General News
28 November, 2024
RFDS wins award for Gilgandra and Warren medical centres
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has been named Rural/Remote Health Employer of the Year, recognised for their role in saving general practice medical centres in Warren, Gilgandra, and Condobolin.
The RFDS Southeastern Section (SE) was a finalist in four categories at the 2024 National Rural and Remote Health Awards, presented in Canberra on November 6. Held as part of Rural Health Pro’s Rural Health Month, the awards recognise the exceptional health professionals and organisations committed to improving the health and wellbeing of those living in rural and remote communities.
The RFDSSE was also a finalist for the Rural/Remote Advocate of the Year Award, Rural/Remote Health Innovator of the Year category, and RFDS South Australia/Northern Territory senior dentist and oral health program manager, Dr. Vaibhav Garg, won the individual honour Rural/Remote Health Professional of the Year.
Gilgandra Shire Council mayor Doug Batten congratulated the RFDSSE on their nominations and the award. He also acknowledged the contributions they had made to the Gilgandra community with their clinic.
Jenny Beach, RFDSSE executive general manager of health services development, said it was “an honour” for the organisation to be recognised as a finalist. She credited the passion and dedication of all the RFDSSE medical services teams involved who worked to bring about positive change across their practices.
“It’s fantastic to be recognised,” Mrs. Beach said. “It’s fantastic… because it really points to the people that are working in these communities… they care so deeply about their communities, and it really shows.
“I think it’s a tribute to the people that are working out in the communities,” she said.
The RFDS moving to acquire general practices within rural communities means areas like Gilgandra retain access to vital primary healthcare services. It keeps doctors and their patients local, a tremendous boon for our region.
According to the RFDSSE, across the three communities (Gilgandra, Warren, and Condobolin), they support 12,000 people who might otherwise have to travel hours for even a simple checkup. “Addressing the needs of these communities fundamentally comes down to our understanding of the people we serve,” states the RFDS.
Mrs. Beach also commented that members of the local community supported by RFDSSE clinics are passionate about keeping their health services local. She said that it was up to the community, not just the nurses and doctors, to make a difference in people’s health, by watching and listening to the community.
“It means you can pick up things early, you can manage people so that their health [stays] a lot better,” Mrs. Beach said. “It’s not just sort of episodic care… it’s all that stuff that manages the whole person.”
The RFDS has been operating for almost 100 years and has always been involved in primary care.
In a media release, the RFDS stated that “[We] are proud to serve rural and remote Australians and for these award nominations. What has been achieved over the last two years across all three locations has been transformative for so many and we are grateful for all RFDSSE staff who have been instrumental to ensuring our success.”
