WA Centre for Rural Health

05/11/2026

Congratulations to WA Centre for Rural Health Lecturer Phuntsho Om who was presented as a Semi-Finalist in the prestigious 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, by The Honourable Stephen Dawson MLC, Minister for Regional Development at the 2026 7News WA Community Achievement Awards Presentation Gala in Perth on Saturday 24th October.

Based at WACRH’s Carnarvon office, this award acknowledges Om’s strengthening of rural healthcare through nursing education, supportive student placements and community partnerships, building clinical confidence, advancing cultural safety and encouraging future health professionals into regional practice.

04/11/2026

What makes a good clinical handover? It’s more than passing on information. A clear handover helps the next team member understand what’s happening, what matters to the person and what needs to happen next. It also creates an opportunity to ask questions and clarify information, supporting safer, more coordinated, person-centred care.

At last week’s 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, students from social work, dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and speech pathology came together to build these foundational skills.

Facilitated by WACRH education academics Kathryn and Aimee, the workshop gave students the opportunity to explore why clinical handover matters and practise using a structured approach to share key information with another team member. Along the way, they learned with, from and about one another’s professions. 💬

In rural health, where care often involves professionals working across different services and communities, effective handover can help keep everyone connected and working towards the same goals.

03/11/2026

Have your say on menstrual health in regional WA workplaces. We're seeking employees, managers, HR professionals and workplace leaders to take part in a short anonymous survey exploring menstrual health, inclusion and workplace culture. Your experiences can help shape healthier, more supportive workplaces across regional Western Australia.

Take part today: https://uwa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4TtoxgZ1QvGq6xw

02/11/2026

📽𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮
We’re celebrating Rural Health Month by asking WA University Departments of Rural Health staff, students and researchers what they love about working in a rural health setting.

Right across the state, we’re proud to support this year’s theme whilst also being privileged to live and work in some of the country's most unique and diverse locations.

🙌 Thank you to all who participated!

Goldfields University Department of Rural Health
University Department of Rural Health South West - UDRH SW
WA Centre for Rural Health
Rural Health Pro

29/10/2026

We love collaborating with our WA University Departments of Rural Health partners to grow our rural health workforce. 🙌🏽

Working together to strengthen rural health across WA

This month, lecturers from WA’s University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH SW, WA Centre for Rural Health and Goldfields University Department of Rural Health) came together in Perth at ECU City Campus to explore opportunities for collaboration in student education and supervisor development.

By building on existing programs and sharing knowledge across regions, we’re working towards more opportunities to support students, supervisors and a stronger rural healthcare workforce across Western Australia.

29/10/2026

Three years ago, WA Centre for Rural Health proudly opened the 𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗴𝗼𝗼 𝗠𝗶𝗮 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 in Carnarvon, creating a dedicated space for aged care education, training and student learning in remote Western Australia. Since opening, the Centre has supported health professionals, students and aged care services through professional development, collaboration and rural placement opportunities.

This month, we celebrate the partnerships and people who have made Bundillgoo Mia a success. Thank you to our staff, students and community partners who continue to strengthen the rural health workforce and improve care for older people across the Gascoyne region. Here's to the next chapter of learning, connection and impact.

27/10/2026

From the Great Southern to the Pilbara, allied health, nursing and midwifery health professionals have come together online this year for the 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀. Delivered by University Department of Rural Health South West - UDRH SW and WA Centre for Rural Health, the three masterclass sessions focused on: fostering student’s interprofessional collaborative practice, supporting underperforming students, and fostering reflection and engaging in feedback.

Our final three-hour online session attracted 52 participants, representing disciplines including nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, social work, paramedicine, audiology, podiatry and mental health. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences, insights and ideas across regions and professions. We're already planning the 2027 series and would love to hear your suggestions for future topics.

22/10/2026

The local speech pathology network in Geraldton recently welcomed new speech pathology students onto their WA Centre for Rural Health rural clinical placement. These students are committed to rural health and have already completed the first part of their final year clinical placements in locations across rural Western Australia. During their placement with us they will work in the WACRH Student Speech Pathology Clinic, WA Country Health Service Day Therapy Unit and Population Health, and GRAMS - Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service.

We love welcoming new speech pathologists to town and Geraldton currently has positions vacant (for recent graduates and experienced clinicians) in a number of locations including AbleKids Occupational Therapy,All Star Therapies, Allegro Therapy Geraldton. Contact them today to find out about more and we will see you at our next regular network gathering!

19/10/2026

The WA Centre for Rural Health - Rural Health West Staff and Student Awards were recently presented by RHW Deputy CEO Kelli Porter and WACRH Director Sandra Thompson to Staff and Students recognising their extraordinary service, research and achievement within WACRH and the communities we serve.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: Dr Phuntsho Om has made an outstanding contribution to Teaching and Learning, and Community/Engagement through her leadership in rural nursing education at the WACRH in Carnarvon. Her work exemplifies a collaborative, community-embedded approach to developing a sustainable rural health workforce.

𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀:
Tessa was an outstanding student. She had excellent self-reflective skills and was very motivated in her own learning, in addition to supporting the learning of her peers. Her clinical reasoning working with local people with pain conditions in the Student Physiotherapy Clinic improved dramatically during her placement in Geraldton.

Aarthi demonstrated extraordinary service, professionalism and community engagement through her final social work placement at St Paul’s Primary School in Karratha. Her achievement of 28 ‘Highly capable’ ratings across 33 learning reflects performance beyond that expected of a graduating social work student.

15/10/2026

Need support with communication after a stroke, brain injury, voice changes, stuttering or speech difficulties? Our free 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰 offers high-quality care for adults, supervised by Certified Practising Speech Pathologists.
📍 WA Centre for Rural Health, Geraldton
📞 Bookings: 9956 0200
✅ No referral required
*This clinic is suited to those who may have difficulty accessing speech pathology services or programs.