Community groups and stakeholders from around the Peel region came together last week in support of the Peel Mobile Health Service (PMHS), which is looking to secure continued support over the next few financial years.
The service, which has been up and running since 2012, had been increasing access to health services, health education and health promotion in the City of Mandurah, Shires of Murray, Waroona and Boddington as well as participating in many community events across the Peel region, GP down south program coordinator Gail Frater said.
Stakeholders met in Waroona to advocate for the service and to thank their sponsors.
Peel Health Foundation, through a fund raising campaign, raised significant funds to purchase a VW Crafter vehicle and have it modified for clinical and service provision.
“Mobile health has been very successful all over the world therefore we are very proud to have our own mobile service in this region,” Ms Frater said.
The ongoing service would not be possible without the support of sponsors and partners including Barbagallo VW Mandurah (who provide vehicle servicing and tyres), local Rotary Clubs, Bendigo Bank, Alcoa, Peel Health Foundation and the Department of Health.
“The PMHS is a resource for the whole community, delivering a variety of health promotion, health education and clinical programs,” Ms Frater said.
A Shire of Waroona spokesperson said the service “have become a regular, trusted and reliable health service in Waroona” and had “engaged the community and developed a rapport”.
“Waroona, as part of the Peel Region, has previously struggled to secure services to visit the town on a regular basis and without public transport, access to health services has been limited.”
A spokesperson from PMHS stakeholder Older Adult Mental Health Service said the organisation and the community valued “the potential benefit of early intervention and illness prevention”.
