Sustainable Rural Health Project

Our region’s population is aging, with almost one-third of residents now aged 65 years and over. As people age their healthcare needs generally increase and they need a wider range of services.

In rural areas it is challenging to attract doctors and health workers and maintain the services that are needed in communities. For rural people, they often have to travel away from homes to get the care they need. This is costly and can be stressful and demanding on people and their families.

To address health system and workforce issues in the Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra region, Murray PHN, Boort District Health, Inglewood & Districts Health Service, East Wimmera Health Services and Northern District Community Health have formed the Integrated Health Network (IHN) Alliance.

The IHN Alliance will share resources and work together with communities, to future-proof the region's healthcare services to ensure that people can get the care they need, where and when they need it.

How to get involved 

Over the next two years, health services and communities will co-design and pilot new healthcare strategies to address the widening gaps caused by workforce shortages in the Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra region. The pilots will be closely evaluated, to find out how they can be sustained over the long term and how they can be applied in other rural regions across the Murray PHN catchment and beyond. The more local people can participate, the more tailored and successful the healthcare outcomes will be.

Healthcare Consumers and Carers - Review the co-design and have your say

Thank you to the community members who participated in a research interview and shared their experiences of accessing health services in Buloke, Loddon, and Gannawarra regions. The co-design brief findings summaries are now available and the full report will be shared shortly.

Read the Co-design findings summary here

Provide feedback on the Co-design findings here

 

Loddon Mallee Nurse Practitioner Network

Murray PHN is working with nurse practitioners in the Loddon Mallee region to re-activate and support sustainability of the Loddon Mallee Nurse Practitioner Network. The aim of the Network is to increase opportunities for workforce development and peer support. All nurse practitioners working in the Loddon Mallee and neighbouring regions are welcome to join. Meetings will be held bi-monthly, with a video call link available. To register, click here.

Join the mailing list

To stay up-to-date with the project progress and updates, click here to join the mailing list.

Newsletter archive:

 

Media releases

 

Key resources

Project ID: 32766 (MUHREC)
Project title: Co-design of place-based and evidence-informed models of sustainable rural healthcare

 

Page last updated 16 January 2023