General News
26 February, 2023
Collaborations a key
CO-OPERATIVE partnerships can make a difference in rural health care, Boort District Health’s strategic plan consultant Claire Edwards said last week. Speaking at an open access session before the service’s annual general, Ms Edwards said...
CO-OPERATIVE partnerships can make a difference in rural health care, Boort District Health’s strategic plan consultant Claire Edwards said last week.
Speaking at an open access session before the service’s annual general, Ms Edwards said partnerships “working together to solve ... problems will make a difference”.
Ms Edwards said the new Buloke Loddon Gannawarra health collaboration was one partnership that would assist in providing services.
She said there was a national shortage of GPs with the days of doctors on call 24/7 gone while solutions included nurse practitioner models and telehealth.
More than 260 people have completed surveys as part of the BDH strategic plan review.
Ms Edwards said survey data and feedback from street pop-up sessions would be shared with the board before it considers the final plan in April and then submitted to the Department of Health for endorsement.
However, she said there remained time for district residents to have input into the new strategic plan.
“A health service doesn’t live without its community,” she said.
Consultation had been been about what mattered to the community and what the district wanted to see from its health service.
“It’s not just about a valuable piece of infrastructure that employs people,” she said.
“I have heard how important it is to access services ... transporting to other services (in other towns) and then when you come back getting the right services.”
Ms Edwards said the process had been talking about doing better and identifying whether Boort could become a leader in providing better rural health services. Board chair Wendy Gladman said implementation of the new strategic plan would not hinge on State Government approval.
“We don’t wait to start implementation of the plan ... we generally start to improve direction (immediately),” Mrs Gladman said.
BDH chief executive officer Donna Doyle told the open access session the service was hopeful of having a permanent dentist within six months.
She said support staff was ready to assist a new appointment.
The current locum was working six weeks on, two off, while recruitment continued, Ms Doyle said.