HEYWOOD Rural Health (HRH) held its Annual General Meeting last Friday, with the board of directors presenting a strong position in terms of finance and services, with plenty on the cards for the coming year.

Board chair Karyn Cook and CEO Leigh Parker gave their reports on the 2021/2022 financial year to around 50 residents, clients, and local healthcare industry figures in the Moorayt room, which was added to the facility at the end of 2021.

Previous deputy chair Lauren Easson is leaving the board in June after three years, with interviews for a replacement underway.

In her report, Ms Cook said the previous financial year had been very challenging with pandemic restrictions and staffing issues and was a relief to move on from, but promised a “very rewarding year ahead”, with the completion of a masterplan up to 2026 and hopes to submit plans to government for funding of a new 45 bed expansion to the residential care.

Mr Parker spoke about the expansion of services beyond the Heywood site itself, including district nursing partnerships and the possibility of expanding the “lucrative” Home Care Packages program, after demand increased threefold over the period the annual report covers.

As well as Heywood, HRH currently services clients in Nelson, Dartmoor, Tyrendarra and Portland under the packages and Mr Parker said that changes to the healthcare system to work through the pandemic with remote work have “opened a world of possibilities”.

After the meeting Ms Cook thanked the staff for the dedication in getting HRH through the difficult times through the pandemic, and said there was plenty of work ahead to improve the facilities.

“We really recognise that we need to put a lot of emphasis into the aging infrastructure,” she said.

“There's been some refreshes of some of the residential aged care facilities, but the original hospital is not fit for purpose, and we need to become more contemporary.

“We've got plenty of land here, but we've never had a master plan, so we've commissioned it to focus on master planning, addressing our infrastructure shortfalls, and making sure that we've got good submissions going in for grants and funding opportunities.”

Ms Cook said HRH had an appetite to expand the Home Care Packages, with a number of local clients looking for a new provider following the Glenelg Shire Council’s expected decision to stop providing the services.

“I think that Heywood has an opportunity to become a leader in the region…geographically we’ve already got a big reach and I think we are really becoming the organisation of choice,” she said.

Life governor awards

Presenting him with a life governor award, HRH’s highest achievement, current board member Tony Oxford described Phil Saunders as a warm and engaging leader, always energetic and enthusiastic in his work.
 Served the full nine years allowed on the board and chair in his final term, Mr Saunders was dedicated to improving the strength of the board and operation of HRH.

Mr Oxford said that he himself was recruited onto the board by Mr Saunders, who has supported and encouraged him and the rest of the board to develop their skills and pursue their interests and capabilities, and praised his efforts to collaborate with other local organisations.

Mr Saunders said he was “very honoured” to receive the award and is pleased to be leaving HRH in a good place.

“My parents were residents here, that was the initial motivation to go onto the board and really happy with where it has finish up, it's actually a very good and sustainable organisation now, that is really valued and respected by the community.”

Also receiving a life governor award was Max Oberlander, a current board member who for over a decade has volunteered in the gardens at HRH.

As well as maintaining the ornamental gardens outside residents’ windows and undertaking the annual rose pruning, Mr Oberlander provides flowers from his own garden to make wreaths for Anzac Day and has worked with residents in the last year to get a vegetable garden up and running.

Mr Oberlander said the recognition was a surprise to receive, but meant a lot to him.

“I never ever gave it a thought because you don’t do these things for awards, I’d rather get out and do my work and enjoy it.

“My thoughts on the garden is making sure the residents feel happy about what they can see in the morning, with some colour and something nice to look at, and the same before they go to bed.”