HealthOne Cootamundra
HealthOne Cootamundra will become operational in 2011. Community, allied health and other health services will be co-located with general practitioners in premises adjacent to Cootamundra Hospital.
The Cootamundra location and community
-
Cootamundra is located in the South West Slopes region of NSW, within an hour’s drive of Wagga Wagga and two hours’ travelling distance of Canberra.
-
At the 2006 census, Cootamundra’s population totalled 7,530.
-
Children and young people up to the age of 14 make up the largest percentage of the population in the Cootamundra LGA (18.8%), while people over 65 years of age make up 21.6% of the population.
-
The Cootamundra LGA has an Aboriginal population of 3.6%, compared to the state average of 2.2%.
-
Agricultural industries are dominant in the local area, with grain, beef, lamb and wool being the primary products driving the local economy.
The service and target population groups
Cootamundra primary care services are currently coordinated by a Senior Primary Health Care Professional, who will continue this role in the new HealthOne Cootamundra service. The Senior Primary Health Care Professional communicates with General Practitioners, community health service providers, allied health practitioners, community based service providers and acute care service providers to ensure the delivery of health services to enrolled clients.
Clients central to this service include:
-
people with chronic illnesses;
-
people with multiple diagnoses;
-
people at risk of inappropriate or avoidable hospital admission, with diagnoses including diabetes, cellulitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, community acquired pneumonia, bronchitis/asthma, red blood cell disorders, deep vein thrombosis, urinary tract infections, non surgical pain;
-
children and families;
-
people with mental health needs;
-
frail older people, their families and carers.
The range of services to be provided by HealthOne Cootamundra include:
-
discharge planning, involving acute care clinicians, community health service, community service providers (both government and non-government) and aged and extended care providers;
-
GP case conferencing for inpatients as part of the discharge planning process;
-
outpatient case conferencing – facilitating coordinated care;
-
chronic disease management programs, including pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation and continence management;
-
health promotion and prevention programs, including falls prevention and strength training;
-
implementation of the Severe Chronic Disease Program;
-
child and family services;
-
Shared Maternity Care program.
New models of care have been developed in collaboration with all service providers and Cootamundra Hospital, with a focus on patient centred care. The following systems are currently in place or being developed and implemented:
-
grand round education program;
-
Avoidable Hospital Admissions Program;
-
48 hour follow-up program;
-
rebound group – a 6 week program to help patients recover from any illness, suitable for those who have had orthopaedic surgery or any general illness;
-
strength and balance group – a 30-minute gentle exercise program to facilitate improved strength and balance. This group is for those over the age of 65 who have chronic illnesses that limits their mobility, people with balance problems and for those who would like to do general strengthening exercises;
-
mobility group – 30 minutes of exercise that assists walking and builds strength;
-
self-help groups;
-
chronic pain program;
-
continence self-management assessment and advice.
Project Partners
-
Cootamundra Health Service
-
Cootamundra Medical Centre
-
Cootamundra Shire Council
-
Mercy Health
-
Baptist Community Services
-
Uniting Care
-
Other private practitioners including diabetes educator, dietitian, podiatrist, physiotherapy
Key contact
Mid Battye, Senior Primary Health Care Professional
Tel: (02) 6942 0444. Email: mid.battye@gsahs.health.nsw.gov.au
