AFTER months of waiting for DA approvals, Rod Young and his team of builders have finally started the building of the next phase of Ulong’s Mountain Health Hub – the treatment room.

“We are so excited about having this room completed, so we can offer the residents of the Eastern Dorrigo a much greater health service,” Carol Cleary, Chair, Ulong Hall Committee told News Of The Area.

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“Doctor Ruthnam and Nurse Lisa Taffe, together with our many visiting Allied Services, in the areas of mental health, rural recovery teams and women’s health, have worked in less desirable conditions over the past few years simply to provide our communities with some support.

“The completion of this room will make their jobs so much easier, provide our vulnerable local residents with services within their community and bring the initial visions of Nurse Lisa and myself to completion.”

A heartfelt thanks goes out from the Ulong residents to the “wonderful builders and tradies; JAC Plumbing, Ceasar Electrical and MML Conditioning, for all your care and great work,” said Carol.

“I cannot express enough how appreciative our mountain communities are of all those involved in this project,” she said.

TAFE NSW Head Teacher, Nurse Lisa Taffe told NOTA, “TAFE NSW are excited to get started and are looking forward to enhancing the care we already provide alongside Northside Clinic in Coffs Harbour with direction from Dr Jay Ruthnam.

“We couldn’t be prouder to be involved and to be part of the evolving health care clinic is an honour.

“The extension to the hub with the new build will allow further students, including physiotherapy aids, pathology students, to experience the rural setting alongside the current Nursing, Health service and aged care students making the holistic person-centred approach to health care a reality for the small community.

“The invaluable experience and exposure TAFE NSW students have been afforded by attending to patients in Ulong over the past few years has enhanced their learning and clinical application exponentially.”

The inclusion of medical students and interns adds to the multidisciplinary approach and allows the TAFE NSW students to experience first-hand the reality of working alongside a medical team to achieve the best outcomes for the patients of the community.

The inclusion of another treatment room will allow for a more thorough nursing assessment and treatment in the areas of but not limited to immunisation, cardiac care, respiratory care, specimen collection and health status assessments.

“The nursing students in particular will benefit from being able to learn, practice and apply clinical skills such as ECG’s, blood collection, spirometry, infusions, medication administration, wound care management and care planning to name a few,” said Lisa.

Ulong’s Mountain Health Hub opened in April 2021.

Its two-year milestone was celebrated with the news that funding was confirmed to get started with stage two; the building of a treatment room within the community building.

The construction and fit-out is being funded by Healthy North Coast, NSW Department of Health, with funding arranged by Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh, local community member donations and in-kind support from local tradespeople, suppliers and City of Coffs Harbour.

By Andrea FERRARI