Community Health Checks

We have been participating in the local show circuit this year with the intention of promoting local health services and providing some basic health checks for the community. We are often asked what the benefit of providing these health checks are, so I thought I would try and answer that question.

One we attend these shows is so our local community has an opportunity to meet local health services and have a chat about their experiences, needs and concerns in their community. This is important for community members and services as it builds trust in the community and helps bridge some of the barriers to accessing healthcare,

We also like to show case our amazing students who train in in our rural and remote communities across all the health professions. They have an opportunity to meet their community in a more relaxed environment, and we often have community members ask us about study or ask the students about how they have enjoyed their rural and remote experience.

Finally, the most important reason we attend these events is to complete a mini health check. This can involve blood pressure, blood sugar, sleep check, and a chat about mental health and wellbeing. These checks are vital to members of our community who may have difficulties accessing local health services regularly because of location and distance, and it provides us with the opportunity to link people in with local services if needed. At every event I have attended in the past three years there has been one or more people we have reached who have needed urgent care or linking in with a follow-up from the local GP or hospital.

So if you are in western Queensland and you see local health services at the local shows, come along and say hello and get that health check. It might be just what you need, but it definitely something we enjoy!