The need for better care from Child and Family Health Services for those living in remote areas of the state, or a "change-up" of current systems, was a strong theme in a number of motions presented at the ICPA SA state conference held in Port Augusta last week.
Specifically, the CaFHS-related motions pushed to ensure no children in geographically isolated areas were slipping through the cracks in their early years prior to starting school, in terms of healthcare provision and diagnosis of learning disabilities.
The motions specified that a number of families were unable to access CaFHS clinics due to distance from CaFHS clinics, and a lack of engagement from the organisation.
North West branch president Lynly Kerin, North Well Station, reported on CaFHS issues on behalf of branch members who were unable to make the conference.
"I have had to make all contact with CaFHS to push for organised health checks - because we have to make initial contact, it is far too easy to get lost in the current system," one comment said.
"I have been living in the North West region for 12 months now and have not seen or heard anything from CaFHS in my area, or what I have access to for my children, from this service," said another comment.
"I have two children, one almost school age, and I have had multiple visits from RFDS for my younger daughter, and not once have they expressed to me what I have access to for my family living remotely. I would like to see CaFHS and RFDS working together to address my family's needs."
CaFHS country north manager Verity Timms said the organisation was working closely with the Royal Flying Doctor Service to "look at gaps" and ensure that communication across the state improves.
Families should not have to feel like it is too hard, or an inconvenience, to ask for a home visit.
- ANNA COOPER
"Sometimes with our (CaFHS) service, it is difficult to know where people birth, sometimes we don't get the right consent and communication from the birthing hospitals, we don't know where people are, so we are really aiming to strengthen communication with birthing hospitals and relevant stakeholders," she said.
"We've been going through a changing model of care in the last few years, we're now implementing that model of care, and hopefully more families get more of what they need."
North West branch member Amy Cooper, who has recently moved to Jamestown with her three children while her husband remains on Millers Creek Station, said CaFHS, RFDS and the Remote & Isolated Children's Exercise needed to work together to ensure home visits were frequent.
"(When living on the station), we were told we could get an RFDS flight out to us if there was a need, but I was never comfortable enough in asking for that flight or asking for a personal visit because i thought it would not be urgent enough," she said.
"I would like to see a CaFHS service linked up with RICE and RFDS permanently, to make more personal and face-to-face visits to home as needed. Families should not have to feel like it is too hard, or an inconvenience, to ask for a home visit."
While telehealth has largely been touted as an equaliser for rural and urban areas during Covid-19, Ms Cooper said face to face visits would always be preferred.
"Under the changes of CaFHS services, I was having to go to Port Augusta for appointments for developmental weight and growth checks, and issues with feeding my youngest child. These issues had to initially be discussed over the phone or internet, and it was a very stressful time.
"The personal connection with the CaFHS nurse was not the same as it was with a RICE nurse who had visited our property in the past, and I did not feel like we were getting the support needed as a remote family."
ICPA federal life member Jane Gloster said that these issues were non-existent until a few years ago, when the Child Health Nurse funding to RICE was lost in 2018 and RICE could no longer support families with home visits.
"We weren't talking about this a few years ago, because the position was there, and the nurse managed to get around the state. So the really simple solution, is to reappoint that position," Ms Gloster said.
I think we can be of great assistance to government departments to say "this is what worked in the past."
- LYNLY KERIN
Ms Kerin agreed the lack of a RICE nurse meant a "big puzzle piece was missing", and said ICPA state council must work with relevant industry members to determine what remote families need.
"We need to help the government to realise what is the best service for these families, we need to assist them with where the contracts go, where the money gets assigned, what families are wanting, and how those things are best delivered.
"I think we can be of great assistance to government departments to say 'this is what worked in the past'."
Open Access College principal Julie Taylor said the health and education sectors needed to work together to provide accurate information on children in their early years.
"Often there isn't a good flow of info when they start school, we have to start again (with healthcare and education assessments) and that can be problematic," she said.
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Claire Harris
Journalist at Stock Journal. Hailing from South East Queensland, Claire moved to SA at the start of 2019. She is passionate about agriculture, cooking, sport, and line dancing, and loves a good long road trip.
Journalist at Stock Journal. Hailing from South East Queensland, Claire moved to SA at the start of 2019. She is passionate about agriculture, cooking, sport, and line dancing, and loves a good long road trip.
