BDGP Dietitian Lara Mathers and Physiotherapist Shellie Corney at the Warialda Diabetes Day
Preventative Health Initiative Coordinator Shellie Corney at the Warialda Health Expo. BDGP won Best New Stall in 2010 |
| Rural Primary Health Services (RPHS) | Preventative Health Initiative | W K Hunter Scholarship Rural Primary Health Services (RPHS) Program Coordinator: Shellie Corney Contact: 02 6752 7196 Email: scorney@barwondgp.org.au The Rural Primary Health Services (RPHS) Program aims to improve the health of people living in rural areas through allied health care, with linkages between allied health care and general practice. Funding is used to provide clinical care by allied health professionals. Preventative Health Initiative Program Coordinator: Shellie Corney Contact: 02 6752 7196 Email: scorney@barwondgp.org.au The Preventative Health Initiative is funded by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing and aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people in rural and remote Australia. Specifically, this program aims to provide and maintain access to relevant health promotion and preventative health programs and activities designed to promote health and wellbeing. The Barwon Division is using a community capacity building approach whereby we develop partnerships with already existing organisations. We would like to encourage community groups to access our health professionals, particularly allied health professionals (such as dietitian, physiotherapist and mental health workers) to utilise their expertise during the planning and implementation of community health prevention programs. Dr William K Hunter Scholarship Medical, Allied Health, Nursing students from the Moree Shire, Warialda, Bingara or Collarenebri districts in the 2nd year or above of an undergraduate degree at any Australian University are invited to apply for the Dr William Hunter Scholarship.
The selected student will receive a payment of $5000 for the academic year to assist with rental, books and associated university costs. Dr Maxine Percival leads a Committee with representation from Barwon Division of General Practice, GP representation, the Chamber of Commerce and the community which oversees the management of the Scholarship, which is funded by local sponsorship. An Application Form is available to download with applications closing the last Friday in July at 5 p.m. Dr William Hunter Scholarship recipients are unable to concurrently be in receipt of any other scholarship. Download Application Form (PDF format) HeartStart Project After becoming aware of the Project HeartStart Australia in 2005, The Barwon Division of General Practice (BDGP) began a local fundraising project to purchase three AEDs to be located in the Division town of Moree. Enough money was raised to purchase the AEDs, which have been placed in local pharmacies and medical centres. The BDGP has also undertaken successful projects in the Division towns of Gunneda, Narrabri and Wee Waa. The fundraising is part of Project HeartStart Australia, which aims to increase public access to defibrillation in the event of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). SCA is Australia’s biggest killer, taking the lives of between 25,000-30,000 people every year. The most successful treatment for SCA is defibrillation within a few minutes of the event. The goal of Project HeartStart Australia, which was launched in 2004, is to have defibrillators available at more public places – particularly in regional areas where ambulances may not be as readily available. |
Dietitian Lara Mathers demonstrates how to pack a healthy lunchbox at the Moree Vibe Alive Festival |
The Dr William Hunter Scholarship was initiated to honour the work of Bill Hunter AM, as a rural GP and surgeon based in the Moree area as a means of addressing and encouraging the very real problem of health professional retention in rural communities. Dr Bill Hunter served Moree and the surrounding areas for 41 years.