Providing free health checks for our cattle farmers
BEEF Week
Rural Doctors Foundation has run health check clinics at Rockhampton’s BEEF week since 2015. BEEF Week is a cattle exhibition which attracts thousands of rural and remote visitors every year.
Rural Doctors Foundation designed the free health check clinic in collaboration with University of Queensland Rural Clinical School (UQRCS) and James Cook University (JCU) Generalist Medical Training Program.
We provide visitors with a free non-invasive health check to assess their individual health status. Each health check provides an assessment designed in line with RACGP guidelines. We provide each patient with a copy of their calculated disease risk. They are also encouraged to visit their local General Practitioner (GP) to further discuss concerns. There were a few patrons identified with major health risks who were referred directly to the hospital in Rockhampton for further testing.
In addition to providing this valuable service, we also conduct a public health survey. The findings from our research provide insight into the health of rural and remote Australians and their concerns regarding their health and access to health care. It has also informed the service model for future health clinics, including our GPs4RuralDocs program providing health care specifically for rural health practitioners.
“A significant proportion of those attending our free health clinic have not seen a doctor for at least five years.”
Dr Dan Halliday - ACCRM President and past Chair of Rural Doctors Foundation
Find out how to get a health check clinic to your rural event
If your rural event could benefit from this life saving services, reach out to us. We would be eager to discuss how we can roll out this program in your local community.
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