Welcome to Going Rural Health News! Going Rural Health News is the publication of new and relevant information about all things related to rural clinical placements, education and rural health, from the Going Rural Health team. Team members are located in Ballarat, Shepparton and Wangaratta.

It's still an extremely busy time for placements across our regions, and our students are kicking goals. The word is definitely out there that rural placements are a great learning experience - here's hoping that translates to more health graduates looking rurally for their career. After all, so much post-graduate learning can be done online; why then do you need to be located in metro areas to do it?

Stay healthy, and - with the weather looking set to start warming up soon - get out and exercise and enjoy it!

 The Going Rural Health team

Going Rural Health student support

Student Health & Wellbeing Support

Going Rural Health People & Promotions

Going Rural Health Student Events

Rural Pharmacy - Clinical Gems & Exam Leg-Up

Rural Placements wanted!

Rural Job Vacancies

Going Rural Health Education

University of Melbourne Events & Webinars

External Education & Resources

Going Rural Health and University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) Research

Going Rural Health Website

Going Rural Health supports students to complete rural clinical placements. Support includes financial assistance, subsidised accommodation in selected areas, education, mentoring support, student activities, & cultural training.  For financial assistance, eligible students may only receive EITHER subsidised accommodation at University of Melbourne owned housing (where available, subject to availability) OR a financial payment for their placement (not both). Financial payment is calculated per day of attendance at placement.

Please note that there have been some slight changes to eligibility criteria recently. More information on the Going Rural Health Student Support Scheme, including how to apply & eligibility criteria, is available HERE.

As always, we are trying to ensure that students get the best placement experience possible. Please help us to do this by directing students to complete our Student Placement Survey. It is a short online survey that should only take students 10-15 minutes to complete.

There are a number of wellbeing supports available to students while they are on placement. Details are available on the Going Rural Health website on our 'Online Resources for Students page, and also outlined below:

1. CRANA Plus Bush Support Services: Toll free 24hr free phone counselling service for those in rural areas, including students while they are on placement. Phone 1800 805 391 anytime.
2. CRANA Plus free course: Adapting Self-Care Practices During Clinical Placement
3. National Rural Health Student Network Mental Health guide: When the Cowpat Hits the Windmill

4. The Going Rural Health Wellbeing & Resilience course:

   To access the course, follow this link HERE.

   You will need to register for the website (if you haven’t already), log-in to the website, and enrol to complete the course.

   If you have any issues with access please contact the team at going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au

5. Health & Wellbeing Service – telehealth appointments:

   The Rural Clinical School offers telehealth counselling services while students are on placement. Please see the link HERE for more details and to book an appointment.

Minister Gillespie with members of the project team at the launch in Wangaratta: From L-R: Prof Lisa Bourke- The University of Melbourne, Dr Tegan Podubinski-The University of Melbourne, Minister, the Hon Dr David Gillespie, Ms Leigh Rhode- CEO Gateway Health, Ms Keryn Bolte- The University of Melbourne.

Innovative program to boost to mental health and wellbeing training in rural Victoria launched

Rural, isolated, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in northeast and western Victoria will benefit from an expansion of allied health student training and placements thanks to a new project launched in Wangaratta by Federal Minister for Regional Health, Hon Dr David Gillespie MP.

The University of Melbourne’s Mental Health and Wellbeing for Remote and Aboriginal Victorians project will help boost mental health expertise in several communities in the state.

The project is a partnership including Gateway Health, Budja Budja Aboriginal Cooperative and the University Departments of Rural Health (UDRHs) of Melbourne, Monash, Deakin and La Trobe Universities, funded through the Department of Health’s Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training program.

New student led clinics will be established at Gateway Health in Wangaratta and Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative in Halls Gap to provide culturally safe and appropriate mental health services. Drawing on the skills of postgraduate psychology students and staff, the clinics will support a range of interprofessional service-learning placements in more remote communities working with local primary schools, sporting clubs, mother’s groups, men’s sheds and other groups to deliver holistic mental health support programs. In total, there will be placements for 10 Masters of Clinical/Professional Psychology students and 44 allied health students by the second year of the program.

The Gateway Health clinic in Wangaratta student clinic will have telehealth facilities to support remote learning, increase access to student supervisors and, most importantly, provide referral, access and anonymity for high-risk individuals with mental health needs extending beyond the service-learning program.

As well as increasing workforce capacity in the region and providing additional services, training healthcare workers in the regions, provides a workforce pathway and an experience of the opportunities available for a successful career in regional and remote areas.  The project also arms nursing and allied health students with mental health skills to use in future work with mental health patients and clients.   

For further information contact:

Prof Lisa Bourke e: bourke@unimelb.edu.au or p: 5823 4519

Submit your short video 

Are you a nursing or allied health student currently completing, or have completed, a regional or rural placement?

We're on the look-out for new stories from our student and alumni community to bring our video projects to life. Scan the QR code or follow the below link to get started:

go.unimelb.edu.au/5oxe

STUDENT YOGA CLASSES

To coincide with RUOK Day and Mental Health Week, Going Rural Health and the University of Melbourne Rural Clinical School will be running 4 FREE yoga classes for rural health placement students during September and October. The classes will be in-person at our Ballarat Campus (numbers limited & BYO yoga mat), and available by Zoom for other sites and anyone wanting to join at home.

Registration is essential and numbers for each class are limited. Participants must book into individual classes separately. To book use the QR code on the flyer above, or via the link HERE.

Please pass this on to your students! 

Are you a pharmacy intern in regional/rural Victoria, or know someone who is? Are you worried about exams (both oral and written), feel like some more clinical exposure, or simply would like to ask experienced pharmacists a question or two?

Then worry no more! At University of Melbourne’s Rural Department of Health, we work closely with the Victorian College of Pharmacy & Monash University to give you that little bit extra support as a rural/regional intern. We conduct a series of monthly online and live discussion and tutorial groups – at convenient, out-of-business hours – FREE of charge!

All are welcome, please feel free to invite your fellow interns too! For more information, please contact us by emailing zikai.he@unimelb.edu.au today!

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a backlog of placements for universities for many disciplines, which will end up leading to delays in students graduating, and as a result less health professionals available for the workforce.

Do you think your organisation might be able to host a nursing or allied health student (or two)? Going Rural Health can help you develop placements and support placement students.

For more information please contact Trish Thorpe at  trish.thorpe@unimelb.edu.au

The team are now providing another platform for rural and regional organisations to advertise their employment opportunities to our network. Please feel free to send the details of any vacancies for advertising in this newsletter to Trish Thorpe at trish.thorpe@unimelb.edu.au

We can also advertise on our website and social media platforms!

Online Going Rural Health Education

Have you seen the Going Rural Health Online Learning Centre on our website? We have a number of free courses for both students and health professionals. To access the Learning Centre visit the webpage HERE. 

Participants will need to register for the website, log-in and enroll in courses. Certificates of completion will be automatically generated upon successful completion of courses. If you have any problems with this process please contact the team at going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au

Courses will be added as they are released, but the site currently has 10 free courses live:

• New Interdisciplinary Graduate Education and Learning (NIGEL) Series: One of our newest courses, this course is targeted towards mostly non-clinical learning for new graduates, especially those working in regional and rural areas. Covering 9 topics, this will help health professionals new to practice with the transferable skills they need in their day-to-day work.
• Human Rights in Healthcare: This course looks at how human rights apply to healthcare, particularly from a regional/rural lens.
• Project Supervision for Student Placements: This course provides some tips on selecting and designing placement projects that fit timeframes, student learning requirements, and desired outcomes for all.
• Online Introduction to Rural Practice: this is our updated course introducing students and new staff to practicing in a rural community. Great for those new to rural health.
• Wellbeing and Resilience: an updated version of our Resilience module, the course has been moved to the Learning Centre for easier access. Health professionals - including health students - as a group don't tend to look after themselves well; this course gives insight and tips as to how to look after ourselves better.
• Giving and Receiving Effective Feedback: This is a combination of our original two separate courses (Giving Feedback, and Receiving Feedback), as much of the content was similar. Provides tips to better receive feedback, especially if it is negative, and ways to provide more effective feedback to staff and students.
• Communication: Tools to optimise your communication skills and ensure the perceived message is the intended message.
• Social Media Posting for Health Professionals. A package, particularly for young health students or experienced health professionals new to social media, that discusses the pitfalls and risks associated with social media posting on various platforms.
• Responding Effectively to Upset and Complaining Patients or Family. This course discusses methods to work with these individuals for best outcomes.
• Critical Thinking & Clinical Reasoning. This topic discusses what critical thinking is and how to implement into your everyday practice as a health practitioner.

Online Cultural Training - for Students ONLY

Going Rural Health, in collaboration with a Yorta Yorta traditional custodian from the Shepparton region, have developed an online cultural training course for students. The course can be accessed via our website HERE.

Education - September/October 2022

STAFF:

SEPTEMBER INTAKE BOOKED OUT!

Introduction to Supervision Workshop

Workshop-based training that provides an overview and some practical skills for those with limited or no experience in supervision of students.

Where: Online via Zoom

To register for this event please click: HERE.

STUDENTS:

Student Tutorials 2022

Aimed at students but also suitable for new graduates.

Ownership of Learning: October 12th 8-9am, via Zoom

Career Readiness Skills: October 5th 8-9am, via Zoom

For more information, and to book, visit the StarRez online events page HERE.

Cultural Competency in Aboriginal Health Training

The Department of Rural Health invites allied health, pharmacy, nursing and medical students from all Universities to participate in a free Cultural Competency in Aboriginal Health training workshop. Robynne Nelson delivers a highly informative and valuable session on Cultural Competency in Aboriginal Health, helping you to increase your skills and knowledge for working with Indigenous people and communities in a more culturally appropriate and effective way.

Shepparton details:

When:  Thursday 13th October, 9.30am-3.30pm

Where: University of Melbourne Rural Campus, 49 Graham St Shepparton

Wangaratta details:

When:   Thursday 8th September, 9.30am-3.30pm

Where: University of Melbourne Rural Campus, 'The Chalet' Docker St, Wangaratta

Shepparton and Wangaratta workshops are for STUDENTS ONLY. COVID-19 requirements apply.

Bookings essential. For more information, and to book, visit http://go.unimelb.edu.au/9u7i

Ballarat details:

The Going Rural Health team at the University of Melbourne Department of Rural Health invites all nursing and allied health students to participate in Aboriginal Cultural Insight Experience Virtual Workshops. Nursing and allied health university and health service staff are also welcome to attend. Traditional Owner Bonnie Chew will conduct virtual cultural awareness workshops introducing students and staff to past and present Aboriginal Australia. These sessions will give students and staff an insight into the Aboriginal history in Australia and an opportunity to discuss meeting the health and well-being needs of today’s community in a meaningful and culturally appropriate manner.

When: Wednesday 30th November, 9.30am-4.30pm          

Where: University of Melbourne Rural Campus, 806 Mair St, Ballarat.

Cost: Staff $30. Students: FREE. 

COVID-19 requirements apply.

Bookings essential. To book, visit our Eventbrite page HERE.

NOTE: Students - please contact Trish Thorpe trish.thorpe@unimelb.edu.au for FREE student booking links.

Please contact the education team via the Going Rural Health email address: going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au  for details of all education, if any issues with bookings, or to book a virtual session from the education list at Education topics.

The Department of Rural Health invites you to attend the 7^th annual Ngar-wu Wanyarra Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Conference.  This year our conference will be held in-person at The University of Melbourne, Department of Rural Health, 49 Graham St Shepparton on Yorta Yorta Country with an online option if you prefer. 

We are currently finalising our conference program with Keynote Speakers Adam Goodes and Sue-Anne Hunter (Yoorrook Justice Commission) and over 20 abstracts from First Nation presenters across Australia.  Conference updates can be viewed on the Department of Rural Health website. https://go.unimelb.edu.au/7iie.

Please register online at https://go.unimelb.edu.au/9ree by COB Wednesday 21 September 2022. 

Ticket prices

Attending Face to Face

$100 Conference - Non-Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people (morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be included)

$40 Conference - Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people (morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be included)

Attending Online

$60 Conference - Non-Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people

$25 Conference - Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people

$50 Conference Dinner – The dinner will be held in Shepparton, venue details to be confirmed at a later date

$15 Craft Classes – Further details to follow

If you have any further enquiries please contact Ms Di Doyle, Events Coordinator p: 5823 4512 or e: aboriginal-health@unimelb.edu.au.

We hope can you join us for this conference.

Alpine Medicine on Show

Minus 2 degrees and falling snow added an exciting element to the learning environment for 35 Medical Students. Hosted by the GV Regional Training Hub in partnership with the Outlook Rural Health Club, the Alpine Showcase was designed for aspiring rural doctors and showcased the varied and fast paced medical careers that are on offer throughout the region. 

Want to know more? See the link HERE.

Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP)

Helping people improve their health. Most people become clinicians to make a difference in the world.

Sometimes, there are predictable barriers that need to be overcome which often require non-clinical skills that aren't taught in training, such as entrepreneurialism, design thinking and communication.

Based on the highly successful UK NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, The Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program aims to up-skill clinicians and accelerate innovation by developing the entrepreneurial and innovation mindset of Australia's healthcare professionals to create positive change for the Australian healthcare system. 

For more information visit https://www.auscep.com.au/

 

My Allied Health Space is a great resource for allied health professionals and allied health students working in the field of disability.

AHCEN Complex Case Series

The Allied Health Clinical Educators Network 'Complex Clinical Cases' are a series of online webinars which aim to upskill Allied Health Professionals and promote inter-professional practice.

The intended audience is early years Allied Health Professionals. These free webinars welcome four Allied Health experts from different organisations and professional backgrounds to discuss their experience and approaches in the assessment, treatment and management of a patient with a complex clinical topic.

Case studies will centre around the following topics in 2022:

• Oncology: Head and Neck Cancer: Wednesday July 27th, 3-4.30pm
• Acute Neurology: Thursday September 15th, 3-4.30pm

Registrations will open 3-4 weeks prior to each webinar (held via Zoom).

For more details contact alliedhealth.education@rch.org.au

LGBTIQA+ Group Supervision

Want to learn more about working with LGBTIQ+ people as a health professional? Join Lachlan Slade for these group supervision sessions.

For more information, and to book (various dates available), visit https://events.humanitix.com/group-supe#

RCH Education Outreach

Allied Health Paediatric Videoconference Series

SEPTEMBER: The patient, their family, my workplace & beyond: opportunities for advocacy across systems.

When: Tuesday 13th September, 1-2pm

Presenter: Jack Southwell, Social Worker, Social Work Department RCH

Registration: Via Eventbrite HERE.

OCTOBER: Living with limb differences (children with lower limb amputations)

When: Tuesday 18th October, 1-2pm

Presenters: Estelle Johnson, Physiotherapist, Physiotherapy Dept, RCH 

                     Meleita Finnigan, Prosthetist, P&O Dept, RCH

Registration: Via Eventbrite HERE.

Registration is via the Eventbrite links and it closes 2 business days before each presentation. It is free to attend and we encourage any health professional interested to view one or all of them.

If you have any questions about this series please email education.outreach@rch.org.au

RCH Virtual Course - Supporting Children with Procedures

RCH Education Outreach is excited to bring you this interactive half-day workshop, for clinicians who provide care to children undergoing medical procedures.

Topics include:

• Principles of procedural pain management
• Children with behavioural complexity
• The ethics of procedural pain management
• Non-pharmacological & pharmacological interventions (including procedural sedation)
• Expert panel discussion

Date/time: Thursday 15 September, 9.00am - 1.30pm

Cost: $30

Register: HERE.

Free Student Resource From CRANA plus:

Adapting Self-Care Practices During Clinical Placement

The resource is for any student preparing for a placement in a rural or remote setting. To access the resource, visit the webpage HERE. 

Allied Health Clinical Educators Network Clinical Supervision Modules

The Allied Health Clinical Educators’ Network (AHCEN), has released some modules on training staff in clinical supervision. They include:

• Setting up a clinical supervision relationship
• Providing effective feedback
• Developing Clinical Reasoning through Supervision
• Supporting Wellbeing through Clinical Supervision

For more details see the document HERE.

Head to Help: A Free Mental Health Service For All Victorians

This is a service available through the Primary Health Network (PHN), for Victorians of any age experiencing mental ill-health - whether they have a GP mental health plan or not. The service is FREE, and no appointments are required.

Phone: 1800 595 212 8.30am - 5pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

For more details see the website HERE.

NOTE: This is NOT a crisis service.

For urgent support call Lifeline on 13 11 14

Out of hours and weekends call Beyond Blue on 1800 512 348.

Yarning SafeNStrong - A New Counselling Service for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples

The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service has established Yarning SafeNStrong: a free and confidential counselling service for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The service is available 24 hours, 7 days a week to people and families who need to have a yarn with someone about their wellbeing.

Phone: 1800 959 563

For more information see the website HERE.

Three Rivers UDRH

Three Rivers UDRH supports health professionals, staff and students by offering free online courses. The following two courses are especially relevant:

Three Rivers UDRH Rural Clinical Placements – How to grow your own course .

Three Rivers UDRH Telehealth - Embracing Technology in Healthcare

Student telehealth placements resource

There is a great resource available from SARRAH about student telehealth placements. It is a copy of the presentation from a recent webinar. Access it via the link below:

SARRAH webinar student TH placements Robyn Gill

PHN resources

WestVic PHN and Murray PHN also have education available in regional and rural areas. See their websites for details of what is on in your region:

WestVic PHN: https://westvicphn.com.au/events-education/upcoming-events/

Murray PHN: https://www.murrayphn.org.au/events/.

The Going Rural Health program sits within the University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) of The University of Melbourne. The UDRH undertakes a number of research projects, some of which relate to student placements - from both the student perspective, and of those who support students (supervisors and placement support staff).

Student Placement Survey

As previously mentioned, Going Rural Health are trying to ensure that students get the best placement experience possible. Please help us to do this by directing students to complete our Student Placement Survey. It is a short online survey that should only take students 10-15 minutes to complete.

Supervisor & Placement Support Staff Survey

Going Rural Health are undertaking a research project to gain a better understanding of rural clinical placements, from the perspective of those who support students (supervisors and placement support staff). Many of you will have already received an email from one of the Going Rural Health team members to invite you to participate, and to encourage you to share the invite with your colleagues. Visit the Going Rural Health webpage HERE for more details.

If you would like any further information on any of these projects, please contact the Going Rural Health team at going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au .