Nepean Blue Mountains Medicare Local

The Nepean Blue Mountains Medicare Local is the health organisation for the four Local Government Areas of Lithgow, Nepean, Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains and speakers attended a meeting last week Saturday 9 June 2012 to meet with the residents of Capertee and the 4 localities in the Capertee Valley . They were: 

Sheila Holcombe CEO gave an update on the establishment of the Nepean Blue Mountains Medicare Local and the committment by them to engaging with consumers regarding health issues. 

Diana Aspinall Consumer Representative and Chair of the Joint Nepean Blue Mountains Medicare Local and Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District Consumer Committee spoke about the model they are using to engage with all consumers and particular reference was made in regard to Capertee/Capertee Valley the most Northern end of Lithgow Region boundary under the Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local area, Diana spoke about the Health Consumer Forum that will be held in Lithgow on the 16th November 2012. 
Medicare Locals (MLs) are regional promary health care prganisations that have been set up to improve health outcomes for Australians by ensuring that communities have better and FAIRER ACCESS to the health services they need, By 1 July 2012, 62 ML's will be operating across the country and the Australian Medicare Local Network, the national body for MLs will be established and based in Canberra.
What are Medicare Locals and what do they do?
medicare Locals are not-for-profit organisations funded predominantly by the Federal Government. They are governed by LOCAL boards featuring clinicians and other skills based directors drawn from the community.
Capertee Valley we have been told is considered as rural remote area.
Medicare Locals will:
link and coordinate primary health care services. These are the services you receive from your GP, practice and community nurses through the community pharmacists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists and podiatrists.
Work with consumers, communities and a range of other groups to identify, plan, put in place the health services that are needed for your local community.
Help to improve the quality and performance of your local primary health care services.
Build up your local community's after hours services.

Medicare Locals will work towards ensuring that the right services are in the right places for consumers and some will deliver services directly to consumers and patients.
Why do we need MLs?
They say :To improve access< To target services needs, To improve navigation, To promote health, To improve health outcomes, To reduce duplication, MLS are working towards implementing a Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) to make tracking medical histories and information a lot easier and more efficient. Currently the LEAN (Local Exercise and Nutrition) committee established by Medicare local Western NSW (was called Central West Divsion of General Practice) meets at Glen Alice School usually on a bi-monthly timetable and members are drawn from P&C< CVA Inc, GACA Inc, GDCA Inc and Capertee Valley residents. A newsletter is being established and hopefully can be collected from 4 locations across the valley. Nepean- Blue Mountains Medicare Local will work closely with the Nepean-Blue Mountains Local Health District to establish a consumer engagement structure. Consumer Contact
Region
Diana Aspinall
Mobile             0403 809 058 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            0403 809 058      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      
email: daspinall@internode.net
Lithgow
Judith Davies 6359 3037
mshoard11@bigpond.com
-(see www.yourhealth.gov.au for information about health reform).


Copied with thanks Capertee Valley Alliance