Doctor’s dogs part of rural locum stay
When Perth GP Leonard Henson does rural relief work, it’s a case of “have dogs, will travel”.
Dr Henson’s two Scottish terriers, Daisy and McDougall, usually accompany him on locum assignments to distant parts of Western Australia so country colleagues can have a break.
The trusty terriers took off with their medico master on a 600km journey earlier this year for a week in Hopetoun, a town of 400 people situated between two sweeping bays that reaches out into the pristine Southern Ocean on WA’s south coast.
Hopetoun is the main eastern gateway to the Fitzgerald River National Park as well as being home to 20 per cent of WA’s wild flowers and forms part of a region recognised by UNESCO as a biosphere.
It boasts endless sandy beaches, whale watching and beautiful views in every direction.
Dr Henson was placed in Hopetoun by Rural Health West to cover for a doctor who wanted to make a trip back to his native South Africa.
Rural Health West is a workforce agency that provides recruitment and support services to address rural health shortages. The agency is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing and the Western Australian Department of Health.
To help Daisy and McDougall settle into their temporary home, the Rural Health West team sent a gift pack of treats for Dr Henson to give to his canine companions. “It was a really nice touch,” says Dr Henson.
Dr Henson was also left a few “treats” – three bottles of wine from the vineyard of the doctor he was covering for. “I can highly recommend the Merlot,” he says.
The Hopetoun placement offered Dr Henson an opportunity to brush off his old emergency skills developed when he worked as an army medical officer and remote GP.
During his locum stay, Dr Henson’s cases included an American tourist stung by a scorpion and an emergency transfer for a patient suffering septicaemic shock.
“The buck stops with you in rural and remote medicine,” Dr Henson says.
There are now more opportunities for doctors in rural practices available through the Federal Government’s Rural GP Locum Program.
Locum placements support doctors who need a short-term break with the level of commitment varying from as two days a year to two or three weeks depending upon the availability of relieving doctors.
Support includes assistance with travel, accommodation and provider numbers.
To register to become part of the locum pool, visit www.ruralgplocum.org.au or to find out more about locum opportunities in Western Australia, contact Laura Harnett from Rural Health West on 08 6389 4500 or email [email protected]
Story and image supplied by Rural Health Workforce Australia.
