“The pinnacle of best practice in Australia for rural health delivery”- NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr Andrew McDonald

Waluwin Community CentreAustralia’s first fully integrated community primary health care centre

The unlikely beginning of a dream

Waluwin Community CentreInnovation/Best Practice – Australian first

• Australia’s first fully integrated primary community health care centre.

• Result of unique partnership between community groups, residents, private enterprise, Local, State and Federal Governments.

• $3.6m centre funded by groups as diverse as the Country Women’s Association, Anglican Church, Greater Western Area Health Service, Cabonne Council and State and Federal Governments.

Waluwin Community CentreInnovation/Best Practice – Diverse funding collaboration

• Administered and operated on day-to-day basis by partnership of Western NSW Health Network, Central West Division of General Practice and Cabonne Council.

Waluwin Community CentreInnovation/Best Practice – Unique management partnership

• Caters for whole community from pre-schoolers to seniors.

• Houses full range of community health services.

• Headquarters for Family Day Care and Family Links services.

Waluwin Community CentreInnovation/Best Practice – Extensive health services

• Integrated patient record system an Australian first.

• Allows doctors, health professionals to access records from all medical services and facilities.

• Provides better, more targeted health care, particularly for rural and remote patients.

Waluwin Community CentreInnovation/Best Practice – Integrated patient records

• Described as “pinnacle of best practice in Australia for rural health delivery” by NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Health Andrew McDonald when he officially opened building.

Waluwin Community CentreInnovation/Best Practice – Pinnacle of best practice

• Community, Council recognised need to arrest decline in rural health services.

• Extensive planning process involved local residents, more than 20 community groups, Cabonne Council, Central West Division of General Practice and Federal and State Governments.

Waluwin Community CentreProcess and Planning – Community driven

• Developed “one-stop shop” concept to retain health, clinical care and deliver previously unavailable ancillary services.

• Paradigm shift to involve community groups, churches, private enterprise, Council and Government in funding process.

Waluwin Community CentreProcess and Planning – Paradigm shift

• All stakeholders had input into design.

• Cabonne Council saved ratepayers $200,000 by project managing all aspects of the building from design to construction.

Waluwin Community CentreProcess and Planning – Stakeholders input

• Named after a Wiradjuri word meaning “health and well-being”, the Waluwin Centre benefits almost every member of the community.

Waluwin Community CentreBenefits – From pre-schoolers to seniors

• Health One area consists of five general practitioners, community health workers, speech therapist, optometrist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, podiatrist, psychologist, pathology services, palliative care specialist fitness leader and child and family nurses.

Waluwin Community CentreBenefits – New and expanded medical services

• Employs 24 people.

• 20 positions created by facility’s development.

• Attracted five new doctors to Molong, who also service five smaller nearby villages.

• Wide range of new allied health services.

Waluwin Community CentreBenefits – New doctors and health professionals

• Better co-ordination of care to residents in Molong and surrounding towns and villages of Cudal, Manildra, Cumnock, Yeoval and Euchareena.

• Visiting specialists save residents inconvenient and sometimes painful journeys to major regional centres.

Waluwin Community CentreBenefits – Build it and they will come

• Houses Family Day Care and Family Links services.

• Venue for community playgroups, family day care playgroups, mothers’ groups and meetings.

• Visiting child development specialist.

Waluwin Community CentreBenefits – State-of-the-art children’s services

• Provides community meeting and training rooms and facilities.

• Located next to Molong’s major aged care facility providing direct access for elderly residents.

Waluwin Community CentreBenefits – Community meeting and training facilities

• Building incorporates solar power generating plant.

• Reduces 8.8 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year.

• Example for community to install similar systems.

• Internal display unit allows public to monitor system.

Waluwin Community CentreBenefits – Energy efficiency and education

• Regarded as a model for future delivery of health services in rural areas.

• Can be readily adapted by other Councils.

• Council, community representatives happy to visit and consult with any area planning to build similar facility.

Waluwin Community CentreTransferability – Model for rural health delivery

Waluwin Community CentreTransferability – How the model works

• Community partnership• Extensive consultation• Medical & health professional support• Tailored funding model• Inter-governmental collaboration• Ongoing community involvement.

Communication

“The pinnacle of best practice in Australia

for rural health delivery”

-NSW Parliamentary -Secretary for Health

- Dr Andrew McDonald