ALLIED HEALTH FLOURISHES IN REGIONAL AND RURAL VICTORIA Gen Health Hamilton serves local community and rural outreach with range of allied health services
With
Jessica Fishburn,
Physiotherapist & Director
Gen Health Hamilton, Victoria
Carl Joyce,
Podiatrist & Director
Gen Health Hamilton, Victoria
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH JOURNAL SEGMENT
Filmed in Hamilton, Victoria | April 2025
Genhealth Hamilton was established in 2015 in regional and rural Victoria. The practice offers a range of services including physiotherapy, podiatry, occupational therapy, exercise science, and group classes such as clinical reformer therapy and clinical Pilates in Hamilton, which has a population of around 10,000. The clinic also serves a wider community within 100 kilometre, reaching rural residents and local industries.
The clinic caters to both private-paying patients and compensable clients referred by GPs or government-funded programs like NDIS and WorkCover. They address various health concerns, particularly in women’s pelvic health, with the clinic being one of the few in the region that specialises in this area.
Genhealth’s mission is to strengthen the health of the local community through a collaborative approach, allowing patients to access multiple services in one location. The multidisciplinary team is notably young and dynamic, contributing a vibrant energy to their healthcare delivery. The clinic has successfully reached approximately 9,000 of the 10,000 people in the community, showcasing their commitment to improving health outcomes.
The founders, initially four young women, took the risk to realise their vision for allied healthcare, turning it into a successful and community-focused business.
Australian Health Journal spoke with two Directors about the practice, the staff and the community they serve.
Source: Written by AUDIENCED from transcript
Filming credit: The Social Connection
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Reflecting on a pivotal year for pharmacy
Dr. Kate Wang, a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy at RMIT University and Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of Western Australia, has over a decade of experience in both hospital and community pharmacy settings.
Dr Wang spoke to Australian Health Journal on some of the key topics in 2024 that have been pivotal as a pharmacist, academic and researcher for the pharmacy profession.
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Lens on patient care & allied health workforce across settings
The CEO of Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), Bronwyn Morris-Donovan spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
The structure and priorities for AHPA
The setting and disciplines in Allied Health
Allied Health representation in the Strengthening Medicare Task Force
Importance of a data strategy and interoperability in delivery of allied health services
Key allied health priorities hopefully addressed in Federal Budget.In the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
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Victorian social prescribing program underway
n Part 2 of the Models of Care on Social Prescribing, Australian Health Journal spoke to 4 people involved in the Connect Local program under the Connecting Communities to Care 4 year program. The free program for over 65’s promotes wellbeing through social connection and is underway in the Glen Eira community in Melbourne.
– Deidre McGill, Executive General Manager, At Home Support, Bolton Clarke
– Ann Van Leerdam, Connect Local Community Connector, Bolton Clarke
– Dr Rajna Ogrin, Senior Research Fellow, Bolton Clarke Research Institute, Bolton Clarke - Dr Daniel Fineberg, Deputy Director General Medicine, Alfred Hospital, Victoria
