Local health leaders to discuss opportunities

LOCAL health leaders and regional stakeholders will come together to discuss how local people can benefit most from workforce opportunities in the region’s health sector.

LOCAL health leaders and regional stakeholders will come together to discuss how local people can benefit most from workforce opportunities in the region's health sector.

Lismore City Council, St Vincents Private Hospital and North Coast Medicare Local will bring together these leaders for the two-day Health Workforce Development Charrette, from March 11-12.

The conference is a co-designing workshop to come up with strategies to support and train local people to pursue a career in the health sector, which is by far the largest employer in our region.

The Far North Coast health workforce could soon be stretched thin due to a number of challenges such as an ageing population and an increasing number of health workers retiring, Lismore City Council's Manager Economic Development Mark Batten explained.

"We need to reach out to young people and those returning to work. We also need to retain the knowledge that may be lost from a retiring workforce," Mr Batten said.

"Health jobs are not only diverse in nature, but these jobs can be very rewarding and enable local people to secure employment in their local communities. For many people, a job in the health industries may be very appealing, but they need support to be work-ready."

"We will have health service providers, educators, students, job seekers, employees, consumers and other stakeholders in the room."

"The charrette will use an inclusive process by giving equal voice to all interest groups. It is essential we plan and put strategies in place now so that we don't find our regional areas have a shortfall in health workers or skills five to 10 years down the track."

"We hope to see some exciting and innovative ideas put forward."

Speakers include St Vincents Private Hospital CEO Steve Brierley, North Coast Medicare Local CEO Vahid Saberi, Vicki Rose from the Northern NSW Local Health District, Professor Lesley Barclay from the University Centre for Rural Health and Professor Iain Graham, Dean of Health at Southern Cross University.

The Health Workforce Development Charrette is on Wednesday and Thursday, March 11-12, in the Lismore City Council Chambers.