31 May TDHS chair delighted with community input

Nearly 500 people have had their say to help shape the Timboon and district community’s health and wellbeing priorities for the next five years.

Timboon and District Healthcare Service chair Maryanne Puli Vogels said she was delighted with the strong public response to the ‘Timboon Tomorrow – Priorities for a Healthier Future’ project.

A survey and pop up conversation caravans were used by consultants, the OMC Group, to engage the local community and collect important data.

Ms Puli Vogels said the project was an important part of the organisation’s current process to draft a new strategic plan to guide it through the next five years.

“We had 264 responses to the survey and 232 people came through the conversation caravans which was a fantastic response,” she said.

“Our community has shown that it is very engaged with Timboon and District Healthcare Service and is passionate about the provision of health services in our region.

“The board and management of Timboon and District Healthcare Service are very aware of the ever-changing nature of healthcare in regional areas and I’m so thankful to our community that so many people have provided input to this important process.”

Ms Puli Vogels said the organisation was committed to listening to the community and ensuring that it remained relevant to the current and future needs of locals.

“We’re working hard to make sure our plan for the future is proactive, that our provision of services is appropriate and that we operate in a way that ensures our sustainability,” she said.

“We all know that the delivery of health services is becoming increasingly challenging for a range of reasons. We also know that providing opportunities for community and staff input is essential in ensuring we have a comprehensive approach, which is why we are really pleased with the level of engagement in this process so far.

“The conversation caravan was set up in Timboon’s Main Street, at the school and up at the football/netball club to make sure as many people as possible had the opportunity to visit and provide their input.”

Damien O’Malley from the OMC Group said the strong community participation was a great result for the project.

“The results will form one of the key data points for the community’s health needs assessment and showed a real enthusiasm and commitment for Timboon and District Healthcare Service,” he said.

“Since the community engagement work, we’ve been reviewing and consolidating all the data and pulling it together as an important part of the strategic planning process for the Timboon and District Healthcare Service board.

“We undertake a range of strategic planning processes with a range of clients. What we really appreciated, and were impressed by with this project, was the commitment of the Timboon board and executive team to maximising the opportunity for community involvement, and this is a credit to the organisation and the broader community.”

Ms Puli Vogels said Timboon and District Healthcare Service always welcomed feedback from community members.

“Just because this engagement project has concluded, that doesn’t mean that community members can’t continue to provide important feedback,” she said.

“Community members are invited to contact Julie-Ann Stewart via email at julieann.stewart.tdhs@swarh.vic.gov.au or by calling 5558 6029.”