Rotary keeping informed
This week Rotary Alexandra members had an informative talk by Suzanne Miller. She has been CEO of Nexus Primary Health for four and a half years, and lives with a menagerie on 30 acres at Broadford.
Nexus evolved from Mitchell Community Health, and employs 180 staff over 4 main sites in Mitchell, Murrindindi and Strathbogie Shires with a turnover of $12,000,000 per yr. Nexus offers lots of services at minimal cost to client,; their biggest footprint is the GP clinic at Kinglake Ranges Medical Centre, which is expanding into allied health services such as occupational therapy and dietetics to try to make it more viable.
Alcohol and Drug services visit Alexandra weekly; detox can be done in local hospital.
Family Violence Service covers women's outreach on referral from police, men's behavioural change group, and children's services -important as childhood exposure to violence may lead to neurological changes.
Women’s outreach service receives 70 referrals a month.
Underage drinking- kids report feeling unsafe walking past adults who are drinking. This has led to changes such as bylaws in Alexandra naming public drinking, so that Alex is now a 'dry town'
Aged care services- now difficult to negotiate as all access is through the 'My Aged Care' site, which is 'hopeless'. This will change only if communities talk about how difficult the site is to navigate.
A new focus of Nexus will be helping clients to access NDIS services. Working conditions for aged care workers are being eroded; Nexus chooses to employ staff under awards rather than EBAs.
Disability care will be the new 'manufacturing industry' and needs a stable healthy workforce. US model not the way to go.
Family Violence services- in rural situations, concern for animals is often a reason for delay in leaving an abusive relationship. The RSPCA has recently come on boarded- as family pets may also be subject to abuse. Best option may be removal of perpetrator from family home; safety may be improved by installation of CCTV, changing locks etc.
If help required locally, contact Police in first instance, they will refer to Nexus. The most dangerous time is when victim attempts to leave a violent relationship. Ambulance membership is important.
NEXUS Broadford: Phone: 1300 77 33 52 Email: info@nexusprimaryhealth.org.au