Dr Simon Lockwood
On behalf of Country SA PHN - employees and the Board - I’d like to wish everyone a happy new year. I hope you were all able to spend some quality time relaxing with family and friends. As 2023 stretches out in front of us, full of promise and opportunity, it’s worthwhile taking the time to reflect on how each one of us can have a positive impact as individuals and as a collective. For me personally, this means in my immediate sphere with my family and friends, and as a member of the Roxby Downs community. In a professional capacity it’s caring for my community as a General Practitioner and as the Chair of the Board of Country SA PHN.
As Chair I have the privilege of helping to drive primary health improvements beyond my patch for all country South Australians. This includes the health and wellbeing of our rural health workforce without who we can’t have healthy rural communities. The rural health workforce continues to suffer from great challenges in recruitment, retention, and development. This continues to put pressure on those professionals who are left in our communities to do the work.
Building healthy country communities is much more than bricks and mortar and services it is about people and connection. It’s about lending a hand and being there for a mate. Those in country South Australia are aware of the importance of capacity building and creating resilient communities – whether it be the vagaries of the weather, financial hardship, or natural disasters such as bush fires or in our most recent times floods – country communities must be prepared for it all. This summer many Riverland homes and businesses have been inundated by flood waters as the Murray River swelled to near unprecedented levels.
The trauma and stress associated with this flooding can have a significant impact on people’s mental health. Country SA PHN was pleased to be able to assist Riverland communities by offering mental health support services as part of the state government’s $1 million assistance package to expand mental health services in the region. The SA Flood Mental Health Response is providing specialist and early intervention services for affected communities. Country SA PHN partnered with Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network, Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Wellbeing SA, and the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist, to promote positive mental wellbeing to reduce the risk of mental ill health and suicide.
As South Australian Premier’s Advocate for Suicide Prevention, Nadia Clancy, said this package supports flood impacted communities quickly but also for the long haul as we recognise that the effects of flooding can last well beyond when the flood water subsides. Innovative, collaborative programs acknowledge that communities need long term mental health support. Our experiences of assisting country South Australians with mental health support through COVID-19, bushfires and drought has taught us that communities need immediate as well as long-term support to rebuild their communities.
If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed and struggling to cope, you can reach out to local services that can provide mental health and wellbeing support here.
We wish you all a wonderful 2023 and look forward to connecting with many of you throughout the year.
