Healthy North Coast has worked closely with the NSW Public Health Unit and our primary health care workforce since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to support our local communities. Sign up to our newsletter to receive important updates direct to your inbox.
We understand it can be challenging to keep up to date with the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination program. To receive the latest developments and news:
Healthy North Coast’s Primary Care Impact program provides practical quality improvement activities and resources for general practice. To help vaccination providers rollout the COVID-19 vaccine, quality improvement activities include:
The Australian Government Department of Health’s COVID-19 vaccine website hub provides a range of useful information and resources for the COVID-19 vaccination program, for:
Watch this two-minute video to learn how the HealthPathways COVID-19 response package helps general practice teams manage patients, prepare the practice, and keep up-to-date with rapid change in the health system. See how to send feedback on the content.
National COVID-19 Evidence Taskforce
The National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce website provides:
Living guidelines — high-priority, evidence-based clinical COVID-19 guidelines updated weekly with the latest research
Clinical flowcharts — incorporating living guideline recommendations and guidance issued or endorsed by Taskforce members
Evidence under review — continuously reviewing new evidence to update recommendations and address new priority questions
Visit our Primary Care Impact site and review the list of COVID-19 Community Transmission support topic pages. Here you will find added guidance and resources to help your practice prepare and manage potential exposure to COVID-19.
If a staff member is a contact of a positive COVID-19 case, follow NSW Health instructions on testing and self-isolation periods for:
Close contacts – people who have been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19.
Casual contacts – people who have been identified as a casual contact of someone with COVID-19.
The MBS telehealth items are available to GPs, medical practitioners, specialists, consultant physicians, nurse practitioners, participating midwives, allied health providers and dental practitioners in the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Please note the latest update to telehealth item numbers from 15 December 2021(PDF, 447KB).
Visit MBS Online for a full list of telehealth item numbers and a range of factsheets. Enquiries on the Medicare Benefits Schedule, including using and interpreting items numbers, should be directed to: [email protected]
healthdirect Video Call access now available
North Coast healthdirect Video Call is available for our health workforce to be able to use this purpose-built suite of services, tools and resources.
We can create individual clinic accounts for Mid and North Coast general practices, AMSs, mental health care professionals and other primary care providers that wish to use video calls. This is part of our COVID-19 response, but can also be used for standard service video calls/consultations.
Our Digital Health Team will create your logins and support you to start using this great platform.
Border and travel restrictions are being updated regularly in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone planning to travel should check the relevant government website for advice:
See NSW Government Travel Advice for information about travelling to and from NSW. This site also contains information about travelling within NSW.
All states and territories currently have restrictions in place for people travelling from NSW. Links to websites for each state and territory are available on the NSW Government website.
There is much information available on how to best support your patients’ mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Click here for a comprehensive and up-to-date list of mental health and psychosocial considerations from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO).
The WHO information includes the importance of empathy towards those affected by COVID-19; ways to refer to people with the virus to reduce stigma; and suggestions on how to lessen people’s anxiety.
Other excellent material regarding mental health and the coronavirus can be found at the Life in Mind site. Life in Mind has collaborated with the National Mental Health Commission to produce a comprehensive list of resources to support those affected.
Connect to Wellbeing can provide information about, or referral to, mental health and alcohol and other drugs support services located across the North Coast. Call 1300 160 339, Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm.
Open Arms — Veterans and Families Counselling provides 24/7 free and confidential counselling to anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF, their partners and families 1800 011 046.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says feeling under pressure at the current time is normal. Stress and the feelings associated with it are not a reflection on you or your work.
Be aware that managing your mental health and psychosocial wellbeing during this time is as important as managing your physical health.
Get set up with telehealth and online scripts so you can keep delivering care to residential patients. Click here for more information on telehealth, including access to the healthdirect Video Call service. Don’t forget that:
You can team up with an onsite registered nurse or physiotherapist to support physical examinations.
Home care providers can support clients to teleconference.
Update advance care directives with patients and their families. Consider how COVID-19 changes the end of life directives for the resident and risks for the family visiting. More information is available from HealthPathways [Username: manchealth Password: conn3ct3d]
Engage with residential care facility management and become familiar with their infection prevention and control practices and outbreak management.
Consider regular ear wax checks now that audiology services are limited or do not have access to facilities.
Refresh your knowledge of end-stage palliative respiratory symptom management. More information is available from HealthPathways [Username: manchealth Password: conn3ct3d]
Older people at home can be very lonely. It is important for older people to maintain contact with their community aged care providers and not refuse services. The aged care sector is working differently to meet the safety requirements of COVID-19, e.g. a house cleaning visit may become a gardening visit and chat while maintaining physical distancing. Welfare checks are occurring regularly through a range of approaches, including waving at the front gate.
TESTING – know which pathology services are providing mobile testing into RACFs and into private homes. The mobile services are targeting vulnerable people, not the general population. You will have one in your area!
Update advance care directives with patients and their families. Consider how COVID-19 changes the end of life directives for the resident, the risks for the family visiting and the risks of abnormal bereavement, particularly in light of recent changes to funerals (viewing the body, public gatherings, etc). Learn more via the Australian Government Department of Health.Additional information on advance care directives is available here.
Advance Care Planning Australia webinars are available here.
Oxygen – encourage older people at home to order earlier than normal, supplies are tight.
They need to receive their flu vaccinations by 1 May with a certificate or evidence that they have had it.
If you work predominately in RACFs:
Keep up to date through the cross sector aged care Basecamps. Check the ‘Looking for more information’ section below to be added to the network email list.
Support the staff to understand that testing without symptoms gives a false reading. This is often requested when the hospitals transfer residents back.
Support the staff to understand the significance of staff flu vaccinations. If we had a vaccine for COVID-19, would you have it?
If you need support with infection protection and control practices with older people, check the ‘Looking for more information’ section below.
PPE supplies for all aged care providers are now through the one email address ensuring equal access. Limited supplies are starting to be delivered.
NSW Ministry of Health will be including a respiratory status section in all discharge letters from hospitals.
Residential aged care facilities:
Facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases will be able to access personal protective equipment from the national stockpile.
The Communicable Diseases Network Australia Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidelines for Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities is available here.
Some pathology services are establishing mobile services to cover nursing homes. LHDs are considering how to support this if pathology is not available.
Implementing visiting guidelines to no more than two visitors per day.
All staff and visitors must carry evidence of flu vaccines by 1 May to enter homes.
Fly-in fly-out teams are being coordinated by NSW Ministry of Health, should any RACF experience staffing issues during a COVID-19 outbreak.
Community aged care services:
People aged 65 years and older with confirmed COVID-19 can access urgent or immediate Commonwealth Home Support Programme services for six weeks without assessment through My Aged Care.
Commonwealth Home Support Programme services that are group social / transport activities have been encouraged to look at alternate models and funding has been made more flexible to support this.
Community providers are routinely screening clients before a visit. For all people living in community with COVID-19 a home isolation kit is sent through the LHD Public Health Unit and includes masks, hand hygiene products and directions on how to look after themselves and their families.
Extensive planning and preparations are underway in community aged care services. Group respite programs are cancelled and are starting to do 1:1 visits to people’s homes. Personal protective equipment is limited, particularly Commonwealth Home Support Programme services such as transport, new approaches to service are being considered.
Additional funding is available to providers to extend home care packages during COVID-19.
Older people with no services who require support with shopping, hygiene and meals can access Commonwealth Home Support Programs during COVID-19 without an assessment. Access through My Aged Care or direct to local services.
North Coast PHN is working collaboratively with the Mid North Coast and Northern NSW LHDs, residential aged care facilities and community aged care providers to ensure a coordinated response to COVID-19. Regular virtual region-wide meetings are being held and an online resource library has been created on Basecamp to support collaboration and networking across services.
NCPHN has supported both LHDs RACF planning activities through undertaking extensive planning surveys. Of note are the small number of RACFs with only RN on call coverage over night and limited GP coverage in some facilities. Other activities include supporting services that are requiring support with infection prevention and control practices. Modelling of pathways for older people during COVID-19 is in its early stages and will result in broad collaboration with LHDs and the aged care sector to provide clarity of local supports for older people during COVID-19.
Extensive planning and preparations are underway in facilities. Visitor changes with no more than two visitors at once are being enacted with many facilities stepping this up to a semi lockdown approach with only health professionals able to enter facilities. Consideration is being provided for families of residents who are terminal and/or palliative.
Families are being encouraged to communicate through telehealth and ‘window visits’ are being set up. Welfare roles have been established in some facilities to focus on maintaining family connections.
Extensive planning and preparations are underway in community aged care services. Group respite programs are cancelled and are starting to do one on one visits to people’s homes. Personal protective equipment is limited, particularly Commonwealth Home Support Programme services such as transport, new approaches to service are being considered.
Some community services are struggling to provide their standard services. Reasons are diverse, including supplies of PPE. Of note are transport services and smaller programs whose infection prevention and control understanding may need support. A toolbox of resources is currently being sourced by NCPHN to assist these programs. Transport meetings are being negotiated in NNSW with social sector support services.
Extensive planning and preparations are underway in the local health districts including a range of activities to support residential aged care facilities to keep residents at home. See ‘Secondary triage system for residential aged care‘ below.
MNCLHD has developed a listing of services and providers offering support and shopping for older people. A similar list is being built in NNSW by Social Futures. Links will be published as they become available.
Palliative Care – both LHD’s services are keen to support GPs with any complex cases during this time, in particular end stage respiratory distress with COVID-19. MNCLHD is setting up a palliative care hotline – more as this becomes available.
The NSW Ministry of Health has enacted a statewide secondary triage system of residents in nursing homes.
All non-urgent flu and COVID-19 related calls from residential aged care facilities to NSW Ambulance will now be secondarily triaged by a remote accredited emergency physician consultation service.
All clinically appropriate patients will be diverted to community-based models of care, keeping in line with public health recommendations.
Local health districts are responding to support the triage system.
NNSWLHD has developed a nurse practitioner led in-reach program of support for RACFs. It is now accepting referrals and providing advice and support to RACFs. Click here to download a fact sheet. Learn more via HealthPathways [Username: manchealth Password: conn3ct3d].
MNCLHD is currently communicating the outreach pathways through COVID-19 cross sector channels to: nurse practitioners, palliative care services, community nursing services and psychogeriatric services.
NCPHN has provided extensive support to building these systems by updating existing RACF listings and building a profile of homes and after hours key contacts, linking the LHDs together through extensive COVID-19 communication strategies and sector knowledge. Strong, collaborative, integrated ways of working are being built.
Dementia Australia has added a range of COVID-19 fact sheets with tips for people living with dementia.
The fact sheets are available now and include:
Tips for people living with dementia – outlines the coronavirus/COVID-19 symptoms, hygiene tips, the importance of having a good support network, ideas to remain active and engaged while in self-isolation, and where to go for help.
Tips for carers, families and friends of people living with dementia – outlines the coronavirus/COVID-19 symptoms, hygiene tips, helpful tips for primary carers, as well as for family, friends or neighbours, ideas for remaining active and engaged while in self-isolation, and where to go for help.
Tips for residential care providers – outlines the impacts coronavirus/COVID-19 may have on residents, tips on alternative activities and how to support continued engagement with families and carers.
Tips for home care providers – outlines the impacts coronavirus/COVID-19 may have on a person living with dementia, tips to reduce heightened anxiety and where to go for help.
By listing, you will let GPs, other referrers and consumers know that you are practising in Mid North Coast and/or Northern NSW. You can provide information such as where you are located, the services you provide, the population groups you support and your clinical interests.
This directory enables you to provide real-time information about your availability to accept referrals, as well as how long people may have to wait for an appointment. You can update this information as your availability changes. This will help GPs and other referrers ensure they only refer clients to practitioners who have the capacity to see them.
It also has a range of advanced search options and supports printing and bookmarking of search results.
You can choose to display your email address and your phone number so that people can contact you directly. You may prefer not to display these, in which case people can contact you by completing an enquiry form located in the Directory. Your choices can be updated anytime.
You can indicate wait times for an appointment for a new client or that you are currently unable to accept new referrals. You can also choose whether to display or hide your contact details. You can update your choices at any time.
Yes, you can update your listing or remove it at any time by clicking the “update practitioner details” button on your listing. You will receive a secure website link to your nominated admin email that will enable you to make changes, delete or put your listing on hold. You can also show when you are taking extended leave or are not available for a specific period, rather than completely removing your listing.
We will also send you an email every three months (90 days) prompting you to check that your information is up to date.
You will be responsible for managing the information in your listing and ensuring that it is up to date. You will also be asked to check the information before it is published in the directory.
We will also send you an email every three months (90 days) prompting you to check that your information is up to date so that the directory displays accurate information.
You can read the full Terms of Use by clicking here.
MNCLHD ADN Contact Form
North Coast Health Connect Appointment Booking Service
At the end of the triage process, callers to North Coast Health Connect are offered an appointment booking service. The appointment booking service is unique to North Coast Health Connect and will:
actively direct triaged consumers to general practice or community pharmacy, and
assist consumers to navigate their way to where they should go in the health system.
The booking service works through a digital interface between the triage nurse and your practice. The interface allows the nurse to see a unique appointment type and availability specifically for use by North Coast Health Connect:
The North Coast Health Connect triage nurse cannot see the practice’s entire calendar; they can only see and select the North Coast Health Connect appointment type.
The North Coast Health Connect appointment type cannot be seen by the public.
The practice manages which appointments it allocates to North Coast Health Connect.
The triage nurse enters the patient details enabling the practice to make direct contact with the patient if required.
The triage nurse checks each practice’s protocol (mask-wearing, etc) for attending the practice with the caller.
If the caller has given the nurse accurate information and the person is an existing patient, the booking tool will match the patient to their existing record preventing the duplication of patient files.
The caller receives a text or email from the booking tool provider with the time of the appointment, address and phone number of the practice.
The digital interface
The booking tool software can be used by any practice that currently uses Best Practice, Medical Director, ZedMed or Genie.
Practices without electronic booking can be supported to adopt electronic booking if they wish to register to become part of the North Coast Health Connect network.
Booking tool installation and cost
Upon registration, our Healthy North Coast engagement team will contact you to discuss your software options and requirements.
If you are already a client of one the booking tool vendors, the interface will be straightforward with no additional cost.
For practices who are not current clients, financial support is available to cover up-front costs and fees for the first four months.
The contractual agreement and licence to use the tool is between the practice and the booking tool vendor. The vendor provides training and support in the use of the platform.
Our engagement team is here to help and support the process.
Contact our Education Team
Nigel Cronin Senior Manager, Education [email protected] 0437 169 786 02 6627 3390 Based on Bundjalung Country in Lismore
Bronwyn Thirkell Centre for Healthcare Knowledge & Innovation and Education and Events Coordinator NNSW [email protected] 0437 027 751 02 6618 5445 Based on Bundjalung Country in Ballina
Krissi Devlin Education and Events Coordinator MNC [email protected] 0447 407 473 02 6659 1808 Working days: Monday Thursday. Based on Gumbaynggirr Country in Coffs Harbour
Update provided 21 April 2022.
As you know, Lismore Skin Clinic in Molesworth Street was destroyed in the recent floods, and we are trying to rebuild the site as soon as we can.
In the meantime we will be moving to St Vincent’s Hospital Specialist Medical Centre – Level 4, Suite 12 – 20 Dalley Street Lismore.
We hope to be up and running in the next two weeks (by early to mid May 2022) and our receptionists will soon begin calling our patients to rebook their appointments and catch up with their needs.
Once we have a firm opening date we will update this notification.
Our email address – [email protected] and our phone number – 02 6621 3500will remain the same as in the past. Only the address changes for a while.
We look forward to seeing you soon in our new premises.
Many thanks for your patience and understanding in these heartbreaking times – stay safe.
Dr Gudmundsen and the Team from Lismore Skin Clinic
Click image to enlarge
North Coast Health Connect Overview
North Coast Health Connect provides 24/7 clinical advice from experienced triage nurses (registered nurses) via phone or webchat for North Coast consumers with acute clinical symptoms.
The objective of the service is to support consumers to find the right care at the right time and place, whilst also empowering them to manage their own care when safe to do so.
The service is funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN Program, delivered by Amplar Health (Amplar) and evaluated by The George Institute.
Triage is conducted by registered nurses who are experienced in taking calls from health consumers. Each assessment commences with the collection of pertinent demographic information and ruling out life-threatening emergencies. Triage nurses then conduct a clinical assessment to gain an understanding of the relevant acute clinical symptoms and determine the best course of action.
The nurses are guided by over 180 clinical decision support algorithms which; in turn, are informed by strong clinical evidence and practice globally. Amplar has used and continually improved these algorithms for over a decade, undertaking many millions of interactions with consumers in Australia. In addition, they have also improved the algorithms to fit our local conditions here on the North Coast.
Despite the robustness of these decision support tools, all registered nurses maintain the autonomy to override the algorithm outcome if they make the clinical determination the patient needs higher acuity care (or lower care in limited circumstances).
Where it is determined the caller is not able to manage their symptoms at home, the nurse who conducts the triage assessment may refer the caller to a wide range of services in the acute and primary care health system including:
ambulance response — 000
the nearest Emergency Department
see a general practitioner (GP) in 2 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1-3 days or by routine appointment. View more information.
where no face-to-face GP appointments are available, attend an HNC GP telehealth appointment in 2 hours, 6 hours or 12 hours. View more information.
dental services
see a community pharmacist within 24 hours (read more below)
connection to a mental health support phone line or other phone lines where appropriate.
Amplar monitors the clinical quality of the triage service to ensure it continues to align with best practice (ISO 9901:2015). Amplar has a dedicated Clinical Governance Team, overseen by a medical practitioner, who ensures patient safety and service effectiveness are always front of mind.
In partnership with participating general practices in the Healthy North Coast region, North Coast Health Connect will provide a more integrated approach to patients who need a consultation with a GP urgently.
When the triage assessment indicates the patient should consult with a doctor, the triage nurses will endeavour to assist the patient to find an available appointment with their own general practice in the first instance. Where that GP clinic is integrated with the triage service, the nurse will also be able to book that patient into a GP appointment directly, saving time and stress for the patient and GP clinic admin staff.
This integration will also focus on increasing access to those without a regular GP, by booking the patient directly into an integrated GP clinic where possible.
Healthy North Coast’s GP Telehealth service will be available to callers who are triaged as needing a GP appointment when no face-to-face appointment can be found and the presentation is suitable for a telehealth appointment.
In partnership with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, North Coast Health Connect has developed a new low-acuity referral option to see a community pharmacist within 24 hours. These referrals are arrived at through the standardised clinical algorithms. Referrals are restricted to the current scope of Australian pharmacist practice.
The consumer will receive a private 1:1 consultation with a community pharmacist, supported by evidence-based guidelines. The type of management interventions provided by the pharmacist include:
Provision of tailored health education and care advice
Supply of a non-prescription medicine
Escalation to another health professional
The inclusion of community pharmacists as a North Coast Health Connect referral point provides an additional option for face-to-face healthcare advice and reassurance, as well as access to evidence-based treatments for patients who do not need urgent care. It also assists North Coast Health Connect to leverage maximum health system capacity for North Coast health consumers.
North Coast Health Connect Overview
North Coast Health Connect provides 24/7 clinical advice from experienced triage nurses (registered nurses) via phone or webchat for North Coast consumers with acute clinical symptoms.
The objective of the service is to support consumers to find the right care at the right time and place, whilst also empowering them to manage their own care when safe to do so.
The service is funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN Program, delivered by Amplar Health (Amplar) and evaluated by The George Institute.
Triage is conducted by registered nurses who are experienced in taking calls from health consumers. Each assessment commences with the collection of pertinent demographic information and ruling out life-threatening emergencies. Triage nurses then conduct a clinical assessment to gain an understanding of the relevant acute clinical symptoms and determine the best course of action.
The nurses are guided by over 180 clinical decision support algorithms which; in turn, are informed by strong clinical evidence and practice globally. Amplar has used and continually improved these algorithms for over a decade, undertaking many millions of interactions with consumers in Australia. In addition, they have also improved the algorithms to fit our local conditions here on the North Coast.
Despite the robustness of these decision support tools, all registered nurses maintain the autonomy to override the algorithm outcome if they make the clinical determination the patient needs higher acuity care (or lower care in limited circumstances).
Where it is determined the caller is not able to manage their symptoms at home, the nurse who conducts the triage assessment may refer the caller to a wide range of services in the acute and primary care health system including:
ambulance response — 000
the nearest Emergency Department
see a general practitioner (GP) in 2 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1-3 days or by routine appointment
where no face-to-face GP appointments are available, attend an HNC GP telehealth appointment in 2 hours, 6 hours or 12 hours
dental services
see a community pharmacist within 24 hours (read more below)
connection to a mental health support phone line or other phone lines where appropriate.
Amplar monitors the clinical quality of the triage service to ensure it continues to align with best practice (ISO 9901:2015). Amplar has a dedicated Clinical Governance Team, overseen by a medical practitioner, who ensures patient safety and service effectiveness are always front of mind.
In partnership with participating general practices in the Healthy North Coast region, North Coast Health Connect will provide a more integrated approach to patients who need a consultation with a GP urgently.
When the triage assessment indicates the patient should consult with a doctor, the triage nurses will endeavour to assist the patient to find an available appointment with their own general practice in the first instance. Where that GP clinic is integrated with the triage service, the nurse will also be able to book that patient into a GP appointment directly, saving time and stress for the patient and GP clinic admin staff.
This integration will also focus on increasing access to those without a regular GP, by booking the patient directly into an integrated GP clinic where possible.
Healthy North Coast’s GP Telehealth service will be available to callers who are triaged as needing a GP appointment when no face-to-face appointment can be found and the presentation is suitable for a telehealth appointment.
In partnership with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, North Coast Health Connect has developed a new low-acuity referral option to see a community pharmacist within 24 hours. These referrals are arrived at through the standardised clinical algorithms. Referrals are restricted to the current scope of Australian pharmacist practice.
The consumer will receive a private 1:1 consultation with a community pharmacist, supported by evidence-based guidelines. The type of management interventions provided by the pharmacist include:
Provision of tailored health education and care advice
Supply of a non-prescription medicine
Escalation to another health professional
The inclusion of community pharmacists as a North Coast Health Connect referral point provides an additional option for face-to-face healthcare advice and reassurance, as well as access to evidence-based treatments for patients who do not need urgent care. It also assists North Coast Health Connect to leverage maximum health system capacity for North Coast health consumers.
Trauma-informed care for flood-affected primary care teams
This two-session program will assist participants in identifying the mental-health impact of natural disasters and their own mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and rain phobias post-flood, as well as those of their patients. It will provide an opportunity to explore and commence self-directed healing, as well as linking with evidence-based and appropriate referral pathways.
Sessions will be run by Michaela Killips, Principal Psychologist from Mullumbimby Psychology. As a locally owned and run organisation, Mullumbimby Psychology provides a wide range of psychological services to both individuals and organisations. Michaela has significant experience supporting clients experiencing a range of mental health concerns including trauma and PTSD. Michaela has first-hand knowledge of the impacts of the recent floods, can be flexible to meet the needs of participants, and can tailor solutions for each person and the needs of their clients.
Register for your nearest program or request the program to be delivered to your whole team/practice at a date/time that suits.
Lismore Thursday 10 November and Thursday 24 November 2022 3pm – 6pm with dinner to follow Venue: Invercauld House Register now.
Mullumbimby Thursday 9 February and Thursday 23 February 2023 3pm – 6pm with dinner to follow Venue: TBC Register now.
If you prefer a separate session for your entire team, please complete this registration form and provide us with your two preferred dates.
Flood-impact survey and results
The PHN primary health care services flood impact survey (May 2022) results showed:
83% of responding services were concerned about staff wellbeing and burnout, followed by 67% concerned about the ability for staff to have a rest (annual leave, flexible working)
Of those services worried about staff retention, 67% were worried about retaining administration staff, followed by Nurses (49%) and GPs (37%)
Free locum services (52%), education for staff (39%) and staff debrief and wellbeing support (38%) were the top three workforce initiatives primary health care services were interested in utilising.
Alexandra Howard
Director Disaster and Public Health Emergencies
Alexandra has more than ten years’ experience working in the field of post-traumatic mental health – as a clinical psychologist, educator and specialist in policy and service development. She has worked with disaster-impacted communities, emergency service and military personnel, and traumatic injury patients, as well the professionals who support them.
Alexandra’s particular interests lie in understanding and improving psychosocial outcomes for those impacted by disasters and public health emergencies, with a particular focus on marginalised populations, and with a gender lens. At Phoenix Australia, Alexandra has led a range of service development and training projects for a wide range of private, NGO and government stakeholders; her work focusses on translating evidence into practice, and disseminating best practice through policy and training frameworks that best suit the needs of each organisation. She has published in the field of post-traumatic mental health, and has presented her work at national and international conferences.
Dr Sara Renwick-Lau
Dr Sara Renwick-Lau is a GP with more than 20 years’ experience working in regional and rural communities. After studying medicine at the University of Melbourne, Sara completed her General Practice training while providing medical care to the community in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.
For the next seven years, she worked in remote communities in the Northern Territory and helped recruit and provide medical education for junior doctors working in general practice in the bush. Since relocating to Victoria with her husband Marcus and their children, Sara has been focused on providing medical care to the people of Mallacoota.
She is part of the leadership team at Mallacoota Medical Centre. For those that may not be familiar with the East Gippsland town of Mallacoota, it has a population of approximately 1000, and is one of just two Victorian towns that is classified as remote.
It is also the only population in Victoria of more than 800 that is more than 30 minutes from hospital services or State-funded urgent care – with the closest hospital being in Bega, two hours’ drive away.
The 2019/20 Mallacoota fires were among the most destructive of the Black Summer bushfires. You may remember seeing images from New Years’ Eve 2019, when thousands of people took shelter on the Mallacoota foreshore as the town was hemmed in by fire. More than 100 homes were lost, roads in and out of the town were closed for 37 days — and food and water shortages, power outages – and eventually, the impact of COVID-19, complicated relief and recovery efforts in the weeks and months following the disaster.
The Mallacoota Medical Centre faced the bushfires in a new, purpose-built, fire-rated building that provided a safe space for community members to support bushfire response, relief and recovery. Pre-existing challenges related to the distances to secondary and tertiary health care, power insecurity and other resource issues.
She is passionate about providing comprehensive, patient-centred care – as well as helping with the recruitment and education of doctors in regional and remote areas of Australia.