General News
11 September, 2024
MDN support continues across Wimmera
Despite the end of a four-year pilot project that funded the placement and training of movement disorder nurses (MDN) across the Wimmera, health services in Horsham, Stawell and Warracknabeal will see a continuation of the MDNs.
The pilot, from Western Victoria Primary Health Network (WVPHN) in partnership with Fight Parkinson’s, finished up at the end of June this year.
However, both groups are delighted to see the continuation of the MDNs at Grampians Health in Horsham, Grampians Community Health in Stawell and Rural Northwest Health in Warracknabeal, all of which will continue to offer this important service to people with Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders.
John Fisher, a client of registered nurse Gay Brown, who is living with Parkinson’s, said having access to an MDN had been transformative.
"Having access to a movement disorder nurse has given us the opportunity to find other people in our region with similar issues and get together and share our experiences and information about services," Mr Fisher said.
"Gay is a great contact point and she even comes out to visit us at our property on the edge of the Grampians."
Mr Fisher’s partner, Alison White, said before Gay the couple had no one to contact and no one to support them.
"She's not just a movement disorder nurse; she is able to support in so many ways, from talking about the side-effects of medication to linking us up with other services and movement disorder groups in our region," Ms White said.
She added that without an MDN in Horsham they would probably have to travel to either Ballarat or Melbourne to see someone - a round trip of anywhere between three and seven hours.
WVPHN CEO Craig Wilding said his organisation had been awarded the funding because the Wimmera Grampians region had a higher prevalence of Parkinson’s disease than other regions.
“The pilot was designed to deliver accessible specialised care for people with Parkinson’s disease in rural and remote areas of western Victoria, particularly to regions where it has been identified that there are high numbers of people living with the disease, including Horsham, Northern Grampians and Yarriambiack,” Mr Wilding said.
Grampians Health chief operating officer hospitals Ben Kelly said the continuation of MDNs at Horsham would enable the health service to provide care closer to home for communities in the Wimmera region.
“MDNs support those who are affected with conditions which can make mobility difficult,” Mr Kelly said.
“Ensuring that such patients have support closer to home and do not have to travel to Melbourne or Adelaide for further care is integral.
"Our goal is to make care more accessible to the communities we serve and we’re glad that an MDN would enhance the care we provide in the region.”
Registered nurse Gay Brown, who is the MDN at Grampians Health in Horsham, said nurses with her training were very important to the community.
“Having access to an MDN allows both clients and carers to have a point of contact who can provide education and support, meeting them where they are in their journey," Ms Brown said.
"We can provide ongoing information and appropriate referrals to allied health, and communicate with medical providers at a pace that is relevant to the client and their supporters.
“Ongoing support is vital for the Parkinson’s and movement disorder community as the numbers of people being diagnosed is increasing in our region.
"The support we provide - particularly in remote and rural areas - helps clients and families navigate the challenges they face."