Monash University Department of Rural and Indigenous Health

MUDRIH & LCHS

Links with our Community Health Service

PATIENT care in the region will be improved and medical research options increased following an agreement between Latrobe Community Health Service and Monash University.

Opportunities for student placement, education and research will be strengthened under the agreement between the organisations, which was formalised by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday, 27 August 2009.

Latrobe Community Health Service CEO Ben Leigh said the memorandum would facilitate a good relationships between the organisations.

"The health service is helped to gain education and research skills and increase its understanding of evidence based health and social care," Mr Leigh said.

"Monash will gain access to more quality health student placement opportunities and to the vast research potential of a community health service."

Monash University's involvement will be through its Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.

Acting director Department of Rural and Indigenous Health, Associate Professor Janice Chesters, said the agreement would mean a holistic approach to health care.

She said it would get people from all health professions working together and thinking about their patients on a broader level.

Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Dean, Professor Steve Wesselingh, said links between university and community health were important.

"Agreements between hospitals and universities are quite common, but links with community health services are rare," Prof Wesselingh said.

"These links are important in the new health care environment where the focus is on primary health care and chronic disease management."

A placement, education and research unit established by the faculty is already operating within the health service and has just started working with health and social care professionals.

Article by Nicole Jackson, LV Express.