New partnership with Royal Flying Doctor service
Western Victoria Primary Health Network (WVPHN) is proud to announce our new partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Victoria to expand its successful Community Transport service across Victoria.
One of our core functions at WVPHN is to use our knowledge and understanding of local health and service needs within our region and prioritise activities to address these needs.
We recognise that the time and cost associated with travel is a significant barrier for many people to attend vital healthcare appointments.
We are therefore pleased to come together in this partnership with Murray PHN and Gippsland PHN to ensure the valuable Flying Doctor Community Transport service reaches rural Victorian communities where health services are not readily available or are some distance away.
From 2022, eight new RFDS sites are to be established in Victoria and while the exact locations are to be finalised, we look forward to the development of transport hubs in our region to enhance accessibility to primary health care services.
View the media release from RFDS Victoria here.
New Project ECHOs coming soon
Building upon the success of our Project ECHO COVID-19 series where case-based discussions and up-to-date information and resources are shared, WVPHN has two Project ECHO series commencing next month.
Online ECHO sessions are free to attend open all primary care clinicians in the western Victoria catchment.
The Project ECHO Domestic and Family Violence Network has been established in collaboration with the Safer Families Centre of Research Excellence and is aimed at building specialist knowledge and support, early identification and intervention to clients at risk or who are experiencing family and/or domestic violence.
Sessions for this series will run online on Tuesday afternoons. Find out more and register here
Our new Project ECHO Intellectual Disability Information and Education Series is also set to commence in May.
The series is intended to support primary health care professionals to increase their understanding when working with a person with an intellectual disability and has been developed in consultation with people with lived experience, carers, and a range of health professionals.
Fortnightly sessions will be held online on Tuesday mornings. Find out more and register here
National Heart Week
National Heart Week (2-8 May) is just around the corner and with one Australian suffering from a heart attack or stroke every 4 minutes, the Heart Foundation is encouraging general practice teams to focus on simple, routine practices that have a measurable lifesaving impact.
Those wishing to get involved in this important week can view resources via the Heart Week webpage here.
Please also remember to visit the HealthPathways Cardiology pages for information and resources on heart health.
Feedback
Lastly, WVPHN welcomes your feedback regarding our organisation, our programs and services, and/or broader primary care issues in our region and how we can support you as a Primary Health Network.
Health care professionals are reminded that feedback can be submitted at any time via our online feedback form here.
Rowena Clift
Chief Executive Officer