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Oct
25
2017
The Rural Doctors Association of Australia has named a ‘highly dedicated’ Kempsey GP as Rural Doctor of the Year for 2017.
Dr Colin Farquharson has given 30 years of service to the people of the Macleay Valley. He’s also been a valued teacher to med students and young doctors, while finding time to advocate on behalf of the rural medical profession and for Kempsey Hospital.
At the awards ceremony, RDAA President Dr Ewen McPhee said Dr Farquharson was a very deserving recipient of the award.
“After moving to Australia from the UK and then graduating from Medicine at the University of Sydney at the relatively late age of 32, Colin took up posts at Wollongong Hospital; the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children in Camperdown, Sydney; and Katherine Hospital before working as a GP Obstetrician at Kempsey for an initial 10 years.
“He then worked as an Obstetrics Registrar at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle for a short period before returning to Kempsey in 1998 to work as a rural GP with Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) responsibilities in Obstetrics, Paediatrics and Rehabilitation Medicine at Kempsey Hospital.” He has been in that role ever since.
“Along the way, his practice has broadened to include the local Aboriginal Medical Service and working as a doctor at the local Mid North Coast Correctional Centre.”
Dr McPhee said Colin exemplified the quiet but dedicated style of many rural doctors.
“While he is an unassuming man and not one to grandstand, he remains passionate about Rural Medicine, his peers, his patients and his community, and he quietly but regularly lobbies politicians about the profession and in support of local health services. In all his work, Colin has relied on the wonderful support of his wife, Margot.”
Dr Farquharson said while there were challenges to living and working as a doctor in the same small community, what was rewarding was the wonderful interaction with patients.
“I have the cards and small gifts that people who cannot afford much give you. Or the chokos, jam, cake or that gift you cannot buy, which is worth its weight in gold; that is what, on reflection, I find rewarding.
“And of course when it comes to rural obstetrics, there are highlights every year that keep me here, though they are often associated with challenging events like having to deal with the delivery of twins at 24 and 28 weeks’ gestation or having a complicated vaginal breech delivery in 2016.”
Outside of medicine he enjoys walking his border collie, listening to music, reading history and gardening.
“My specialty is bindii cultivation,” he said.
NCPHN congratulates Dr Farquharson on a long and distinguished career of service.
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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands across our region, and pay our respect to Elders past, present and on their journey. We recognise these lands were never ceded and acknowledge the continuation of culture and connection to the land, sky and sea. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Land’s first peoples and honour the rich diversity of the oldest living cultures.
Strategic Priority Area: One team
North Coast is identified as the region most likely to be impacted by climate change in Australia and also forecasted greatest growth in those 65+.
Healthy North Coast takes a lead role in ensuring the older population and the sector that supports them are prepared for, can respond to and recover from disasters and other emergencies.
We have led eight regional disaster management capacity building workshops, bringing together SES, community organisations and the aged care sector.
We have also developed disaster preparedness tip sheets for both residential and community aged care providers.
Strategic Priority Area: One team
In May 2022, the NSW Parliament passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022. Effective from Tuesday, 28 November 2023, eligible people have the choice to access voluntary assisted dying.
Healthy North Coast has developed a webpage for both health professionals and consumers, with links to available information and resources.
Strategic Priority Area: No one is left behind
Healthy North Coast has worked with people living with dementia, their families and local service providers to develop an information booklet that will help them connect with local and national supports along their journey.
The booklet includes commonly asked questions for people to ask their GP and/or specialist.
The resource is available in digital and printed copies, with more than 5,000 distributed across the region. An e-version is available to clinicians via the Dementia and Cognitive Impairment HealthPathway.
Strategic Priority Area: One team
The Deteriorating Resident Response Tool (DRRT) has been developed to guide RN’s in Residential Aged Care homes (RACHs) to better understand, anticipate and make clinical decisions responding to the deteriorating health of residents.
The objective of the DRRT is to give RACH staff clear information to triage and provide appropriate care for a range of residents’ health conditions, and, in turn, prevent unnecessary presentations to ED.
The tool has been designed together with a specialist geriatrician, consulting with stakeholders such as Residential Aged Care Managers, NSW Ambulance, GPs, and experts from Mid and North Coast LHDs.
The pilot commences in March with four participating RACHs. Evaluation measures will include effectiveness in building RN confidence and reported reduction in unnecessary hospitalisations. Findings will inform a future planned, region-wide implementation.
Strategic Priority Area: No one is left behind
The Care Finders program is a free region-wide service to support vulnerable older people who have no-one else to help them, to learn about, apply for and set up support services.
Care finders can help people understand what aged care services are available, set up an assessment, and find and choose services. They also help people with access to other supports in the community, both accessing services for the first time and changing or finding new services and supports.
On the North Coast, Healthy North Coast has commissioned four organisations to provide this important service: EACH, Carexcell, Lifetime Connect and Footprints.
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
Healthy North Coast commissions two service providers to deliver psychological therapies and supports for older people with, or at risk of developing, a mental illness and who are living in residential aged care homes (RACHs).
The aim of the program is to both provide direct support to residents and their families and carers, as well as upskill the RACH workforce to respond to the needs of residents presenting with mental health concerns.
Strategic Priority Area: Securing a Healthier Future
Delivered by Feros Care, the Healthy Me, Healthy Community program aims to build individual and community connections to reduce loneliness and improve wellbeing in Port Macquarie.
The program helps people to connect with community, activities, supports and services that address their broader social determinants of health, as an alternative or supplement to a clinical approach.
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
Timely access to primary health care professionals, whether through face-to-face consultation or telehealth, is recognised as an issue for many Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs), that in some cases can lead to potentially preventable hospitalisations. RACHs require adequate telehealth facilities to support access to virtual consultations for their residents.
Project goals
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
Aims to provide people who have life limiting conditions the opportunity to exercise choice and receive high quality care at home, harnessing improved and better coordinated supports and services that meet their individual needs.
Program objectives:
These objectives will contribute to achieving the following intended overarching outcomes of:
Funding is open to all primary care providers within disaster affected communities across the Healthy North Coast footprint.
Workforce Locum support and R&R funding criteria
Wellbeing Flexible Funding Criteria & Eligibility
| *Team Size (Total staff and contractors) | Funding Available |
| Small (1-5) | $500-$1500 |
| Medium (6-20) | $1500-$4000 |
| Large (>20) | $4000-$5000 |
