RPH physios get a leg up with country deployments

WA Country Health Service (WACHS) has teamed up with East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) to deploy metropolitan based physiotherapists to the West Kimberley.

The six-month program is supporting Kimberley-based physiotherapists to provide more face-to-face services to the towns of Derby and Fitzroy Crossing, as well as the surrounding communities.

Kimberley Physiotherapist Jess Mondello said that the team had already visited Looma and Fitzroy Crossing.

“We know distance can make it difficult for people living in remote communities to access physio support, so that’s why we schedule regular trips and head out there when we can,” Jess said.

“We see clients with mobility issues, support people at risk of falls, orthopaedic and surgical rehab and we also do lots of developmental work with kids,” she added.

“It’s been great to have the RPH physios travelling to help us support Kimberley communities. I think it’s been a great opportunity as well for them to experience the complexities of working in remote health care.”

Usually based at Royal Perth Hospital, Hamish Merrigan is one of four metro physiotherapists spending time in rural Western Australia.

“It’s been personally and professionally rewarding and very eye-opening,” Hamish said.

“I’m used to providing inpatient services at the hospital, so getting out and about in remote communities has been a really unique experience. 

“The work being done by the Kimberley physios on-the-ground is also pretty extraordinary – these guys really care about their communities and we’ve been really happy to support them.”