PHOTO: Speech pathologist Lisa Hall, CAHS manager Ruth Luppino and paediatrician Dr Jen Gatenby.
Coonamble could see regular paediatric visits every month at the Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service (CAHS) after about ten years without a service to the town.
The Variety Flying Start Paediatric Program is being described as a game-changer, giving western families free access to a paediatrician for their children, in their own community.
The clinics are part of an expansion of Marathon Health’s Flying Start program after it received funding from the Rural Doctors Network just last month.
Dubbo-based paediatrician Dr Jen Gatenby and speech pathologist Lisa Hall saw five children at CAHS during their first visit to Coonamble on Friday 28 March.
“There is now a pathway for your child/children to see the paediatrician,” CAHS CEO Phil Naden said.
“This is a great win for Coonamble and CAHS, as we can now provide important support that may be needed.”
Paediatricians are doctors with special training to treat children and can diagnose them with non-medical conditions like autism and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
All local health services – Coonamble Multi Purpose Health Service, Ochre Health and Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service – had identified the lack of paediatric services as a key gap in local health.
The clinics are being delivered in partnership with the Local Health District and are funded until the end of the financial year to run two more clinics.
Provider Marathon Health say they will advocate for further funding.
A Marathon spokesperson said the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health is evaluating the program.
“We’ve got our occupational therapists who are based there within that AMS, and we are seeing it as building on the relationship that Marathon Health has with the Coonamble community,” said Ms Hall from Marathon Health, who is also the program’s Clinical Coordinator.
The program expansion includes more clinics in Walgett – one of the original program locations – and Dubbo.
It was designed with children’s charity Variety.
Families are encouraged to make an appointment with your regular GP to obtain a referral.
This referral will then be sent off to the Paediatrician, and will be triaged by the Paediatric team, and an appointment will be offered based on urgency and availability.