From upskilling staff to create Gippsland’s first neurodevelopment outpatients’ clinic, and purchasing new equipment to detect and manage eye disease, through to increasing the capability of nursing staff by purchasing specialised training equipment and offering RCH secondments, funding will change and save the lives of Gippsland children, in particular by allowing early detection and management of a range of conditions.  

Allied health scholarships – neurodevelopment – A number of new scholarships will enable Grade 2 Allied Health workers to develop the skills and specialisations needed to establish Gippsland’s first neurodevelopment outpatient clinic. Offering assessments and therapies locally will avoid the need to travel for specialist care, and will assist in the early detection of neurodevelopmental problems, such as autism spectrum disorder, and vision and hearing problems, thereby helping to avoid the adverse learning and development outcomes which are often seen in children receiving later diagnoses.   

Purchase of RETCAM (retinal scanning camera, neonatal) – By taking digital photos of the structures inside the eye, RETCAMs allow clinicians to scan for and manage eye disease. Purchasing a RETCAM for the region, and providing training to use it, will not only save children travelling long distances for regular testing, but will also increase regional capacity and reduce waiting times for patients. 

Capital works and equipment – In addition to improving the experience of paediatric patients in the emergency department and other wards, by upgrading play equipment and completing minor capital works, funding will also focus on upskilling the region’s paediatric nurses, by providing relevant paediatric training, purchasing simulation training equipment, and enabling secondments to the RCH.

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2025 Funding Update

Latrobe Regional Health (LRH) provides specialist health services to the region of Gippsland, caring for a population of over 300,000. Recently, LRH has seen a significant increase in paediatric presentations, and through the Good Friday Appeal’s funding, it has been able to strengthen their commitment to bringing care closer to home.

• Neurodevelopmental clinic: set to open in March 2025, will promote accessible and affordable care, providing personalised treatment plans to children up to two years old. It will be staffed by a multidisciplinary team who, through this funding, have each received specialist training focused on mitigating developmental delays.
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• Purchase of RETCAM (retinal scanning camera, neonatal) – by taking digital photos of the structures inside the eye, RETCAMs allow clinicians to scan for and manage eye disease, the system can help prevent retinopathy of prematurity; a treatable sight-threatening condition found in prematurely born infants. Purchasing a RETCAM for the region, and providing training to use it, will not only save children travelling long distances for regular testing, but will also increase regional capacity and reduce waiting times for patients. This equipment was also purchased in 2023 for the RCH, with both pieces of equipment being funded by Cadbury.
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• Education and training: Beyond the clinic, funding is supporting the provision of high-level education and training to staff across the hospital, especially within the Emergency Department, through the purchase of brand-new simulation equipment. This funding is also allowing hospital staff to undertake dedicated study days at The Royal Children’s Hospital, enabling staff to elevate their knowledge and skills to improve care and health outcomes for patients in the region.
  

“This clinic will be staffed by a multidisciplinary team who, through this funding, have each received specialist training focused on mitigating developmental delays. The clinic, set to open in March 2025, will promote accessible and affordable person-centred car, providing personalised treatment plans for children up to two years old.”

Don McRae, Latrobe Regional Health Chief Executive Officer.