Helping rural communities in Western Australia

After working in rural Western Australia for several years, rural physiotherapist Karen Rodgers-Smart has taken the next step in her career and opened her own physiotherapy business, MoveSmart Physiotherapy, in Lake Grace and Newdegate.

Working out of local medical centres, Karen shares her time between the two communities. Although the business has only been operating for a few months, Karen has received positive feedback from patients about the value of her physiotherapy services.

“The people that come through my door tell me they are now receiving treatment for some long-term conditions and lingering injuries they’ve left untreated as they’ve been reluctant to travel long distances or have been unable to travel due to work commitments.

“It’s rewarding to see that I am able to provide a service that they wouldn’t have been able to otherwise access.”

Originally a country girl, Karen always knew that she wanted to return to rural Western Australia after completing her studies at Curtin University. She was recruited through Rural Health West and worked in Albany for several years after graduating.

“The community’s response has been amazing and overwhelming. They have all been very excited to have a regular physiotherapy service in town.

Dr Raj Ramakrishna, well known in Corrigin as Dr Raj, has cared for the Corrigin community since 2014.

Dr Raj was originally recruited as part of the Eastern Wheatbelt Primary Care Project; an initiative aimed at providing greater support to small general practices in the eastern Wheatbelt to make them more sustainable.

The practices involved are given extensive administrative and practice support, so that the GPs and practice staff can concentrate on caring for their patients. The support provided ranges from practice management, human resources, IT and maintenance, accounting and bookkeeping, recruitment, clinical management and service coordination.

“My family and I were delighted to move to Corrigin," stated Dr Ramakrishna.

“We would like to thank the Shire of Corrigin, Southern Regional Medical Group and Rural Health West for their kind assistance in setting up the practice in Corrigin.

“I would recommend this service to all the doctors in eastern Wheatbelt.”

The Eastern Wheatbelt Primary Care Project was initiated in 2010, after the Shires of Corrigin, Lake Grace, Kondinin and Kulin each lost general practitioners following the departure of corporate medical services.

The shires worked together and with Rural Health West to explore sustainable and innovative models of service that would ensure the communities had reliable access to primary care.

Dr Raj is also one of the doctors being supported through the Strengthening Solo General Practice project, which has made it easier for him to attend training and networking events in Perth. 

Practice managers from the Wheatbelt have been awarded back-to-back wins in annual the Rural General Practice Manager Award.

2017 winner Debra Stacey (pictured right) from the Quairading Medical Practice was recognised for her leadership and management skills, her focus on staff education and her commitment to patient health and safety,

2016 winner Samantha Aurisch from Bruce Rock Health Centre was acknowledged for her professionalism and work ethic, which have made a lasting impact on the wider community.

The state-wide annual awards acknowledge and reward the integral role that practice managers play in ensuring rural general practices provide a sustainable service for their communities.

Rural Health West Chief Executive Officer Tim Shackleton said general practice managers play a vital role in the health and well-being of rural patients.

“Practice managers are the lynch-pin of many small rural general practices. We work with many of them very closely and want to acknowledge the valuable work they do through these annual awards.

“It’s wonderful to see practice managers from the Wheatbelt win back to back awards. Many of them work in small practices isolated from their peers, which can be very challenging. It’s an honour to acknowledge the work of these managers and their contribution to keeping the community healthy.”

Rural Health West’s Strengthening Solo General Practice is supporting solo GPs practitioners in the Wheatbelt to create a more stable and sustainable medical service in small country towns.

More than half of all general practices in the Wheatbelt (17 out of 33 practices) are run by solo general practitioners, making it one of the most ‘at risk’ regions in Australia.

Support provided to Dr Brian Walker, who works as solo GP in Kununoppin, enabled him to attend the GPCE conference in 2016 which provided extensive upskilling and the recent Rural Health West dinner so he could network with fellow rural doctors.

Our recruitment and practice support teams have also provided support to help him recruit a new doctor to the town.

“Having the time to attend professional development is a challenge and can leave the local community without a doctor. Attending GPCE in Perth meant I could cram a great deal into a short time.”

This SSGP project builds on existing support systems for solo GPs and is identifying new strategies to avoid them becoming fatigued and isolated, and to better support their spouses and families. In turn, this will encourage solo GPs to stay in their current practice for longer and improve continuity of care for patients.

In March 2017, a plague of medical emergencies including snakebites, near drownings, motorbike and equipment accidents, befell the residents of the usually quiet town of Moora. It wasn’t a series of unfortunate events, it was the annual Go Rural event.

Go Rural gives final year university medical, nursing and allied health students the opportunity to experience the diversity of a rural lifestyle and the benefits of a rural career.

During the three day rural immersion weekend, the students toured the Moora Hospital, participated in medical emergency scenarios, learnt suturing skills, visited a local farm and met members of the Moora community during a sundowner at the Council Chambers.

With only one of the students coming from a rural background, the weekend was a unique opportunity to showcase country life.

Final year physiotherapy student, Maeve O’Shaughnessy said she had spent her entire live in the city, so had limited experiences of country life.

"Go Rural exposed me to both country health services and to country life,” Maeve said.

“It made me realise the opportunities which exist to develop both professionally and personally in regional, rural and remote Western Australia."

Rural Health West is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health through Rural Health Workforce Australia to administer the Go Rural program in Western Australia.

Regional dietitian and farmer’s daughter, Sally Taylor, always intended on returning to the country to work after completing her degree in Perth.

Finding local connections with her patients through her rural upbringing has been an advantage for Sally, who is developing her career in Dietetics in her home town of Esperance.

Funded through the Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program (MOICDP), Sally works alongside Perth-based Nephrologist Dr Thomas, who visits the region six times per financial year.

“Dr Thomas is very supportive of nutrition to prevent the progression of chronic kidney disease. I find that running my clinic just after he has visited is fantastic because he gives the patients encouragement to keep trying.”

At each visit, Sally sees the positive impact her service is having on her patients. Many of her patients suffer renal health complications resulting from uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension, so following up with them on a regular basis means she can check they are making the necessary changes to their lifestyle.

“After seeing patients two or three times, their blood results reveal that their potassium and phosphate levels have dropped between appointments; so you can see the changes really quickly.”

Without the support of her health service, patients would be required to travel to Perth to manage their chronic disease, costing them time and money.

“The locals who are very ill with chronic disease are able to stay in their own community, so they receive the full benefit from the service rather than seeing a dietitian only if they happen to be in Perth,” says Sally.

“We have no dialysis chairs here in Esperance, so patients would have to travel to Perth if they weren’t supported here to manage their renal disease. Maintaining their quality of life is heavily related to nutrition, and it is something to aim for; to keep them off dialysis for as long as possible.”

In 2016, we played a part in expanding the range of psychology and counselling services available for people living in Esperance when we helped psychologists Vanessa Rowell and Campbell Townsend relocate from Victoria to Esperance.

The couple (and their two children) moved to join Esperance Psychology, which was established and run by psychologist Helen Devenish. The expanded practice is now able to offer a broader range of services to the local community, including couples counselling, medico-legal reports for compensation, and corporate profiling services.

The expansion also means that patients with anxiety, depression, grief, loss, or post-traumatic stress disorder can access the services they need when they need them, closer to home.

For Vanessa and Campbell, the move has been really positive.

“We are loving it here and still feel like we are on holiday. It’s hard to believe this is winter – 19 degrees and sunny today.

“We have met some lovely people and are making our house a home. Today we got a lamb to mow out lawn!

“The practice is busy and we’ve also been doing lots of professional development to upskill ourselves to meet the needs of the local community.”

Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s overseas-trained doctors have been supported to settle into Australian general practice over the past three years through a unique program offered only in the Goldfields.

The Forward to Fellowship program has provided 20 doctors with extensive personal, professional and training support, which in turn has delivered better medical care for people living in the region.

F2F was developed following a successful recruitment drive to address the low number of doctors in the community. Most of the new recruits were new to Australia and so the program provided a range of supports to help them adapt to the Australia medical system.

Rural Health West Chief Executive Officer Tim Shackleton said the program also encouraged many of the doctors to remain working in the community, which has provided greater continuity of care for patients.

“By supporting our overseas trained doctors we are helping to create a sustainable and stable workforce, which will mean that patients can have a lasting relationship with their doctor,” he said.

Forward to Fellowship is a true community-led response to support International Medical Graduates in the region. It is supported by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy, Goldfields Esperance GP Network, the Shire of Coolgardie, WA Country Health Service, Western Australian General Practice Education and Training, and the Goldfields Esperance Development Commission, Nationals WA and Rural Health West.

Goldfields doctors and medical students learnt from some of the State’s leading specialists during 2016 through Goldfields Continuing Professional Development Program.

The program delivered monthly workshops to local medical professionals covering topics such as ophthalmology, exam preparation, women’s health and suturing skills.

Guest specialist, prominent ophthalmologist and McCusker Director of Lions Outback Vision, Associate Professor Angus Turner discussed how to better identify eye conditions in their patients and determine appropriate treatment plans.

Originally offered to doctors on the Forward to Fellowship program, the workshops were run free-of-charge to all Goldfields medical professionals with additional funding from Royalties for Regions funding.

Rural Health West CEO Tim Shackleton said that the remoteness of the Goldfields meant that medical professionals have greater challenges accessing regular professional development.

“These regular workshops to address these difficulties and encourage collegiate style learning and relationship building between doctors in the region.”

Dr Jackie Scurlock (pictured right) is a long-time provider of rural paediatric services to Esperance, commencing in 1984.

“It was just after I had finished breastfeeding my second son. A local general practitioner, Dr Chris Friend had contacted Dr Rex Henderson to ask that he provide an outreach service to the area. However, he was too busy and recommended me.”

Dr Scurlock has devoted herself to helping Western Australian families, focusing particularly on the issues of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Her visits to Esperance were self-funded until the introduction of the outreach funding by the Australian Government Department of Health in 2001, and she now receives outreach this funding through Rural Health West.

A rural visit once involved departing Perth airport at 6.00am, flying in a ‘sardine tin’ and returning the same night at 9.00pm. But she soon learnt to arrive a day earlier to take advantage of the lovely Esperance scenery.

“The best part of my job is I never have to grow up,” she said.

Today, Dr Scurlock continues to provide her paediatric outreach services to the area five times a year, reducing the need for her young patients to travel to Perth.

Relocating to a new place for work is a daunting prospect – even more so when you are considering a shift to some of the most isolated communities in the world!

So we’ve been working closely with the Ngaanyatjarra Health Service to help prepare new health workers for living and work in the Lands.

We work with the Ngaanyatjarra Health Service (NHS) to recruit and attract health professionals to the Lands, but a common stumbling block is the fear of the unknown.

“Most people relocating for work like to check out a new place before they commit to a role, but the Lands are so remote that it’s often not possible for someone to ‘try before they buy’,” said Sam Ireland, CEO of Ngaanyatjarra Health Service .

To fill this gap, we worked with the NHS to develop a comprehensive information kit that provides in-depth information about living and working on the Lands, which is now circulated to everyone considering a role in the communities.

“The resource helps paint a realistic picture of living and working in the Lands communities – so people can better decide whether or not the role may be for them,” Sam said.

“Having greater continuity of care is important for health outcomes, particularly in Aboriginal communities, where people may be slow to develop trust and warm to a new health professional.

“We are really pleased to work with Rural Health West on this initiative,” he said.

When Genkin Gunasekaran secured his role working as a dialysis nurse at Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service in October 2015, he packed his bags and made the cross-country journey from Melbourne – by car!

Although a brief break-down saw him abandon his car and his travelling companion (his mother in law) to seek help, he made it safely to Broome, ready and able to start work helping people with renal disease get the care they need.

“The Kimberley has one of the highest rates of chronic kidney disease and dialysis is an important service for the community,” Genkin said.

“The team here is very good and I feel I am contributing a lot to caring for people in the region.”

Genkin was eligible for a grant through Rural Health West under the Rural Health Professionals Program, which helped to pay his relocation costs and helped him to access some professional development.

Genkin’s wife, Ephzibah, joined him several months later – by plane – and his newborn baby daughter joined them sooner after – by birth. They have settled into the Broome life very well.

“Rural Health West has been a great support, professionally and financially. Relocating across the country is very expensive and the grant I was given was greatly appreciated,” Genkin said.

For the past seven years, we’ve brought a unique brand of medical training to iconic sites in the Kimberley and Pilbara.

The Rural and Remote Retrieval weekend provides local medical professionals, paramedics and acute care nurses exposure and training to deal with potentially life-threatening medical emergencies in bush and outback settings.

Rural doctors and nurses are often on the frontline when it comes to caring for seriously ill and injured patients in remote areas. However, treating patients in a wilderness location is vastly different than practicing medicine on a flat surface with a range of equipment close to hand.

During RRR, participants abseil, cave and hike their way through the gorges at El Questro or Karijini National Park, attending to various simulated medical emergencies such as hypothermia, a punctured lung, broken limbs and snake bites along the way.

Dr Catherine Engelke from Kununurra Hospital attended RRR at El Questro in May 2015 and said it was an amazing learning opportunity set in a stunning environment.

“With Kununurra Hospital often the first port of call for people who are injured while travelling in the region, I found it really valuable to see the terrain as it helps understand the mechanism of injuries that often occur. Having that knowledge helps when treating the patient when they arrive into Kununurra,” said Catherine.

“The conference also gave me clearer picture of the limitations faced by first responders and bystanders providing first aid. We were given only a basic first aid kit during the conference and often had to think outside the box when splinting or relocating our patients. Going through that situation myself, I can now give more insightful advice when contacted by phone for help.”

Rural Health West is the leading provider of emergency wilderness training in Western Australia running events in the South West, Pilbara, Kimberley and the Perth metropolitan area. 

In 2016, we provided 750 sports balls to community organisations involved in promoting sport and exercise to children in rural and remote communities.

150 netballs, footballs, basketballs, soccer balls and rugby balls were given to Fair Game for children in the Kimberley and Pilbara, 150 given to Nyoongar Wellbeing and Sports, and 450 to Ngurra Kujungka Inc for children in the Western Desert.

“The sports balls will be used to assist our programs in the Kimberley to promote healthy activity amongst young children in underserviced communities, including Indigenous Australians and migrants groups,” said Dr Robert Henderson, Fair Game Recycle and Donate Coordinator.

In June 2017, we ran a pilot program with the Kimberley Population Health Unit from the WA Country Health Service to help young Aboriginal mothers and pregnant women make better food and nutrition choices.

A dietitian and paediatric nutritionist from the Population Health Unit provided a mix of individual and group education sessions to the young Aboriginal women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Rural Health West General Manager, Regional Services Vivienne Duggin said the aim was to help the women to understand the importance of healthy eating for themselves and their children.

“The young women had individual health care sessions and home visits from the dietitian and came together with other young women for group cooking sessions,” said Vivienne.

“We hope these sessions would also help to create a support network between the young mothers.”

The nutrition program was funded through the Australian Government Department of Health’s Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program, which delivers chronic disease care to people living in rural and remote locations.

40 Aboriginal people across the Kimberley received crucial eye surgery and 30 more received ear surgery during 2017, as part of a program to reduce surgical waiting times for people living in rural and remote areas.

The patients, predominantly Senior Lore people, were treated by a team of visiting specialists at Derby and Kununurra Hospitals as part of the Eye and Ear Surgical Support Service, which is run by Rural Health West with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health.

“Traditional patient referral systems can mean that a patient with limited sight may have to navigate public transport to Broome or air travel to Perth on their own to access surgical care. That’s very daunting if you’re suffering significant loss of vision,” said Rural Health West General Manager Regional Services, Vivienne Duggin.

Under the EESS program, a number of flights were chartered to collect patients from the more remote communities and bring them to surgery as a group. This provided greater comfort to the patients who were also able to bring a carer or family member.

“Restoring sight and hearing to these patients means they are able to become more actively involved in their community. They can participate in cultural business again. Some have been able to find work.

“Many of the children who received ENT surgery are now better able to learn. And many are now able to participate in everyday activities which they haven’t been able to do for many years,” Vivienne said.

Psychologist Simon Dann has had a varied 18-year career working in private practice, mental health rehabilitation, autism services, Indigenous mental health and with asylum seekers.

He’s now brought that breadth of experience to Kununurra and other small communities in the East Kimberley.

Although he’s had an extremely diverse career, he’s had some new experiences since he started work at Boab Health in mid-2016.

“I’m really enjoying the work here. Last year, I flew out to Kalumburu on a light plane and organised a men’s health and fishing group. I haven’t done that before and you definitely couldn’t do something like that in the city!” said Simon.

Simon was recruited by Rural Health West and was supported to relocate with a Rural Health Professionals Program grant. The grant has also helped him pursue additional training to further support the local community.

“Kununurra offers a great outdoor lifestyle. It’s all about the might barra up here right now and I caught three without even having a boat,” said Simon.

The sunny beaches of Geraldton are a far cry from Dr Shaun Millns Sizer’s former view from his practice window in the United Kingdom.

Dr Millns Sizer made the big shift in 2015 and says he hasn’t looked back since.

“I found myself working 60 hours per week and becoming more and more stressed. We had visited WA many years ago and even back then I thought I could be happy living and working here.

“The work/life balance was why I came and we haven’t been disappointed by the opportunities provided to us since we arrived. Once we arrived in Australia, my Rural Health West case manager arranged meetings and a training week at a medical centre to introduce and prepare me for the Australian health care system.

“Learning about the Medicare system is still a work in progress, but I have lots of support from the team here at the Panaceum Medical Group.

“The people in Geraldton are so friendly and there is a real sense of community. We are outside every weekend and my boys are involved in sport. I love the barbeque areas on the foreshore in Geraldton and the coffee shops.

“I’m really pleased to be part of this wonderful community.”

Growing up in Bindi Bindi, Rhianne Elliott has known she wanted to be a physiotherapist from age 12.

After graduating with First Class Honours from Notre Dame University in 2014, Rhianne turned to the Rural Health West website to look for a role working in rural WA.

“Coming from the country I feel really strongly about people living in rural and remote WA having access to excellent allied health care and so I wanted to pursue a rural career,” Rhianne said.

“I saw a role with Central West Health and Rehabilitation in Geraldton that seemed ideal and I started work with them in November 2014.

“Rural Health West advised that I was eligible for a Rural Health Professionals Program grant and this has meant I have been able to pursue additional studies in Pilates, acupuncture, strength and conditioning and sports physiotherapy.

“That training has extended the range of services I can provide to my clients, both in Geraldton and those at the minesite I visit weekly. I’m now also providing services to the MS Society of WA for clients in Geraldton.

“The grant meant I was also able to purchase some specialist equipment to assist with rehabilitation clients and start running some new programs that I’m passionate about.

“I’m working with such a diverse group of clients with a variety of conditions and really enjoy giving something back to country WA,” Rhianne said.

Rural Health West’s Strengthening Solo General Practice is supporting solo GPs in the Midwest to create a more stable and sustainable medical service in small country towns.

Nearly one third of general practices (7 out of 23 practices) in the Midwest region are operated by solo general practitioners.

Support to Dr Syed Shah, who works as a solo GP in Northampton, enabled him to attend the recent Rural Health West conference and dinner – which provided opportunity to upskill, network and catch-up with fellow rural doctors.

“Professional isolation is one of the biggest challenges of working as a solo GP, so having support to attend the conference and dinner was greatly appreciated. We also appreciated Rural Health West arranging a baby-sitter for our children.

“I was able to catch up with colleagues, access some professional development and feel recharged and ready to return to Northampton,” said Dr Shah.

The SSGP project builds on existing support systems for solo GPs and is identifying new strategies to avoid them become fatigued and isolated, and to better support their spouses and families. In turn, this will encouraged solo GPs to stay in their current practice for longer and improve continuity of care for patients.

In June 2017, we ran a pilot program with the Geraldton Aboriginal Medical Service, the Carnarvon Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation and Durlacher Dietetics to help young Aboriginal people make better food and nutrition choices.

Twelve dietetic education workshops were held in Carnarvon, Cue, Geraldton, Meekatharra, Mungullah Village, Shark Bay and Yalgoo with Aboriginal people at risk of developing chronic disease and young Aboriginal mothers.

Dietitian Dr Cynthia Porter said the workshops were very hands-on and gave practice advice about healthy eating.

“In some locations we were able to do a walk-through of the local supermarket to discuss food labelling and if in doubt, you can locate most of the healthy food around the perimeter of the shop,” Dr Porter said.

“It’s great to run these workshops focused on preventing disease through nutrition.

“It would be so rewarding if this proves to be a turning point for preventative measures, such as education, to run parallel with clinical services. It could make a massive difference in health outcomes for people.”

The nutrition program was funded through the Australian Government Department of Health’s Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program, which delivers chronic disease care to people living in rural and remote locations.

This was the first time preventative dietetic services were delivered through the program, and was funded in response to a Rural Health West submission to the Australian Government.

Leigh Black has dedicated her career to keeping remote communities healthy.

As an experienced chronic disease nurse, she was working in the black opal mining town of Lightning Ridge in New South Wales before a holiday to the beautiful Kimberley region made her want to head West.

“I contacted Rural Health West to see what opportunities were available. Hannah, my case manager at Rural Health West told me there was a five-month contract in Pemberton. I took the job and shifted myself across the country for my ‘working holiday’, aged 64!”

When her contract in Pemberton was up, we helped find Leigh was offered a role in Roebourne working with the Mawarnkara Aboriginal Health Service.

“Moving to another state is daunting as you don’t have the contacts and networks to find work or to help you find your feet in a new community. Not only did Rural Health West find me work, they also gave me a really comprehensive orientation so that I felt very comfortable about settling into a new town and provided financial support to relocate.”

Leigh hit the ground running when she arrived at her new post in March 2016.

"I work in a very busy clinic and my role is hands-on, which I am really enjoying. I’m loving the work, the location, and feel that I’ve really landed on my feet.”

Jacob Hill’s move to Karratha has paid dividends, not just for the outdoorsy physiotherapist, but also the local community.

Jacob joined Pilbara Physiotherapy in 2016, which has enabled the team to provide an increased services to Karratha, Wickham, Pannawonica and Tom Price.

“My work is quite varied – and in Karratha I take a weekly mental health hydrotherapy group, run some clinical Pilates classes and occasional manual handling workshop.

“I head out to Wickham three times a week and also provide an outreach service to Pannawonica.

“I’ve settled in really well. I love playing football and cricket, camping and boating so Karratha is great lifestyle fit for me,” said Jacob.

“I’m interested in chronic pain, orthopaedic and sports physiotherapy, so it’s also a good professional fit here. Not long after I joined the team, they opened their clinical Pilates room and I think that will offer a great service to people here too.”

Rural Health West helped Jacob to find his new role and were also able to provide a grant through the Rural Health Professionals Program to help him relocate to the Pilbara.

Rural Health West’s Strengthening Solo General Practice is supporting solo GPs practitioners in the Pilbara to create a more stable and sustainable medical service in small country towns.

Twenty per cent of general practices in the Pilbara are operated by solo general practitioners.

Support provided to Dr Steven Gann, who works as solo GP at Puntukurnu AMS, enabled him to attend the recent Rural Health West conference and dinner – which provided opportunity to network and catch-up with fellow rural doctors.

“Professional isolation is one of the biggest challenges of working as solo GP, so having support to attend the conference and dinner was greatly appreciated. I was able to catch up with colleagues, access some professional development and feel recharged and ready to return to the Pilbara,” said Dr Gann.

This SSGP project builds on existing support systems for solo GPs and is identifying new strategies to avoid them becoming fatigued and isolated, and to better support their spouses and families. In turn, this will encourage solo GPs to stay in their current practice for longer and improve continuity of care for patients.

For the past seven years, we’ve brought a unique brand of medical training to iconic sites in the Kimberley and Pilbara.

The Rural and Remote Retrieval weekend provides local medical professionals, paramedics and acute care nurses exposure and training to deal with potentially life-threatening medical emergencies in bush and outback settings.

Rural doctors and nurses are often on the frontline when it comes to caring for seriously ill and injured patients in remote areas. However, treating patients in a wilderness location is vastly different than practicing medicine on a flat surface with a range of equipment close to hand.

During RRR, participants abseil, cave and hike their way through the gorges at Karijini National Park or El Questro, attending to various simulated medical emergencies such as hypothermia, a punctured lung, broken limbs and snake bites along the way.

Dr Nicolette Van Zyl from Nickol Bay Hospital attended the most recent RRR at Karijini National Park in May 2017 and said it was an amazing learning opportunity set in a stunning environment.

“The trainers were very knowledgeable and it was great to learn some new ‘tricks’ for dealing with emergencies.

“Each of the scenarios provided a valuable learning opportunity and I know it will benefit my practice when treating ill and injured patients who present to Nickol Bay Hospital,” Dr Van Zyl said.

Rural Health West is the leading provider of emergency wilderness training in Western Australia running events in the South West, Pilbara, Kimberley and the Perth metropolitan area.

In 2016, Rural Health West and the WA Primary Health Alliance, which operates Country WA Primary Health Network brought together peak bodies and agencies representing Pilbara health, education, police and community with the aim of collectively tackling some of the region’s most entrenched health and social issues.

The Pilbara Collaborative Health Forum was a day-long workshop aimed at looking at how a more holistic, cross-agency approach can tackle some of the region’s key health issues.

Rural Health West Regional Advisor Chris Pickett said as part of the workshop, participants were asked to identify priority areas where a joint response could help to improve outcomes.

Key examples include police requesting input from schools, health providers and child protection agencies to engage with vulnerable children and their families.

Similarly, education representatives sought support from child protection, health and housing agencies to implement early intervention programs for children at risk to ensure that have appropriate housing, access to healthy food and school readiness programs.

A draft proposal relating to how workshop discussions and findings can integrate with existing forums and committees throughout the region will be considered in the near future.

A new research project in the Pilbara is taking an innovative approach to tackling smoking amongst Aboriginal women.

The project, funded through the Australian Government’s Tackling Indigenous Smoking program, is working with Aboriginal women living in Port Hedland and Western Desert communities to understand the role smoking plays in their lives and use this knowledge to refine existing smoking cessation programs.

“Many of the current ‘quit’ programs for women focus on the impact of smoking on their unborn or newborn babies,” said Rural Health West General Manager Regional Services Vivienne Duggin.

“This can mean that the mother returns to smoking once baby is born, or can cause mothers to feel guilty if they are unable to quit during pregnancy.

“Through the Tackling Indigenous Smoking grant, we will be working in partnership with researchers from Telethon Kids Institute and local health staff from Wirraka Maya Aboriginal Health Service Corporation and Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service to develop a women’s-centred approach to smoking cessation,” she said.

“The aim is to create a positive experience of smoking cessation and provide the women with an opportunity to discuss their smoking in a supportive environment.”

The project will commence in the near future and run through to June 2018.

Paediatric speech pathologist Jackie Jenkins returned to Albany in late 2016 after 15 years working across a range of roles in Perth.

We helped Jackie to find her role and were able to provide financial support through the Rural Health Professionals Program to help her relocate to Albany.

Now employed by Amity Health, Jackie supports many Albany children who have speech and language challenges.

“I mainly work with school-aged children, helping them develop their pre-literacy and literacy skills. We’ve recently been doing school screenings locally and right up to Jerramungup and Walpole to identify children who need speech or occupational therapy interventions.

“I also act as a panel member for children undergoing assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

“Early diagnosis and treatment is so important for children with speech delay and for children with ASD to ensure they can access services to support their development.”

“I’m really finding my groove being back in Albany. I recently went to Perth for a weekend and arriving back in Albany felt like ‘home’ on Sunday afternoon.”

In June 2017, we ran a pilot program with Amity Health to help Aboriginal people make better food and nutrition choices.

Throughout the month, an Amity Health dietitian and Aboriginal health worker visited Jerramungup, Tambellup, Kojonup and Gnowangerup, holding nutrition education workshops with groups of Aboriginal people in each of the towns.

Rural Health West General Manager, Regional Services Vivienne Duggin said the workshops were very hands-on and gave practical advice about improving nutrition.

“In some locations, participants did a walk-through of the local supermarket to discuss food labelling and if in doubt, how to find most of the healthy food located around the perimeter of the shop,” Vivienne said.

The nutrition program was funded through the Australian Government Department of Health’s Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program, which delivers chronic disease care to people living in rural and remote locations.

150 Aboriginal people across the Great Southern received crucial eye surgery during 2017, as part of a program to reduce surgical waiting times for people living in rural and remote areas.

The patients were treated by a team of visiting specialists at the Albany Health Campus as part of the Eye and Ear Surgical Support Service, which is run by Rural Health West with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health.

“Many Aboriginal patients are reluctant to travel away from their communities and traditional patient referrals often mean navigating public transport to Perth. This can be extremely daunting for patients with poor vision.

“Bringing this specialised care closer to the patients means more people are able to access the care they need,” said Rural Health West General Manager Regional Services, Vivienne Duggin.

“Restoring sight and hearing to these patients means they are able to become more actively involved in their community. They can participate in cultural business again. Some have been able to find work and many are now able to participate in everyday activities which they haven’t been able to do for many years.”

In mid-2017, we brought our Remote Emergency Medicine workshop to Denmark for the first time to give local doctors and health professionals a chance to brush up on their emergency skills.

30 local health professionals spent a weekend in May covering techniques they may need to use to treat adult and child patients suffering a range of medical emergencies.

Denmark GP Dr Jane James said the training was marvellous.

“The workshop got local doctors and nurses working as a team to make best use of local resources,” Dr James said.

The REM workshop has previously been run only in Kununurra, in recognition of its extremely remote location, which means medical and health professionals must be skilled in a broad range of emergency medical procedures which they may encounter in the hospital ED setting.

This training ensures that local health staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to respond to critical care situations which has the potential to save lives and improve the health outcomes of patients who are critically ill or injured.

Our business and practice support services helps many rural general practices to save countless hours of administration, which means they can focus more on providing outstanding care and service to their patients.

Jeni Anning from Pioneer Health in Albany is one of the many practice managers we support across the State.

“The webinars and Practice Management Business Support Tool provided by Rural Health West are such valuable resources,” said Jeni.

“Sonia from Rural Health West also spent half a day with us recently to help us prepare for our accreditation and talked us through various processes, software updates and Medicare changes.

“It meant we could focus our efforts when preparing for accreditation and get back to caring for our patients.

Every year Rural Health West works with up to approximately 250 general practices across rural Western Australia.

In 2015, we helped newly graduated physiotherapist Kate FitzSimons land her first professional role in Bunbury.

During her final year at university, Kate took a placement in Geraldton which sparked her interest in rural practice and so she started to keep an eye on the Rural Health West vacancies.

After being offered a job at Brecken Health, Kate became eligible for a Rural Health Professionals Program grant, which provided financial assistance for her to relocate to Bunbury and to access professional development to help her settle into her new role.

“As a new graduate, it was a privilege to take additional courses without having to worry about the cost. That additional training has helped me to develop my skills and provide the best possible service to my clients,” said Kate.

In addition to her role at Brecken Health, Kate is now working in a pilot program for the Ability Centre providing community-based care to children with disabilities.

“Providing this service locally saves these families regular trips to Perth, so it’s incredibly rewarding work,” said Kate.

Since February, Kate has been mentoring two newly graduated physiotherapists recruited to Brecken Health by Rural Health West.

In 2016, we provided assistance to 25 nurses and midwives and 34 allied health professionals; 55 of whom had never worked previously in rural Western Australia.

Pemberton’s Dr Lukas Vesely, and his practice manager wife Lara (pictured right), use Rural Health West’s locum placement service to ensure their community has access to care when they take leave.

“We both have family overseas and it’s really important that our children have a relationship with their relatives,” Lara said.

“We plan our trips a long way in advance, and Rural Health West often help find a locum to cover Lukas, or if we find someone ourselves, Rural Health West manages the administration for us.

Our policy and procedure practice manual saves rural practices hours of administration when preparing for general practice accreditation, which means they can focus more on providing outstanding care and service to their patients.

“The policy and procedure practice manual was invaluable in preparing both our practices for re-accreditation," said Tanya Wutchak, Business Manager for Collie River Valley Medical Centre and Southern Forests Medical Centre.

“It was very user friendly and saved me hours of work,” 

“Smaller practices don’t always have enough admin staff to keep across all of the changes in health policy, so this really is a time saver for us and helps us run two efficient and sustainable rural general practices.”

The policy and procedure practice manual was developed by Rural Health West to provide a series of template best practice policies and procedures which can be used to enhance a practice’s preparation for accreditation against the RACGP Standards for General Practices – Fourth edition.

For the past three years, we’ve brought a unique brand of medical training to iconic sites throughout the South West with our AWESoME conference.

AWESoME provides local medical professionals, paramedics and acute care nurses exposure and training to deal with potentially life-threatening medical emergencies in bush and outback settings.

Participants abseil, cave, canoe and hike their way through locations such as Brides Cave, Wilyabrup Sea Cliffs and the 

Blackwood River, attending to various simulated medical emergencies such as hypothermia, a punctured lung, broken limbs and snake bites along the way.

Margaret River nurse Jillian said the conference is a great refresher if you haven’t been involved in an emergency scenario for some time.

“The scenarios are definitely an extended level, especially from a nursing perspective. They were definitely relevant for those working in small country hospitals where you don’t have many staff and are often one of the first responders in emergency situations,” said Jillian.

Rural Health West is the leading provider of emergency wilderness training in Western Australia running events in the South West, Pilbara, Kimberley and the Perth metropolitan area.

In 2016, we took a group of medical, nursing and allied health students to Harvey to showcase the lifestyle and professional benefits of working in the South West region.

The Go Rural weekend aims to encourage students to consider a rural career by touring them through a country town’s community, health facilities and recreation opportunities.

Speech pathology student Abigail Ong said it was an amazing experience and a privilege to be part of it.

“I learnt invaluable skills and knowledge from the activities and interactions with other students.”

Student nurse Celeste Beresford said she would highly recommend Go Rural as a chance to experience life in a country town.

Go Rural is part of a national program funded by the Department of Health.

With one of the highest rates of melanoma diagnoses in Australia, the Kimberley region relies on its medical and health professionals to be well-educated about early detection and diagnosis of skin cancers.

In June 2017, we partnered with melanomaWA and Skin Check WA to deliver a unique skin cancer workshop to 25 medical and health professionals in the region.

The workshop aimed to educate local doctors and health professionals, such as physiotherapists, nurses and occupational therapists, to detect lesions or suspicious spots on their skin of their patients, enhance their excision skills and provide information about the use of dermascopy.

Dr Chevaun Howard from the Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service said the workshop was fantastic.

“The speakers were excellent and knowledgeable. I now feel more confident in retrieving and managing skin lesions.”

Clinton Heal (pictured right), CEO of melanomaWA, who lived in Derby as a child, was diagnosed with melanoma at just 22. He was very pleased to be able to return to the region to share his personal journey living with melanoma.

“It’s important for health professionals to see things from a patient perspective and appreciate the impact that skin cancer has on a person and their loved ones," Clinton said.

“I hope that hearing my story will help them provide quality clinical and patient care.”

Kicking off 2019 with the GP Obstetrics Mentoring Program,
Dr Janelle de Graaf is ready for the change of scenery in Albany with her new family.

Raising a baby girl and working as a GP registrar, you could say Janelle already has her hands full. 

Her devotion to rural medicine and rural communities has seen her commence her ACRRM Fellowship and Basic Diploma of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (DRANZCOG).

Janelle experienced a country upbringing in Mount Barker, Bridgetown and Karratha before settling in Bunbury  when she was seven. It was the sense of community and belonging she experienced that influenced her decision to become a rural GP.

“Growing up in regional Western Australia definitely influenced my decision of wanting to work in rural medicine. I love the sense of community in smaller towns – people know you and they look after you.”

In 2018, Janelle completed six months of obstetrics and gynaecology at Joondalup Health Campus before relocating to Albany in January. She will continue her general practitioner training at Pioneer Health as a GP obstetrician through the GP Obstetrics Mentoring Program. 

“My mentor is Dr Carly Roxburgh, who also works at Pioneer Health. It is extremely valuable having someone close-at-hand to discuss cases and presentations, or ask her if I am uncertain about how best to manage a patient.

“I think having a mentor will help me to become a proficient and competent practitioner much faster as I will be more willing to take patients with challenging conditions as I know there is extra support available.

Janelle also acknowledged the ongoing support of her husband.

“He is staying at home with Isabella so that I can pursue my career. I am very thankful to him for making all of this possible.”

“Going through my own pregnancy and the birth of my daughter Isabella was a wonderful and life changing experience and I knew what I wanted to do with my career.  For me, it stems back to the continuity of care, I want to support mums-to-be, mothers and have the opportunity to treat their children as they grow.”

- Dr Janelle de Graaf,

Moving to Collie in 2008 when her husband transferred for work, Jasmine took a role with a local physiotherapy practice. A year later, aged only 24, she had the opportunity to buy the business. Fast forward to 2018, Jasmine runs three successful practices in Collie, Harvey and Australind, 11 staff and has trained 12 graduates over the past eight years.

“My passion for physio and my determination to provide a quality service to country patients has lead me to opening multiple practices in the South West,” Jasmine said.

“Our biggest issue over the years has been recruitment and it becoming more and more difficult as more practices search for staff in the South West,” Jasmine said.

“I have found graduates are willing to relocate out of the city in order to gain experience. We try our best to cater to their passion so they enjoy coming to work, hopefully get a taste of what rural life has to offer and stay with us long term.

Jasmine’s priority is to ensure that her clients have the support of a trusted physiotherapist and she is willing to invest time and resources into training graduates for her patients and community.

“Continuity is extremely important for our patients; they are more comfortable and honest with someone they know and trust during treatment. Taking on graduates that are eager to learn and commit to staying in a rural town is more beneficial to our patients and the practices,” she said.

“We have a strong focus on culture in our team and encourage staff to live and breathe their community. Their involvement in activities and social environments in and out of work enables them to enjoy their lifestyle and also builds good relationships with their patients.”



Aside from her patients, Jasmine believes she also benefits from having graduates join her practices.

“I get a lot of satisfaction and reward back from seeing staff grow personally and professionally. I try my best to make their work experience the best I possibly can, whether that is through diversity in their caseloads, mentoring and training, and general support,” she said.

“We have taken on 12 graduates in the past eight years. The industry standard for a graduate to stay in a position is 12 months; however, with our training, mentoring and support we are finding that our graduates are staying for three or more years.”

Jasmine hopes she can continue to expand her team and increase access for country patients in the South West.

 “It can be a challenge taking on graduates for businesses, but in my opinion the rewards far outweigh the challenges and I hope to continue working with them in the future.”

- Jasmine Hulls

Leaving the hustle and bustle of the city behind and relocating to Kununurra has been a life changing experience for physiotherapist Sue Lawrence.

Growing up on a sugar farm in Eston South Africa, Sue had only briefly heard about physiotherapy but was determined to have a career in the health industry. After attending a career day at school where she met a guidance counsellor that suggested physiotherapy, she studied hard to turn her dream into a reality and ended up working as a private practitioner for over twenty years. In 2007, Sue and her family relocated to Tasmania from South Africa for security reasons. 

“It was a very difficult time for us, packing up our lives and leaving friends and family. We had no support in Australia, we were alone,” Sue said.

After finding solace in the Tasmanian way of life, Sue had settled in to her work and met a colleague who had been doing locum assignments and shared her experiences of working in rural Australia.

“Her experience and stories sparked an interest as I am originally from a rural farming community. Once my children started to find their own way in life, I decided to look for opportunities all over Australia.” 

After leaving Launceston in Tasmania, Sue lived in Melbourne for one year. The hustle and bustle of the city only made her want to move to a rural town even more desperately. 

“Kununurra was far removed from what I have ever experienced, it ticked all the right boxes,” she said.

Describing the move as one of the best experiences in her life, Sue is overjoyed with her decision to live and work in the Kimberley.

“I love the lifestyle in Kununurra. There is no traffic allowing me to get to work in two minutes and I go home for lunch or go for a swim. I have had time to contemplate life and explore instead of being in the hustle and bustle of a large city and having to keep track of time,” said Sue.

“My work is diverse, I never know what my day will bring and that excites me. I have met so many interesting clients; some have travelled hundreds of kilometres for treatment. They are resilient people who have learnt to cope in times of hardship and without access to medical support.”

Sue currently works at Kununurra Physiotherapy and is forever grateful for the opportunities she has working in the practice. 

A service providing Kimberley children with poor lung health culturally-safe, accessible and timely healthcare is quickly proving to be a hit.

The Broome outreach lung clinics aim to minimise the healthcare burden for families and reverse early disease in children before it can cause permanent advanced disease and premature mortality in early adulthood.

Senior respiratory physiotherapist Pam D’Sylva has been conducting respiratory visits to the Kimberley for nine years, treating children with chronic suppurative lung disease or bronchiectasis.

Her determination to see better lung health in Aboriginal children saw her applying for funding to kick-start the new initiative.

“One of the biggest barriers for Aboriginal children in remote parts of our State is lack of access to specialist healthcare,” Pam said.

“The exciting thing about the clinics is that we fly a team up from Perth Children’s Hospital to the Kimberley. The team sees up to 30 children a day, without the families having to travel too far, significantly improving access to specialist care.”

Patients and their families can attend clinics at Broome Hospital or Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (BRAMS). Having options empowers families, which Pam believes is one reason for the success of the clinics.  The continuity of the clinics with the same staff also builds trusting relationships over time.

“Families have a choice, do they want to come to the hospital or do they feel more comfortable at BRAMS? Allowing families to make that decision is really significant,” she said.

“We have seen cultural safety working so beautifully, particularly in the BRAMS clinics. We work with an Aboriginal child health nurse and health workers. It is a welcoming environment and it is a privilege to be involved.”

In the three clinics run under the new model during 2018, more than 20 children were diagnosed with early chronic suppurative lung disease and all have received treatment and follow up. All families also showed significant improvement for cough-related quality of life after being involved with the clinic.

“This service is needed because of the high burden of lung disease in the Kimberley.

“We expect to improve early diagnosis and management of lung disease by working with local stakeholders, training local health practitioners and improving lung health awareness through education and promotion.”

Dr Annie Irvine is a GP working for WA Country Health Service at Wyndham Hospital providing healthcare to the surrounding communities.  For years, she completed locum assignments in Halls Creek, Derby and Fitzroy Crossing and worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service Rural GP Service, before permanently relocating to Wyndham in 2009.  

“I have always enjoyed working in the Kimberley because of the people. If you are willing to be open minded and acknowledge cultural differences, you can build a rapport with your patients making your work captivating and rewarding,” Annie said.

“We moved to Wyndham because our kids had left home and I really loved working in the Kimberley when I was doing locum. Wyndham is a smaller town and felt like a good fit for my husband and I.”

Despite her enthusiasm for both the location and nature of the work, Annie said that working in a remote location can be challenging for a doctor.

“The medicine in the Kimberley can be demanding with the burden of chronic diseases, social issues and the huge variety of presentations.

“We have a very small team that works extremely hard treating Wyndham and surrounding communities. I believe we are paid well for the work we do; however, when the GPRIP bonus comes along every year you do feel appreciated,” she said.

“Although I choose to live here it is isolated and that can be difficult at times, I find taking breaks is important. 

“I love my life and work in Wyndham, I enjoy the work-life balance that is essential if you are to remain working in a rural location long-term.”

- Dr Annie Irvine.

Rural Health West attended the Dowerin Field Days reaching out to rural communities in the Wheatbelt to discuss the services and programs available to them through Rural Health West.

Over the two-day event, our team engaged with locals, shared information and discussed issues affecting the health and wellbeing of their communities. The Wheatbelt Medical Student Immersion Program, Outreach Services and the Family Support Service were met with interest, enthusiasm and appreciation. 

Each year, the Dowerin District High School coordinates the ‘Activity Trail’ for the event where groups of students and the public interact with specific exhibits and complete activities, Rural Health West once again jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this.

Following on from its success last year, 150 copies of Rural Health West’s drawing competition ‘Your favourite way to stay healthy’ were distributed among four local schools including Dowerin District High School, and Wongan Hills, Wyalkatchem and Yerecoin primary schools. Out of all the fabulous entries we had, our winners were Sarah Offszanka and Beau Waters, who each won a family pass to the Perth Zoo.

Family Support Program Coordinator Jen Maughan enjoyed attending the Dowerin Field Days and looks forward to attending next year.

“We really enjoy coming to the Dowerin Field Days and meeting local families and community members. It is a timely reminder why we work so hard to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to quality healthcare,” Jen said.

Thank you to everyone who came and visited us over the weekend, we look forward to seeing you again in 2019.

A unique program running at East Kalgoorlie Primary School is helping their students get onsite access to speech and occupational therapy.

Under the program, speech, language and occupational therapy teacher Caroline Hooper, works with visiting health providers and teaching staff to incorporate therapy exercises into everyday activities within the classroom.

“Quite a number of our children experience hearing issues, which can cause oral language delay, in turn impacting the child’s ability to learn,” she said.

“Good hearing is so critical to learning in young children. This program is making a massive difference to our students. 

“We have a holistic approach to learning here, so we focus on ensuring the children are ready to learn, which means they are healthy and prepared,” Caroline said

One of the ways the staff have been preparing their students for learning is by transporting children to appointments at Bega Garnbirringu Health Service for regular check-ups.

“Many of our parents don’t have the resources to take their children for routine appointments, so we incorporated this into our school program.

“However, it does take the children away from school for a chunk of time, so more recently we’ve arranged for GP and nursing staff from Bega to attend the school weekly.”

This ensures the children receive prompt medical attention without having to leave school.

In the past, the school had arrangements with local speech and occupational therapists for children to receive support; however, it had been ad hoc at times due to lack of funding. In 2017, the school applied for a regular visiting service through Rural Health West.

“We applied for funding under the Rural Health Outreach Fund (RHOF), which has enables regular visits from a speech therapist and an occupational therapist.

“It is fantastic to have these services delivered on site; the therapists are able to identify the needs of the children and develop a treatment plan we can incorporate into the classroom.

“The early childhood teachers and assistants typically identify the children in the classroom they feel may need some intervention and they are then referred to the visiting service.”

Principal Judith King said overall the program was of great benefit to the children, her staff and the community.

“Integrating health services into the school helps level the playing field for our children,” said Judith.

“We work with the children individually or in small groups and then the teachers incorporate exercises into their classroom activities.

“By attending to any health or development issues quickly, we are making their learning journey much smoother. It helps reduce barriers to learning and gives them more time in the classroom as they aren’t missing school due to illness or appointments.”

A three-week placement in Karratha and Roebourne has proven to be an eye-opening experience for University of Notre Dame Australia student Sophie Leonard.

As part of her third year preventive health studies, Sophie spent time in the Pilbara planning and coordinating a NAIDOC community engagement stall, designing culturally appropriate educational resources under the supervision of the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health and working with WA Police on a liquor restriction program. 

“I was aware of the challenges that Aboriginal people in rural Western Australia faced before my placement; however, this experience allowed me to gain a much better insight and understanding,” Sophie said.

“During the placement I was immersed in Aboriginal culture and witnessed issues including overcrowding, cultural trauma and alcoholism. The projects that I have been involved in were confrontational at times but were also a fantastic learning opportunity.”

Sophie said the highlight of her placement was the connections she formed with people she met along the way.

“I was fortunate to work alongside, and be mentored by, an incredible team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous professionals.

“Working with the police conducting home visits in particular, was emotionally draining but an integral part of my placement.

“It enabled me to grasp the severity of the situation in Karratha and the need for more resources towards helping people in the community,” she said.

Back in Perth, Sophie is heavily involved in her community and has had a passion for Aboriginal health from an early age.

“When I was a teenager my mother started a drop-in service for Aboriginal youth and I spent a lot of time with the children.

“I respect the sense of community and belonging in Aboriginal culture and that is what piqued my interest when I was looking into preventive health and how I could help communities,” she said.

Sophie completes is contemplating heading back to the Pilbara once she finishes her degree. 

“I am passionate about closing the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the wider Australian community,” she said.

“Going to Karratha has shown me that rural and remote areas are underserviced and I would definitely consider moving to Karratha to work once I am qualified.”

If you require new skills or further training, we are here to help. We provide a family support service for rural medical and health practitioners, including Partner Education Grants (PEG).

Previous recipients of the grant have completed training and study in education, fitness, health, hospitality and administration. Funding can be used towards any form of, or level of education or skills development, as long as an accredited provider offers the training.

Grant recipient Michelle Gust lives in Albany with her partner and their two children. Michelle applied for the grant so she could continue her studies in Certificate IV in Education Support after she had completed her Certificate III. 

“I applied for the grant to continue my studies; it was too good an opportunity to miss. It allowed me to keep up the momentum of study and increase my chances of securing employment,” said Michelle.

Prior to Education Support, Michelle was a registered nurse. She then committed to years of unpaid work for greater flexibility to cater for her family and her partner’s on call responsibilities as a GP anesthetist.

“During the period where I was not engaged in paid work I invested time in non-profit organisations. I have volunteered in varied positions, which has been rewarding and invaluable in acquiring news skills but it often resulted in volunteer fatigue.

“I have found that by completing further study and returning to the paid workforce it has enabled me to regain some balance in my life and shifted my position in the community,” she said.

“The transition to working in education seemed a natural and a positive step for my family and me. The grant has given me the opportunity to explore a different career path and I would encourage others to apply if it will do the same for them,” she said.

Michelle wishes to continue her studies in literacy support, she hopes she can help students journey towards reaching their academic potential.

Many communities in regional, rural and remote WA do not have easy access to medical specialists or allied health professionals who can diagnose and treat a variety of illnesses. Providing access to specialised medical services reduces the patient’s need to travel long distances to attend a consultation or receive treatment, meaning they can stay close to their home and family.

The Visiting Optometrists Scheme (VOS) aims to improve the eye health of people in regional, rural and remote locations by improving coordination and integration of new and existing eye health services, and increasing access to optometry services.

Geoff Kaye is an optometrist funded through VOS allowing him to visit the South-West towns of Boyup Brook, Bridgetown, Northcliffe, Walpole and Pemberton. He typically sees three to four patients per location and visits monthly or bimonthly so he can monitor their progress.

Geoff has been funded through the VOS since July 2015. He believes without the support of the scheme regional and remote patients would suffer.

“VOS is really important; communities appreciate that they can stay in their hometowns and receive specialised medical services.

“Most elderly patients cannot travel to larger nearby towns and often rely on others for transport so unfortunately these barriers result in people neglecting their health,” Geoff said.

Geoff has a particular interest for diabetic eye screening, a key part of diabetes care. It can detect the condition early before the patient notices any changes in their vision and could ultimately save their life.

“Diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness in Australia which is why early detection is so important. Signs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can be picked up through a routine examination.’’

With an extensive career spanning  55 years and across two continents, Geoff has managed thousands of patients and yet he still finds elation in his work.

“I am passionate about delivering optometry in regional areas, I believe it to be more fulfilling personally and my patients are really appreciative.

“I get to see some really interesting cases because people in the country often leave their medical conditions untreated, so by the time they do eventually seek help, their symptoms are more advanced,” he said.

Coordinating a team of busy health professionals to visit a dozen remote communities spread hundreds of kilometres apart, eight times a year would be daunting for many; but for Azizah Roe from the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service (KAMS) it is just another day on the job.

Azizah is the Ear Health Regional Facilitator KAMS in Broome. Her role consists of upskilling and staff training, ear health promotion through education and awareness, as well as coordinating the Healthy Ears – Better Hearing, Better Listening service.

She is responsible for planning up to eight trips per year in which an Ear Nose Throat specialist (ENT), audiologist and an Aboriginal health worker visit locations such as Bidyadanga, Derby, Kupangarri, Kandiwal, Halls Creek, Ringer Soak, Red Hill, Balgo, Mulan, Billiluna, and Kununurra. The number of patients, resources and the seasons can determine these destinations.

Unsurprisingly, Azizah said lot of work that goes into planning visits to the communities.

“There is a lot of planning in the lead up to the trips. I organise flights and accommodation including the itineraries of the ear health team. I liaise with schools and clinics to ensure that they are prepared for our outreach trip.

 “I also check what is happening within the communities. There could be disease outbreaks in the community, sorry business or even family feuding. All of these can affect our patients so it is important the team is aware,” said Azizah.

 “Occasionally there can be limitations with resources within the community. The availability of vehicles and accommodation is a limitation which impacts on the logistics of planning these outreach trips. Weather conditions can additionally affect access into and out from these places. These are important factors to take into consideration in the planning phase.”

HEBHBL focuses on newly born children and up to the age of twenty-one due to the high number of Aboriginal children with ear infections.

“Social determinants such as poor nutrition, overcrowding, lack of education and poverty are some of the factors that attribute to chronic ear disease, making children highly susceptible,” she said.

According to Azizah, people underestimate the importance of ear health, which is why the program focuses on ear health education as an early preventative strategy.

“Ear health education is so important because people are unaware of how serious complications from poor ear health can be.

“Facial paralysis, meningitis, deafness and difficultly learning are all possibilities if left untreated. Hearing loss alone can interfere with a child’s learning and development and cause other issues, as the children get older’’, she said.

The HEBHBL program greatly benefits the remote communities, with many being quite isolated; reducing the need to travel to see a specialist means patients can receive treatment without having to leave their family.

“It can be hard for parents to get their child to see a specialist that can be hours away and having to leave the rest of their children at home.

“With HEBHBL, they do not have to leave their families or walk away from commitments to their community as the service is on their doorstep”, said Azizah.

Azizah believes that without the support provided through Healthy Ears - Better Hearing, Better Listening, many more children will suffer.

“Without this program many children will continue to suffer in silence with chronic ear disease and prolonged hearing loss”.

The John Flynn Placement Program (JFPP) is designed to attract the future medical workforce to a rural career. Each year three hundred rural placements are available to medical students to experience the unique clinical practice and rural lifestyle throughout Australia. The program is highly competitive and only one third of applicants receive a placement.

Students on the program spend two weeks per year over 3-4 years immersed in a rural location. They are allocated a medical mentor who is responsible for showing them the clinical side of rural medicine. A community host and community contact are also assigned to provide accommodation and to help the student become involved in the social side of the community.

Dr Darcy Smith is based in Albany and has been involved with the JFPP program for the past ten years. He became involved after seeing an advertisement asking for doctors to act as mentors for medical students, many of whom are from interstate. 

"I think it's a really important program in getting more doctors into rural and regional locations.

"All of our students have been from interstate, so they get exposure to a different health system. Each state is structured slightly differently and different towns of course have different access to services. They get an appreciation of how accessible health care is for people in Albany and surrounds,” Dr Smith said.

Dr Smith had always loved the teaching element of being a doctor and wanted to give students the opportunity to experience rural medicine and the lifestyle that comes with it.

"I see my role as not just to show them the medicine, but also the lifestyle away from the city. We will always have them over for dinner or take them to events happening in the city when they are here,” he said.

There is a misconception that being a JFPP mentor is time consuming for busy medical professionals but Dr Smith disagrees and makes time for his students during their visit.

"I used to have one student per year, but now have two. We currently have two women, both of whom are in their third year of medicine in South Australia.

"I have the students sit with me every morning in clinic, and then I encourage them to visit the town and do other things. If they are more progressed in their medical degree, I get them to 'clerk' my patients and then present them to me. That gives them exposure to listening to patients and writing patient records which is not something they specifically train in at university,” he said.

Dr Christine Oosterhuis is a former JFPP scholar and says the program is important for the future of rural medicine.

“JFPP is extremely valuable in giving medical students an insight to the diversity of rural practice.

“I reflected on my experience with JFPP often when deciding what aspect of medicine I wanted to do and it had a big impact and influenced my decisions,” she said.

Dr Giulia Kitchin, a former JFPP scholar also, was convinced that she would practice rural medicine after her time in Collie.

“I love the JFPP, it completely sold me. The amazing variety of medical problems that the doctors see and the way they were totally involved in their community was inspiring.

“The program opened my eyes to the skills that would be asked of me and the benefits that I would be able to get out of being a part of a smaller community,” she said.