THE board of Victoria's Royal Flying Doctor Service hosted its first meeting outside of Melbourne at Grains Innovation Park, Horsham this week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Chairman Murray Rogers, AO, said the board decided to visit regional areas to network with hospital and health agency staff.
"We appointed Horsham's Robyn Lardner to our board in order to represent regional Victoria, so we picked Horsham to have a formal board meeting," he said.
"We have board meetings six or seven times a year, but our purpose was also to dialogue with the Wimmera's health industry.
"We wanted to cast around to see what projects we could potentially help with and seek feedback on how we can work with regional agencies to meet future health needs.
"In addition, the visit also provided an opportunity to meet with Wimmera donors and supporters of RFDS Victoria."
Mr Rogers said the board met with Wimmera Health Care Group chief executive Chris Scott and board chairman Mark Williams, Rural NorthWest Health board chairman Leo Casey, Edenhope Memorial Hospital chief executive Emma Kealy, Wimmera Mallee LLEN executive officer Tim Shaw, Tracey Chenoweth of Dunmunkle Health services and Mandi Stewart of Wimmera Primary Care Partnerships.
"While our vision is to fund projects in outback Australia, we also feel that there are some gaps to fill in rural health in Victoria," he said.
"We're very appreciative of our donors right around Victoria including those in the Wimmera.
"This visit was really a door-opener for us."
Mr Rogers said he loved the Wimmera.
"I used to work in the grains industry and have some good friends at Dimboola," he said.
"It was great to have our board meeting at Grains Innovation Park, it is a very nice facility."