Stanhope forum explores healthcare innovation

The event was focused on co-designing primary healthcare services to increase access to GPs, nursing and allied health professionals.

Representatives from Kyabram, Rochester and Swan Hill district health services attended, along with state and federal government-funded representative groups.

KDHS chief executive Anne McEvoy said the Stanhope Telecare Medical Clinic had generated intrigue from other services and government departments.

“The interest from the Commonwealth and our colleagues from Rochester and Swan Hill was about, is this model transferable to other areas?” she said.

“Also, what’s needed in Stanhope to make the model, enhance the model, build the model, and integrate it into other communities?”

Forum attendees were invited to share ideas and network with others, with the aim of generating relevant feedback from different locations.

The forum was also organised in part to address the difficulty of attracting and retaining medical professionals rurally.

Stanhope’s Telecare centre came about as a way to combat the market failure of GPs in Stanhope, and offers virtual and in-person consultations.

Community health practice nurse Janine Rofe, who has worked at the centre for the past year, said it had continued to grow since opening.

“The uptake is increasing, increasing,” she said.

“I feel now we’ve really engaged with the community as a whole ... doing a lot of health promotion and primary care and chronic disease management.”

Stanhope and District Development Committee president Glenda Cowie agreed that the centre had continued to develop since opening.

Ms Cowie was also pleased the forum was hosted locally as it gave residents a chance to attend without the need to travel.

Telecare medical director Raymond Wen said the centre’s continued growth mapped with the community’s rising confidence in the service.

“Community members are used to the fact that some of the sessions are face-to-face in the clinic, and some are via Telehealth,” he said.

“I think it’s a great model to tackle some of the structural shifts in how GPs want to practice, and how there’s a passing of the baton between generations.”

Mr Wen highlighted the importance of the model providing continuity of care, which can often improve diagnoses and health outcomes.

Feedback from the forum will be considered by consultants, and Ms McEvoy said she was excited to hear about the outcomes.

“From a Stanhope perspective, we want to be able to sustain, continue and grow what’s here,” she said.

“Our need for mental health, paediatrics and other supporting modalities to enhance what we already have was spoken about.”

Information collected from the event will be used for the purposes of healthcare planning and improvement.