Bess McDougall

Candidate for National Council 

I’m Bess. I’m the Social Work Manager and VAHPA delegate at Latrobe Regional Health in Gippsland, with experience across hospital, community, and public sector settings. Working in a regional context has given me a strong understanding of the unique challenges facing our workforce and communities, including access barriers, resource limitations, and the need for flexible, responsive services. I have returned to hospital social work after working in the community and broader public sector, bringing a systems perspective on how these challenges intersect. I have spent the majority of my career working in family violence, which continues to shape my commitment to addressing inequality, advocating for equity, and driving meaningful system change.

I have been a union member and delegate throughout my working life, including with the AWU, ASU, CPSU, and VAHPA. This reflects my strong belief in the power of collective action. Unions are critical in protecting our conditions, strengthening our professions, and ensuring our voices are heard. They also play an important role in advancing social justice, not only for workers, but in contributing to fairer and more equitable systems more broadly. A union's strength is its members, and I believe strongly in a member-led future for VAHPA.

I am committed to ensuring that all people, regardless of their circumstances, can access safe, high-quality care when they need it. Allied health professionals are central to delivering this care, yet our contribution is often undervalued. Our work requires specialist knowledge and clinical expertise, and we must continue to advocate for fair pay, recognition, and conditions that allow us to do this work well.

I am passionate about social justice, equity, and human rights, and about strengthening both our workforce and the systems we work within.