Rural Northwest Health's new podiatrist Angela Covington. Picture: CONTRIBUTED
After moving to Australia from the UK, Rural Northwest Health's new podiatrist Angela Covington is looking forward to helping Wimmera people.
Mrs Covington worked in rural areas of England for two years before moving to Australia to be closer to family.
"I have family living in Melbourne," she said. "I have always felt that half my heart was here as well, so when I had the opportunity to come and work in Australia, I just grabbed it."
Mrs Covington is based at Rural Northwest Health's Warracknabeal campus, but will also travel to Hopetoun.
She loves working as a podiatrist because of the job satisfaction.
"I love it because you can help a lot of people and generally they feel a lot better when they leave the clinic than when they entered," she said.
Previously she worked as a podiatrist in Cambridge for the National Health Service, working mainly with elderly and diabetic patients.
She chose to move to the Wimmera for the sunshine and to experience a different culture.
"From what I've experienced, rural communities need more community health people working there," she said.
Mrs Covington joins Rural Northwest Health's expanding team and will be one of four new professionals this month.
Allied health team leader Sybil Braybrook said she hoped the community would support Mrs Covington's appointment because Rural Northwest Health would not receive any extra funding for her position.
"Mrs Covington's appointment as a second podiatrist is a direct result of Rural Northwest Health's recognition of the increasing health needs of the shire's population," Dr Braybrook said.
Mrs Covington said she was looking forward to an Australian lifestyle as well.
She started at Rural Northwest Health on Monday.