RDN recruitment supports Bourke’s COVID-19 response

The race to vaccinate Bourke's Aboriginal community against COVID-19 has received a boost last month with the arrival of two new nurses to join the team at Bourke Aboriginal Corporation Medical Service (BACHS), the result of collaboration with NSW Rural Doctors Network's  (RDN) Recruitment Team.

Registered Nurse Rosalind was the first to arrive  and has been  assisting in the clinic.

According to BACHS CEO John Ireland, the arrival couldn’t come at a better time.

"Our staff have been working around the clock to ensure our community gets vaccinated, but we need more hands on deck. RND helped us just when we needed it most,” he said.

As cases of COVID-19 continued to increase in Far West and Western New South Wales, on-the-ground services have been pulling out all the stops to support the region’s Aboriginal communities.

Rosalind says she appreciates the dedication of the team at BACHS and hopes her presence will not only help get more jabs in arms but will also offer some much-needed respite to fellow health workers.

The need for long-term respite and recovery for rural health workers once the COVID crisis is over has been flagged by RDN.

“A lot of attention at the moment is obviously going to COVID, but we need to remember that our rural health workers are on the back of three or four years of incredible stress and strain,” says RDN CEO Richard Colbran.

“We know when we come through this period with COVID, we’re really going to need to focus on how we give workers a chance to have a break, to take respite and to recover so that they can be fully charged for the years ahead. We want them to stay in the sector, and stay within our rural communities,” he said.

RDN’s recruitment team are looking for a range of health professionals to help support the BACHS team longer-term, including a permanent GP. 

Read more about RDN's COVID-19 support.

Photo caption:  Nurses arrive to support Bourke Aboriginal Corporation Medical Services' (BACHS) COVID-19 response