BCHS highlights regional inadequacies around sexual healthcare
Bendigo Community Health Services is joining calls to make contraception free in Australia, as parts of Canada and the UK take the lead.
The service has made a submission to the Federal Government’s Senate inquiry into universal access to reproductive healthcare, highlighting what it sees as Victoria’s “postcode lottery” for sexual health.
Executive Leader Community Engagement and Advocacy, Nicole Ferrie, said as the region’s sexual and reproductive health hub, the service had a unique insight into the barriers and challenges people faced when accessing contraception and abortion services.
“This inquiry was a chance for us to highlight the inequalities and inadequacies facing rural and regional Victorians on both sides of the healthcare system and put forward our suggestions on how to improve access to sexual healthcare,” Nicole said.
BCHS to lead one of Australia’s first pelvic pain and endometriosis clinics
Bendigo Community Health Services has been named as one of Australia’s first pelvic pain and endometriosis clinics.
Announced today, BCHS will receive more than $700,000 over four years as part of the Federal Government’s $58.3 million package for endometriosis and pelvic pain health care.
The aim is to reduce diagnostic delays and provide early access to multidisciplinary intervention, care and treatment.
Endometriosis affects at least one in nine Australian women and can have significant impact on their daily lives – many waiting on average of seven years before diagnosis. Pelvic pain can be debilitating and complex.
Talking trust, respect and peace on Harmony Day
Boe Htoo, Habibeh and Nay Chee are part of the Refugee and Cultural Diversity team at Bendigo Community Health Services. All three settled in Bendigo on humanitarian Visas. We caught up with them for Harmony Day, to find out about their work and lives in Bendigo, and to ask the question, what does living in harmony mean to you?
“No matter our background, we can build trust with each other,” Boe Htoo said. “We can live in peace and help each other as we help ourselves. We can improve our own lives for the future development of each other.”
Boe Htoo is a refugee project worker at BCHS. She started work here in January 2023, and was initially employed to help connect Karen people with vital cancer screening and treatment.
Boe Htoo arrived in Australia in May 2018 with her two children, then nine and 13.
“It was lonely at first,” she said on making the move from a refugee camp to Bendigo. “I was not disappointed to come here, but it was hard. I just thought, if other people can do it, I can do it.”
BCHS invites local primary students to move their own way to school
Bendigo Community Health Services is set to empower local primary school students to walk, cycle or scoot to school.
BCHS is launching Move Your Way, based on successful programs in Brunswick and Coburg, which resulted in up to 47 per cent of participating families making the effort to get more active on the school run.
BCHS health promotion officer Sebastian Goscha said Move Your Way would initially be rolled out to two Bendigo schools from Term 2 this year.
BCHS hopes regional educator of the year inspires others into role
Bendigo Family Day Care is working to balance a spike in demand with a drop in educators as increasing numbers of Bendigo parents choose the service over childcare centres.
The local service, which is managed by Bendigo Community Health Services, is calling on more educators to come on board and help meet an unprecedented demand.
Bendigo Family Day Care coordinator Tamarra Tie said there was currently a long and growing waiting list of families hoping to secure a family day care place for their children in 2023 and beyond.
Tamarra said this had come at a time when many educators have recently stepped back from their role, citing pandemic-induced burnout.
BCHS launches condom campaign as STIs rise among young people
Bendigo Community Health Services is marking National Condom Day this February 14 with the launch of local artist-designed condom packets and an associated social media campaign.
Health Promotion and Community Engagement Officer Steph Paddon said BCHS was out to bust some common condom-related myths, give an insight into sexual health screening appointments and increase young people’s access to condoms.
The work is in response to the State Government’s latest surveillance of notifiable conditions report, which shows STIs are rising among young people in Greater Bendigo.
BCHS to address gaps in cancer care for refugees in Bendigo
A new program developed by Bendigo Community Health Services aims to ensure Karen and Afghan refugees don’t miss out on vital cancer screening, treatment and care.
BCHS has welcomed State Government funding for the Cancer service supports for refugee patients in Bendigo program, enabling it to use its strong connections with refugees to ensure they receive the best cancer care available.
BCHS Senior Leader Refugee and Cultural Diversity Kaye Graves said Bendigo was a destination of choice for a growing number of Karen and Afghan humanitarian refugees and BCHS has been welcoming them for the last 12 years.
BCHS proposes new GP training hub to address GP shortages
Bendigo Community Health Services has written to the Federal Government, seeking funding for a new International Medical Employment, Training and Supervision Hub which could address the
chronic doctor shortage across rural and regional Victoria.
The hub offers a short to medium term solution to overcome challenges in attracting, contracting, training and supervising International Medical Graduates (IMGs) by providing a supportive
pathway to competent and safe general practice services in rural and regional communities.
The model also addresses the dire need for after hours emergency GP cover and supported aged residential care across Greater Bendigo.
COMMUNITY HEALTH FIRST CAMPAIGN CALLS ON VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT TO ACT
All 24 registered Victorian independent rural, regional and metropolitan community health services, including Bendigo Community Health Services, have united to call on the State Government to put community health first.
The Community Health First campaign, launched today, calls on key decision makers to recognise the critical role of Victoria’s community health services in addressing the overwhelming demand facing our healthcare system.
Time and time again community health services have partnered with the State Government to support Victorian communities in times of crisis – whether that be the pandemic, bushfires or floods – and the health system crisis we are currently facing should be no different. We are the experts when it comes to ensuring Victorians get the care they need, when and where they need it.
Taking steps to support children with NDIS early childhood plan
Bendigo Community Health Services’ Stepping Stones Group supports children who have a current NDIS early childhood plan.
The program is available to children aged 2.5 years to school age through our Early Childhood Intervention Service.
Based on the Karen Stagnitti Learn to Play program, the groups provide a space for children to enjoy engaging in pretend play.
The ability to engage in pretend play is linked to development in language, narrative understanding, creativity, social competence, emotional self-regulation and cognitive skills.
