$350k Investment to Boost Nursing Workforce and Promote Healthy Ageing on the North Coast

Romeo and Juliet

Title: Romeo and Juliet

Author: William

Shakespeare

Price: $15.99

Distributor: Booktopia

By Samantha Elley

It could be argued that every ‘boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy fnds her again’ style movie is based on Romeo and Juliet and I think to some extent they are right.

However, Hollywood likes fairytale endings. Shakespeare doesn’t, especially when it comes to his tragedies.

Continuing on with reviewing the classics, the story of two young lovers from feuding households has kept followers of romance engaged for years.

But did you know that Juliet was a rebound for Romeo? You’ll have to read the story to fnd out the details.

Nonetheless, they fall hopelessly in love and know it is going to be a diffcult road as their older, much ‘wiser’ family members can’t stand the sight of each other.

It’s the way it has always been between the Capulets and the Montagues.

The hate has been going on so long, no family member can really remember why.

But such strong emotion brings together two of the youngest members of both families, who fall in love and want to get married.

The iconic balcony scene, whose lines are best remembered by most Australians, thanks to a particular chocolate block advertisement, reveals the depths of Romeo and Juliet’s love, but also the impossibility of them ever being together.

A plan is then hatched to overcome the hate between the families and ensure the young lovers can be together.

With the help of their friar and a sleeping potion, the plan is enacted but goes astray with the worst of consequences.

And while there are readers who remember the story from their school days or through a healthy interest in Shakespearian literature, I won’t spoil the ending, but encourage you to buy the book from www.booktopia.com.au

Liam Jennings

Healthy North Coast has unveiled a $350,000 initiative aimed at enhancing health and wellbeing for ageing patients by strengthening the skills of nurses in general practice across the region.

This funding, part of the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care through the Primary Health Network (PHN) program, will provide specialised education and coaching for nurses. The focus is on improving skills in chronic disease management and early intervention, helping older residents in the area live healthier lives as they age.

Monika Wheeler, CEO of Healthy North Coast, highlighted the critical role nurses will play in the future of health care on the North Coast:

“With one in three residents projected to be over the age of sixty-fve on the North Coast in less than a decade, our health system will face enormous pressure if we don’t start to shift the dial in healthy ageing and reducing chronic disease prevalence.

“This investment will enable practice nurses to operate at the top of their scope, empowering them to provide comprehensive care and support older people in managing their health proactively. It’s a vital step to ensuring that our workforce is prepared for the challenges ahead.”

A pilot education program, involving six general practices across the North Coast, is being trialled to help nurses provide extended patient appointments, allowing for more focus on healthy ageing strategies and managing chronic conditions.

The participating practices, spanning from Lakewood in the south to Mullumbimby and Kyogle in the north, will offer nurses training and support to enhance their skills in areas such as healthy lifestyle promotion, dementia care, end-of-life planning, and multimorbidity management.

These additional skills will enable nurses to deliver compassionate, comprehensive care earlier in the ageing process, empowering patients to manage agerelated conditions with more confdence and live higher-quality lives for longer.

This $350,000 pilot is part of a broader $650,000 investment into the older person’s nursing workforce as outlined in Healthy North Coast’s Healthy Ageing Strategy, which aims to address the urgent need for a sustainable and capable primary and aged care workforce in the region.

Other initiatives in this investment include programs for nurses in Residential Aged Care and the development of new Healthy Ageing HealthPathways to assist practitioners at the point of care.

Dr. Tony Lembke, a partner GP at Alstonville Clinic, is a member of the Specialist Nurse Education consortia responsible for designing and implementing the education package for participating nurses.

“Promoting healthy ageing is a key role of general practice. This new program allows our highly skilled practice nurses to take a lead in developing innovative ways of partnering with patients in all stages of their health journey.”

Amanda Moss, Practice Nurse at Woodburn Health, was thrilled to be announced among the successful applicants:

“The professional development for practice nurses is an exciting opportunity, as it will ensure that our team is better equipped to meet the complex needs of our aging population, giving them confdence and contributing to a more coordinated and holistic approach to care.”

Participating nurses will commence the pilot education program in the coming weeks, after which the program’s tools and supporting resources will be available to all practices across the North Coast in a region-wide roll out.