2017 Primary Healthcare Awards Winners
Innovation
Therapy Connect
Delivers therapy supports to children with complex disability via telepractice.
Therapy Connect is a private Early Childhood Intervention service based at Deniliquin, NSW. Providing speech and occupational therapy supports in a unique way, delivering ALL therapy supports online via videoconference (telepractice). Founded by two rural allied health practitioners (Sue Cameron, speech pathologist and Simone Dudley, occupational therapist) Therapy Connect is passionate about rural practice and improving access to therapy supports for rural & remote families by delivering high quality innovative person-centered therapy.
Therapy Connect is a small business that, whilst being based in Deniliquin and serving the local region, has established a client base across Australia as well as reaching overseas into Asia providing timely access to highly experienced allied health practitioners for families isolated from services.
Promoting Healthy Lifestyle
Murrumbidgee and Southern NSW Local Health District
Wathchya Gunna Do? Youth Vaccine Hip Hop Video
Wathchya Gunna Do? Youth Vaccine Hip Hop Video was created in an effort to address this issue ofimmunisation rates of Aboriginal students receiving their high school vaccines which was considerably lower than non-Aboriginal students in NSW.
After consultation with Elders, Community, Students, Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Education Officers it appeared that there was a lack of awareness of vaccine preventable diseases and immunisation. The development of the Hip Hop Video was aimed at increasing high school student’s awareness of vaccine preventable diseases and the importance of immunisation, via a media that students can relate too.
The video has received positive feedback from communities and Elders nationally, indicating that the music video has created a positive community discussion about immunisation. The youth are educating other students and community about immunisation, which closes the gap for future in improving the overall Aboriginal health.
Improving Healthcare Access and/or Reducing Health Inequality
Trail Street Medical Centre
Opiate treatment in Primary Care
Dr Mary Ross had a vision when opening Trail Street Medical Centre to establish a private prescribing service for opioid dependent patients, and to integrate this within a mainstream GP practice to allow for the simultaneous treatment of Opioid dependency and traditional GP care.
Over the last 6 years Trail Street Medical Centre has prescribed to a total of 79 patients on the Opioid Treatment Program provide them access to a more normalised and clinical approach to their Drug Dependence Treatment in a flexible, non-judgemental environment. Dr Ross’ passion was evident throughout her submission and has no doubt been central to the success of this initiative.
