compassionate, dignified care. Both Tripti and Leon emphasise that a community's strength isn't measured by wealth but by how it supports those who need help most.

For anyone currently waiting for care or feeling forgotten by the system, this episode offers both validation and hope. Healthcare is evolving, with more providers recognising these gaps and building responsive services where everyone feels seen, heard and supported. As Tripti powerfully notes, "A small start can make a big effect" – and this conversation is indeed a meaningful beginning.

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Leon Goltsman:

Hello and welcome back to Engaging Conversations. I'm your host, Leon Goltsman, and each week we speak with people who are reshaping what's possible for our families, our communities and our future. Today's episode is one I believe every working adult, carer and family leader needs to hear, because it's not just about health care. It's about the human cost of the system that's left too many people suffering and falling through the cracks. My special guest is Tripti Deswold, a frontline social worker who's built her reputation in the toughest corners of the care sector, from early intervention and disability to broken links in allied health, where compassion often runs ahead of policy. Where compassion often runs ahead of policy. From grandparents missing basic surgery to parents watching their children lose progress due to long wait lists, tripti has sat with families, listened to their stories and asked the one question too few are asking what if we did things differently? Now, in the interest of full transparency, I've had the opportunity to contribute to the work being done at Nepean Advanced Rehab and Health Centre, where Tripti works, and I'm proud to work alongside people like her and Niaz Cannoth, one of the directors, whose values-driven leadership extends not only in the healthcare sector but also in ethical, community-focused investment through his work at Invest Intelligence, community-focused investment through his work at Invest Intelligence. And just a quick note the views shared in this episode are based on lived experience and not constitute medical or professional advice. Our aim is to raise awareness and support community-based solutions.

Leon Goltsman:

This podcast, like the work we do, is not about self-promotion. It's about shared responsibility. It's about listening, responding and doing better for the people we serve. And it's about shared responsibility. It's about listening, responding and doing better for the people we serve. And it's made possible thanks to supporters like Niaz, who continue to back purpose-led projects that build trust and strengthen communities. So, whether you're a professional, a policymaker or someone who's simply tired of seeing people fall through the cracks, this episode is for you. So, without further ado, let's get into it.

Tripti Deswal:

Hi, I'm Tripti Deyswal. I'm a social worker. I have been working in this industry for over eight years now. What I have seen throughout my career is that the right support system can really help people with their quality of life, and that's what that, as a social worker or a healthcare provider, we must focus on to provide them that right kind of support system.

Leon Goltsman:

So, tripti, you've worked across early childhood, disability and community health for years, and the stories you've heard from the region are deeply personal. What was it about the Nepean region that stirred something in you and made you want to do things differently?

Tripti Deswal:

Yeah, that's true, leon. I have worked with early childhood as well, especially in the Napian region. When I was doing my research, I noticed that there was a consistent delay for the people in need to get to the services. The clients were waiting for weeks or months just for the people in need to get to the services. The clients were waiting like for weeks or months just for the basic maybe a knee replacement surgery and then the post-rehab that they needed for that. That really made me thinking that something needs to be done. In this region. There were small children. They were losing progress because of that. The families were stuck. Older people think of a man not being able to climb the stairs just because he can't get his knee surgery done for a year or so and he is not getting any help from, maybe for pre-operations rehab or the post-operation rehab. He has no care, no support and he's just struggling.

Leon Goltsman:

That's what really made me dwell into this sector and see how can we help them, and sometimes that's what it feels like when you've tried so long to get an appointment or see a professional and you're waiting weeks, months sometimes. Even then they can't get an appointment. Of course they feel like no one's looking after them, and we hear a lot of service talk about being client-centered, but in practice, clearly, the system still leaves people waiting. So, in your experience, what's the human cost of these delays and how can allied health providers be more proactive in meeting people where they are?

Tripti Deswal:

So, as you said, that the services talk about clients being client-centered and yet there is so much of waiting period and people are struggling for that one appointment. What people don't understand is the human cost of these. Delays can lead to worsening conditions. They can be psychologically affected by that. There could be reduced independence in them. There is a whole lot impact over a human being as a whole because of these delays. I've seen people miss their recovery windows because services weren't available soon enough. Seen people miss their recovery windows because services weren't available soon enough. So maybe just reducing these barriers and being a bit proactive and offering them early intervention, that could fix it. Where we have flexible appointment system for the clients, where we put them at our first priority and we look at collaboratively working with the other service providers, that could bring a change, I believe.

Leon Goltsman:

And sometimes people don't realize that it's not like a piece of furniture or a building job where you can build half a wall, leave it there, come back a couple of weeks later and continue building it. These conditions could worsen and then, as you said, some people end up getting depressed, depression and other conditions. It worsens, makes it far harder to rehabilitate, and so what we've seen? Rehabilitation isn't just about what happens inside a clinic room, though. It's also about restoring dignity in people, independence and possibility. Now, what does true healing look like to you, especially for someone navigating physical and emotional challenges at the same time?

Tripti Deswal:

So if we talk about true healing, of course it doesn't only limit to physical progress. The person needs to feel safe. They must know where they are in their journey. We should work alongside the person and not just, you know, be there and giving them the reports in their hands and only the documents through an email or something. When we are providing these services to them, leon, it's really important that we walk alongside them. And the main thing which really lags when I look at the cases that I've been working on their values and their goals they were not reflected anywhere. Every person has his own journey, own things to say, but when they are going through a treatment, all those things are left behind. They're just treated like a patient which shouldn't be there. I think for true healing, they should be first considered to be a human being, looking at all aspects where they might need support and then providing them that consistent and trustworthy service.

Leon Goltsman:

See from personal experience, a lot of people don't realize until it actually happens to them, such as what happened with me.

Leon Goltsman:

I've got severe arthritis severe, and it wasn't just something that I've just gone in and I got fixed.

Leon Goltsman:

It's taken years until eventually I found the right doctor, who happened to be an incredible professor and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here today, and no really, and I can understand exactly what people go through severe arthritis, which left me debilitated. And you know I've heard doctors say, oh, you're too young to have arthritis, or you know, try this, try that Some of the medications are actually worse than the symptoms, and I get it firsthand. The reason why I'm mentioning that is because I'm only just one of many, many, many hundreds and thousands of people who go through this and unless you actually go through it, it's really hard to comprehend how complicated it can be when people are treated without dignity or just like a number. And, as you said, to be beside those people to guide them through can make all the difference in the world Because, like I said, if it wasn't for my professor guiding me, I wouldn't be here, and that's why this is really close to my heart and to be working alongside people like yourself and others out there is very personal.

Tripti Deswal:

Yeah, so your experience is really worth taking note of because, as you said that it was so it was painful for you it was. You had so much of struggle going, navigating through it, but you you were fortunate enough that you got a good, good caregiver, and that how that makes a lot of difference into your healing journey. That's, that's what we are aiming to here.

Tripti Deswal:

We are here to give that kind of support to our clients, but when they talk about their illness or their challenge, they also talk about us giving them, providing them the right support in the right manner and especially at the most needed time when they really needed it.

Tripti Deswal:

Gaps Leon, I would say that we have talked about the long waiting time and the rehab centers or the hospitals. They are burdened with the long wait list. Along with that, there's a fragmented communication between providers. So the other providers, like us, if they come together and work collaboratively, that would really help these clients to get their services in time and this waiting list would definitely go down. Then the other health professionals, GPs or maybe just the community organizations who are there to help them, support them. If we can work on this with the same understanding and we can do it in a collaborative way, I guess then we would be able to provide more services to more people at one time, and care delivery needs to be streamlined and can really help reduce these service gaps that we see here, especially in the Nipon region.

Leon Goltsman:

Yeah, and it helps the people who need the services. You're not just helping them, you're also helping the families and strengthening the communities, because one thing.

Leon Goltsman:

I've seen time and time again not just helping them, you're also helping the families and strengthening the communities. Because one thing I've seen time and time again you don't see how strong and powerful a community is by how rich the people are, in terms of how big the houses are or what fancy cars they drive. It's how they look after the people who need the help, and we see the population in Penrith and surrounding areas is growing rapidly, especially amongst older adults and people with complex needs. Now, what are some of the gaps you've observed in the current landscape and how do you think the broader allied health sector can respond more effectively?

Tripti Deswal:

Yeah. So, as we've already talked about the gaps of long waiting lists and how collaboratively, if we work together can give us more fruitful results, what we are really focusing on here is providing in-home care and telehealth. Home care and telehealth that will really help them improve the access to the services, because there are so many people who have mobility issues, so many others living in remote areas. The telehealth and the mobile therapy, where we send our practitioners for in-house care to their places. That will really help them get that efficiency and flexibility for their care. Also, the allied health services more of the clients. They need support.

Leon Goltsman:

So what I'm seeing consistently is that you've got the fastest growing areas, like the Nepean region, but also you've got other areas around Australia like Lake Macquarie, newcastle, wollongong, mildura, just all over the place and we're seeing that there's such a fast growing population some of the ageing population as well and instead of having more specialised services and doctors and medical support, we're actually seeing less, and that's a problem, I think, not just a problem for the areas, but it's a problem for the whole country, because we need to be looking after one another and we're seeing in many cases, what we hear from our leaders and what we get isn't always aligned, is it?

Tripti Deswal:

Yeah, true.

Leon Goltsman:

So, Tripti, you've worked with people, lots of people, who can't physically get to therapy, and you mentioned that Now, whether they're recovering from surgery, managing a disability or leaving remotely, what are some of the ways healthcare is evolving to reach people beyond the four walls of a clinic?

Tripti Deswal:

So when we are working with these clients, we see that most of the people who come for their physio or maybe sometimes even the psychology session, they might be suffering so much that they might not be wanting to come out of their houses.

Leon Goltsman:

Maybe they do want to come out of their houses. They're just not able to physically.

Tripti Deswal:

Yes, that's true. So for that reason we are integrating the mobile therapy and telehealth in our service so that we can send our practitioners to their houses for their in-home care and telehealth for the remote areas, as you said. The service providers are so less in number in those regional areas where it is needed the most. So we are trying to cover that with the telehealth and getting our services to the people over there, even looking at sending our practitioners to those regional areas to provide those services in their houses. That is what we are aiming in future.

Leon Goltsman:

So we're seeing a lot of things. We see technology has made a lot of industries and professions more mobile and it makes sense.

Tripti Deswal:

Yes, and the client need care where they are. If we are able to provide them care where, exactly where they are, that's the best way to support them. And also, these are not the. These are now the mobile therapy and telehealth. These are now essential parts of care.

Leon Goltsman:

You've made it very clear that healing doesn't just happen in isolation. It requires trust, it requires community and coordinated effort. Now what does good collaboration look like in practice between allied health, gps, hospitals and the wider care network?

Tripti Deswal:

Yes, as we talked about collaboration, that is another big gap that we have noticed over here, especially in the Apian region. When GPs and the other service providers the case manager, the families, the therapists when they come together and then they work towards supporting the clients, that is the best way to do it for effective collaboration and shared care plans and a good, clear, meaningful communication between all the people who are a part of the client's healing journey. That is the best way we can help them, support them and also the client. They experience a smoother care through this collaborative effort. So of course it has to be a shared responsibility and we can have regular and consistent communication with the GPs, with the family members, going back and forth with the progress, with the feedback and not only the feedback with the feed forward as well, how to go about what the next step should be. That kind of coordination would build trust and would lead to better results.

Tripti Deswal:

Reflection is also a very big part of that. Maybe that system is not supporting the client as much as it should be, so then we go back, we reflect on that and we again come up with a new plan for them. So all those are the components of a good service delivery would help and, of course, collaboration with other allied health services would manage the waiting list, because if I am not being able to provide a practitioner, maybe some other allied health provider would be able to. We need to come up with the shared responsibility of looking after the client, taking care of the client, and not just the individual benefits.

Leon Goltsman:

And we've met a lot of people over the years. So what I'm hearing is that clinics and professionals should be working together. Working together in order to put the client first and at the heart of everything, everything we do.

Tripti Deswal:

At the heart of everything is the client.

Leon Goltsman:

It should be. It should be so at the heart of everything you and I do. It is our belief that no one and no one should be left behind. If someone's listening to this, who's either waiting for support or feeling forgotten, what would you want them to know?

Tripti Deswal:

So all the people who are listening to this that they are not alone. And we are here. We are creating that ecosystem where all the people are seen, heard, supported, and the system is evolving.

Leon Goltsman:

And respected.

Tripti Deswal:

Yes, so now more providers like us are more aware about the challenges that the clients face.

Leon Goltsman:

If someone's listening to this, who's either waiting for support or feeling forgotten, what would you want them to know?

Tripti Deswal:

You are not alone. We are here. We have created an ecosystem for you where you feel more seen, more heard and you get the right support at the right time. If you're waiting, know that our efforts are being made to reach you sooner and more meaningfully. We are here to fill in those gaps that we have talked about. Please share this information about the services that we are providing here. This might help someone who really, really needs it. A small start can make a big effect. Absolutely, I certainly agree with that. It's the small start can make a big effect?

Leon Goltsman:

Absolutely. I certainly agree with that. It's the little actions that lead to big results. Tripti, thank you so much. It's so wonderful to talk to you. What I love about these conversations is that we can just talk about things how they are, and always wonderful to get an insight of somebody who lives it, breathes it and really understands it. And if anybody wants to learn more about the services of the PN Advanced Rehab and Health Centre, what's the best way for someone to get in contact with either yourself or other professionals within the centre?

Tripti Deswal:

Reach out to us on 1300 283 001.

Leon Goltsman:

So that's 1300 283 001. And there's also a website, and the website is wwwadvancedrehabhealthcomau wwwadvancedrehabhealthcomau. We're going to have all those details in the show notes, but can you just summarise what the NAPIEN Advanced Rehab and Health Centre actually do?

Tripti Deswal:

Here at NAPIEN Advanced Rehabilitation and Allied Health Centre, we have an incredible team of dedicated people who have not just set up a clinic, team of dedicated people who have not just set up a clinic, but we are here so that not even one person should be left alone waiting. So here at Napien Advanced Rehabilitation and Allied Health Centre, our vision is to move beyond traditional allied health therapy.

Leon Goltsman:

And I'm very familiar with the services, of course, because it's not just about providing a service. The NAPI in Advanced Rehab and Health Centre is an evidence-based practice, provides fast, responsive communication, outcome-focused team approach, compassionate, people-centred care and seamless stakeholder collaboration. Now, what more can you ask than that?

Tripti Deswal:

What more can you ask for that?

Leon Goltsman:

Yep. So for more information, pick up the phone and dial 1300 283 001. Thank you very much, Tripti. You've been fantastic and thank you very much for joining us. I look forward to doing great things with you and the team.

Tripti Deswal:

Thank you so much, Leon. Thanks for having me here for so many people out there who might be needing this at this very moment.

Leon Goltsman:

And what a powerful conversation that was with Tripti Deswal A reminder that healing isn't just clinical, it's personal, and it begins with being seen, heard and supported at the moments we need it most. We spoke about the cracks in our health system, the emotional toll of long wait lists and what it means to deliver care that's not just fast but human. Tripti's work is a call to all of us to stop accepting delay and disconnection as normal and to start building systems that truly serve people with compassion, urgency and respect. With compassion, urgency and respect. If you'd like to connect with Tripti or learn more about the services available through Nepean Advanced Rehab and Health Centre, you can visit www. advancedrehabhealth. com. au or call 1300 283 001. The team would love to hear from you, and I'd love to hear from you too.

Leon Goltsman:

Has this conversation made you reflect on your own experience or someone you care about? What do you think needs to change? Email me anytime at leon. goltsman at ecohq. com. au, because this show isn't just about the stories we share. It's about the community we're building around them. If this episode resonated with you, here are three quick things you can do. Follow Engaging Conversations on your favourite platform Spotify, Apple or wherever you listen. Share this episode with someone who cares about healthcare community or making a difference and leave a quick review. It helps more people find the show and join the conversation. A heartfelt thank you to Niaz and the team at Invest Intelligence, purpose-driven partners and proud supporters of our program and the communities we serve. I'm Leon Goltsman and until next time let's keep showing up, let's keep caring and let's keep building the kind of future we all want to be a part of together.

People on this episode

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Leon Goltsman

Host
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Tripti Deswal

Guest