Strengthening of ties between the local health district and Charles Sturt University will bring benefits to the community.
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Charles Sturt University and the Mid North Coast Local Health District have appointed seven joint positions.
Professor Gail Whiteford, who also holds a conjoint professorial position between the university's Faculty of Science and Mid North Coast Local Health District, said the adjunct positions were a way to recognise the expertise of people in different fields and collaborate with them to draw on their expertise.
She said those with adjunct positions would have input to the university and they would also benefit from that.
"It's a win-win," Professor Whiteford said.
"The more universities are connected to industry where we are based, particularly in regional areas, everyone benefits."
Professor Whiteford said the two organisations could join their resources and make more of a difference by acting in synergy.
"Community members get the benefits of two big partners working together and having greater impact," she said.
The collaboration's benefits will span from research to drawing on community connections as well as the expertise of the seven senior health staff with joint positions.
Professor Whiteford said one of the challenges in health was how to keep people well and living at home.
"We want people to be supported, particularly people who might have chronic conditions, to be self-managed, to be supported and to be in the communities, and wrap our services around them," she said.
The new adjuncts bring a wide range of expertise to their positions at Charles Sturt University.
They are Kathleen Ryan, Mid North Coast Local Health District director of Clinical Governance and Information Services; Dr Theresa Beswick, coordinator Coffs Clinical Network; Kath Brown, acting Coffs Clinical Network manager community and allied health; Robyn Martin, director Aboriginal Health and Primary Partnerships; Paul Corben, director North Coast Public Health Unit; Jane Evans, recently retired coordinator Hastings Macleay Clinical Network; and Colleen Ryan, Hastings Macleay Clinical Network manager community and allied health.
"The staff will lend their expertise to add depth to student learning in Charles Sturt courses as well as important practical and local insights for research projects," Professor Whiteford said.
Mid North Coast Local Health District chief executive Stewart Dowrick, believes the strengthening relationship between the organisation and Charles Sturt also bodes well for the region.
"As Charles Sturt University has demonstrated elsewhere in NSW and Victoria, that wherever they established health courses, their graduates are able to gradually fill the urgent needs for new physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses and dentists," Mr Dowrick said.
"This can only help us maintain the high standards of public health services offered on the NSW Mid North Coast."
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