At the monthly Deniliquin Local Health Advisrory Committee meeting on Monday, members received an update on staffing from Deniliquin facility manager Ginny Lange.
She reported that while recruitment remains an ongoing activity, over the last six months several new staff have been welcomed to Deniliquin Health Service.
“The majority of these staff have been recruited through Murrumbidgee Local Health District’s recruitment drive in the United Kingdom,” Mrs Lange said.
“They are experienced nursing and allied health practitioners, and we are delighted to have them make their home in Deniliquin.
“Over time, this will reduce our reliance on agency staff, provide continuity of care, and make us more sustainable.”
Deniliquin LHAC encourages community members to make these new residents and their families welcome.
The manager’s updates also included information on other activity across the health service, as well as discussion around new initiatives both within the health service and by LHAC.
One is the ‘Stepping On’ program, which is returning to Deniliquin.
“This is great news indeed, particularly for the older members of the community who are at risk of falls,” Deni LHAC chair Lynda Barclay said.
“Our community health team plan to run this seven week program in the next couple of months, and it will then be conducted again early next year.”
In other LHAC news, Mrs Barclay and vice chair Lourene Liebenberg recently attended the biannual LHAC Forum. Accompanying them was Deni Health Service cluster manager Craig McColm.
“This is a great opportunity to get together with other LHAC members from towns across the Murrumbidgee footprint, exchanging ideas on projects they conduct in their communities,” Mrs Barclay said.
“We are also fortunate to hear from the executive teams of both the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, and the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network.
“Despite the many challenges of delivering health services in rural areas, our district is making a real effort to work together and combine resources from both state (MLHD) and federal (MPHN) governments to achieve common objectives.
“We were also able to bring some new resources back to distribute amongst our community.”
Health info at your fingertips
Your free copy of the Health Services Information Guide - developed in partnership with the Deniliquin Pastoral Times - is still available at the front desk of the hospital, Edward River Library, Deniliquin Community Health Centre, local pharmacies and doctor’s surgeries, the Deni PT office and some other locations.
This guide lists all things health in Deniliquin and is great to have on your desk or at home.
Join LHAC
Anyone interested in joining LHAC, or providing their feedback, can contact Deni LHAC on wallamunga@bigpond.com.
You can also learn more about the role of LHAC by going to www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/nsw-health/mlhd/get-involved/local-health-advisory-committees.
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