Health service’s self-check up

ROBINVALE District Health Services is looking to do more than be all things medical to the community it serves.

It now wants members of the community to use their hands-on experiences of RDHS in discussions about what is really needed at grassroots level by joining its new committee.

RDHS chair Jess Curran said the decision to establish the community advisory committee would “create a vital bridge between the community and the RDHS board, directly influencing the direction and delivery of health-care services in Robinvale”.

Ms Curran said the service was looking for as diverse a cross-section of the district as possible.

She said the new engagement committee would bring the community closer to health-care decision-making.

RDHS has recognised the importance of reflecting and celebrating Robinvale’s ethnic and cultural diversity.

“Through this concept we are looking forward to having stronger community input on the direction and shape of Robinvale’s health services into the future,” Ms Curran said.

“We are a vibrant and growing health service, and we want to bring people on board to join us on this journey.

“That means to be even more effective in growing and evolving our health service and what we deliver, we need the community to come with us.

“We are the doers at the front line, but we want the people we serve to work with us, to help us, ensure our services are relevant and understood by the community.

“We are listening, and we’re looking to hear the voices and ideas of people who use health services regularly and those who don’t – and we not only want to know why, we want to do something proactive about correcting any issues of which we may not even be aware.”

Ms Curran said RDHS was seeking applications from people in every part of the region, including, but not limited to, First Peoples community members, older people, young families, people with disabilities, the LGBTIQA community, individuals in contact with mental health services and people who have experienced family violence or homelessness.

She says no special qualifications are required to join the committee. Successful applicants just needed to have an interest in their surrounding community, be able to spare a few hours each month and have a genuine interest in learning more about RDHS services, how to help improve them, and a commitment to bringing a community perspective to the table.

To apply or find out more about the RDHS community advisory committee, call Connie Chirchiglia on 5051 8111 or email cchirchiglia@rdhs.com.au.