Today, I share a deeply personal story that underscores my commitment to Belong Healthcare and our mission to support disadvantaged populations in regional and remote areas.
Seven months ago, I founded Belong Healthcare with a vision born from my challenging experiences predicating a profound desire to make a difference. This vision extends beyond a professional ambition; it is a deeply personal mission forged from my own painful experiences and driven by a profound hope for better healthcare access and greater health equity across both social and geographical divides.
Growing up in a small country town in New Zealand, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of inadequate healthcare. My father’s battle with cancer albeit a swift journey, was marked by profound pain and suffering. Despite our best efforts to ensure he had a peaceful passing, we faced a rural healthcare system that failed to provide him with adequate palliative care and allied health supports. One night towards the end of his life, I vividly recall using the last of the morphine syringes provided by the hospital in a desperate attempt to ease his agony, only to see this persist as I watched on helplessly. As his condition worsened, I called an ambulance, not knowing what else to do.
Unfortunately, he was unable to swallow the medications the paramedics provided due to his declining ability to drink water and had to resort to chewing the awful-tasting pills. In another instance, a lack of appropriate assistive technology, such as a wheelchair or walking aid, led to a tragic fall which left him even more pain and hopelessness. This painful experience has fuelled my commitment to ensuring that others don’t endure such suffering due to systemic healthcare inadequacies in rural communities.
Healthcare Disparities in Regional Areas
This personal experience illuminated a broader issue: the stark disparities in healthcare access between urban and regional areas. Studies highlight that individuals in rural and remote regions face significant challenges in accessing quality healthcare, a problem exacerbated for NDIS participants. According to research by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), people living in remote areas experience a greater burden of chronic diseases, poorer mental health, disability and limited access to healthcare services compared to their urban counterparts (AIHW, 2022). This inequity is particularly pronounced for NDIS participants, who often encounter difficulties in accessing essential allied health services and supports due to geographical isolation and workforce shortages.
The NDIS Challenge
For NDIS participants in regional areas, the lack of local allied health services can lead to fragmented care and inadequate support. A report by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) reveals that participants in rural areas face challenges such as limited service availability, longer travel times to access care, and difficulties in securing necessary assistive technology (NDIA, 2021). These barriers contribute to poorer health outcomes and create a sense of abandonment exacerbating the struggles of those who already face significant challenges and health inequity.
The Role of Allied Health Professionals
If my father had access to speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy, his experience might have been markedly different.
- Speech Therapy: As his condition progressed, my father lost the ability to swallow properly, making it difficult for him to take medications and maintain hydration. Speech therapists are crucial in managing dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) in patients with cancer. According to the Journal of Clinical Oncology, early intervention by speech therapists can improve swallowing function and reduce the risk of aspiration and malnutrition in patients with advanced cancer (Patterson et al., 2020).
- Occupational Therapy: The lack of appropriate assistive technology, such as a wheelchair, led to a fall that further weakened him. Occupational therapists play a vital role in recommending and providing adaptive equipment and modifications to enhance daily functioning and prevent accidents. Research published in Disability and Rehabilitation shows that occupational therapy interventions significantly improve the quality of life for patients with severe illness or disability by addressing mobility issues and safety concerns (Morris et al., 2019).
- Physiotherapy: My father’s physical decline could have been mitigated by physiotherapy intervention. Physiotherapists help manage pain, improve mobility, and prevent complications such as falls through tailored exercise programs. According to The Cochrane Library, physiotherapy can effectively reduce pain and improve functional outcomes in patients with disability, helping them maintain independence and comfort and reducing their risk of falls (Brunelli et al., 2017).
Belong Healthcare’s Commitment
At Belong Healthcare, we are dedicated to addressing these disparities. Our approach involves providing allied health supports specifically tailored to clients in regional and remote Victoria. We manage accommodation and food for our staff to minimise burnout and travel costs, ensuring continuity of care and reducing barriers for our rural and regional clients. We also absorb the costs of interpretation services to enhance accessibility for those with English as a second language and employ a diverse workforce to ensure cultural safety and effective support so everyone feels a sense of belonging.
A Vision for Inclusive Healthcare
Inspired by my lived experience and current studies in Public Health at the University of Melbourne, where I explore health equity and accessibility, our mission is to bridge the gap in healthcare access for those who might otherwise be left behind. Belong Healthcare strives to create an environment where every individual, regardless of their location or background, receives the compassionate, high-quality care they deserve.
If you share our vision or wish to collaborate on making a meaningful impact, I invite you to connect with myself, Genevieve Smith and our Team at Belong, so together, we can work towards a future where every person has access to the care they need, irrespective of their circumstances or where they live. Contact Belong today. We are located at 407 Bridge Road, Richmond Victoria.
References:
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2022). Australia’s Health 2022: Rural and remote health. Retrieved from AIHW
- National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). (2021). NDIS Annual Report 2020-21. Retrieved from NDIA
