Child health nurses celebrate a year of progress with virtual health checks

WA Country Health Service’s groundbreaking virtual child health check project has reached an important milestone, with more than 500 virtual child health checks delivered since inception.

Part of WA Country Health Service’s Healthy Country Kids program, parents and carers can meet with a child health nurse at home via phone, tablet or computer for their Purple Book child health checks.

Currently available for children aged one to three years, telehealth technology allows rural and remote families to receive regular child health checks and monitor developmental milestones without having to travel.

WA Country Health Service Virtual Clinical Nurse Specialist, Karina Ayers said that the response from parents and their children had been overwhelmingly positive.

“The virtual child health nurse appointment eliminates the need to travel to a clinic or hospital, saving time and reducing stress for both children and parents.”

Karina said she found that many toddlers appeared more relaxed and comfortable and secure in their own home environment, and often this can lead to more effective sessions.

“One parent recently told us how it made such a difference that their child was in her comfort zone.

“They said she spoke a lot more, played with her toys, and interacted well with me, which allowed me to see her daughter’s actions and hear her speech,” Karina said.

Another parent said they had opted to use the service due to living out of town and caring for a newborn.

“It saves me time and the stress of organising a trip to the clinic, especially having four kids.

“It was good in our own home where my child felt comfortable and played as normal and I didn’t have to worry about travel and parking or cancelling for sickness,” they said.

Additionally, the Virtual Child Health Nurse service, in partnership with the State Library of WA, has organised distribution of the Better Beginnings reading backpacks for two-year-olds from their local library.

The service is available in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields, Midwest and Wheatbelt, with plans underway to expand services to the Great Southern and South West.

In 2023-24, WA Country Health Service supported more than 37,000 outpatient appointments via telehealth and saved patients thousands of kilometres of travel.

Want to know if a telehealth appointment is right for you? Check in with your healthcare professional. For more information, visit WA Country Health Service - Telehealth.