Albany paediatric team helps put Jake on a healthier path

Albany nine-year-old Jake Millar is just one of the local children benefitting from an increase in service capability from the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Great Southern paediatric service.

The integration of outpatient and inpatient services is allowing local kids like Jake to access specialist services and programs locally.

According to Jake’s mother, Dee, until recently Jake had been suffering from a range of chronic conditions that were impacting his day-to-day life and leaving him at high risk of medical complications. 

“I was aware that there was something not quite right,” she said.

“Jake kept having accidents and was experiencing stomach pain and weight gain and by January 2021, his accidents were happening multiple times each day”.

When she sought help, Dee said Jake was referred to a 10-week behavioural program.

“The service we received at AHC was amazing and they listened to everything Jake and I had to say.

“Knowing that the team was an email or phone call away made all the difference,” she said.

WACHS Great Southern Regional Director Geraldine Ennis said the paediatric service at AHC was providing much needed support for local children.

“We established this service in 2020 after listening to local families,” Ms Ennis said.

“We have three specialist paediatricians working with us, as well as clinical nurse specialists, child and adolescent mental health services and nursery services so country kids can receive paediatric care closer to home,” she added.

Ms Ennis said stories like Jake’s meant a lot to healthcare staff who continued to perform extraordinary work in unprecedented times for the entire health system.

“You should never underestimate what your feedback means to your local healthcare team,” Ms Ennis said.

“Knowing that we could help Jake get healthier and more active, that we could reverse his abnormal blood results and that we could support his amazing Mum makes the hard days at work worth it,” she added.

Dee said that Jake is now a much happier, healthier and active child, and is thinking about a career in health.

“He wants to help people get healthier,” she said.

“He talks about helping people with similar problems to what he experienced.

“It’s in his nature to help people.”