General News
16 June, 2025
Helping hands at the ready
A specialised team of occupational therapists from across campuses are working together regularly to provide Grampians Health patients with a comprehensive hand therapy service.
The hand therapists from Ballarat, Horsham and Stawell network with each other each month on video but also meet in person a couple of times a year.
Grampians Health senior clinician in hand therapy Renee Rock said the meetings were an opportunity for development and knowledge sharing.
“They also ensure our hand therapists at each campus are using the same evidence-based practice principles to provide continuity of care and consistent service across all of Grampians Health,” Ms Rock said.
"In collaborating and networking together as clinicians, we can confidently inform patients where they are going and what it will be like when they get there.
“We work with EDs orthopaedic team and plastic surgery teams, as well as ED and other specialty services within Grampians Health to support these patients.
“For example, if a patient from the Wimmera has a hand injury and is seen by the orthopaedic or plastic surgery clinics in Ballarat, they can be seen by hand therapy at the same time in Ballarat and then transferred back to the Horsham hand therapy team for on-going care close to home.
“We're providing more access to specialist care across the region.
"We can do joint telehealth sessions with patients so we are all on the same page throughout treatment.”
Stawell occupational therapist Kirby Egan gave an example of how she was able to provide a good outcome for a patient recently with the support of Renee in Ballarat.
“A patient from the region with a complex hand injury came to me because she had difficulty travelling to Ballarat regularly,” Ms Egan said.
“Her condition was complex and we weren't making enough progress so we started doing telehealth sessions with the patient here with me in Stawell and Renee on video link in Ballarat.
“The patient was able to access both Renee’s and my support and expertise at once by only making one local trip, which not only helped her hand injury but also supported her general health and wellbeing.
“It is also invaluable to my learning and development to be able to learn from a more experienced therapist in Renee.”
Ms Kirby said Grampians Health’s hand therapy team started holding regular meetings two years ago after the initial amalgamation of the campuses.
“It’s such a specialised area that to have this support from across different sites within the same organisation is wonderful.”
Chief operating officer Hospitals Ben Kelly said the OT collaboration was a great example of Grampians Health’s determination to build on the existing strengths at each campus.
“The commitment of this team has enabled them to enhance local services by feeling empowered and connected," Mr Kelly said.