A new nursing pilot project will deliver needed health information, tools and resources to farmers in the East Gippsland high country, according to the Victorian government.
Funded by the Smarter, Safer Farms program, regional Bush Nursing Centres will be the cornerstone of the service, with more than $300,000 of funding to be utilised to improve health outcomes and build resilience after several difficult years of drought and bushfires for farmers, the government announced.
Emphasising preventative healthcare, the programs will fund projects operating out of the Dargo, Ensay, Gelantipy District, Swifts Creek, Buchan and Cann Valley centres.
“Each centre will work to identify early risk factors amongst farmers and their families, and local nurses will use their expertise to provide tailored support to the community across a range of services,” the government said.
They also said that the outcomes of this project would dictate future programs focused on “health and wellbeing” in the regions.
Victoria’s Health Minister, Martin Foley, said the funding was a reminder of the important role nursing services play in regional areas
“Providing more funding for our Bush Nursing Centres acknowledges the critical work that our nurses do for communities in remote locations.”
Details about the project are available at agriculture.vic.gov.au
