02 Mar Continuing to work together for a healthy community | AGM

Our 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM), postponed from the usual November date due to the State Election, was held on 20^th February and community members had the option of watching in the comfort of their own home via livestream or attend in person at the Timboon Golf Club to join us on our ride through an exciting 2020 – 2021.

It was great to be able to reconnect in person again after 2 years of livestreaming the event due to COVID-19 restrictions. Current restrictions for our healthcare service meant the event could not be held onsite, but the Timboon Golf Club and beautiful weather provided a perfect backdrop, especially for the Welcome to Country (ngatanwarr merring) and smoking (ngootyoong) ceremonies performed by Gunditjmara and Kirrae Whurrong songman, Brett Clarke.

It was an opportunity for newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gary Castledine to speak to the wider community reminding them that our community is very closely connected and engaged with our healthcare service and that TDHS will endeavour to meet the needs of the community as closely as we can and continue to build on the legacy of others.

Board Chair Frank Carlus delivered his report in which he highlighted our healthcare service’s vision and purpose to continue to work together for a healthy community and keep people at the heart of our actions.

He thanked our generous community and local businesses for supporting our Annual Appeals, including contributing to the purchase of our highly anticipated bus, which was parked outside as a preview to a community launch in the near future. He also reiterated the TDHS Board of Director’s dedication and commitment to the improvement of not just the healthcare service, but also the impact in the community and the catchment it serves.

Fellow Board member Anthony DeJong, Chair of our Audit Committee, took us through an oversight of the financials, including the COVID-19 impacts and our performance priorities, showing a reasonably healthy financial position on 30 June 2022 setting us up for the future.

Board member and Chair of the Clinical Governance, Quality and Credentialing Committee Ashley Nesseler gave a brief overview of the meaning of clinical governance, how safe and quality care is ensured and guided everyone through TDHS achievements in clinical governance throughout 2021/2022, including passing the NSQHS Standards Accreditation.

Bronwyn Rantall, Chair of the Consumer Advisory Committee since February 2022, spoke about the vital role this committee plays in being an essential link between our community and the healthcare service and providing feedback and advice from a consumer, carer, and community perspective.

Recently departed Board Director Chris Stewart was acknowledged for being a vocal and wise voice on the Board of Directors and its different subcommittees since 2017 and how his knowledge of the community and the health system has been an invaluable contribution to the strategic direction of our healthcare service.

The formal part of our AGM was followed by guest speaker John Darcy, Senior Farm Safety Advisor at Victorian Farmers Federation. John is a highly experienced (33 years) safety and workers compensation practitioner with a real desire to make farms safer in a meaningful and practical way. He spoke very passionately about protecting people and farm safety as he reflected on the confronting part of this work, assisting farming families after vitalities and workplace accidents. John is part of the Making Our Farms Safer (MOFS) project, which is designed by industry for industry, providing up to date resources, i.e. free consults, audits and Walk and Talks, that will help farmers to be proactive with their safe work practices and make informed decisions on a day-to-day basis. You can access this information and free resources, including their newsletter, by visiting www.vff.org.au/project/making-our-farms-safer/

 

You can watch a recording of our AGM on www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqnO1dkiTHQ (please note that due to unforeseen circumstances it was delayed by 28 minutes). Copies of TDHS’s 2021/22 Annual Report are available from the reception area and on our website.