Blog

La Trobe University student wins Bendigo Community Health Services Award

: Tuesday 13 August 2019; Written by Rod

Our CEO Gerard Jose with La Trobe University student Celine Collins Bye.

La Trobe University student Celine Collins Bye has won the 2019 Bendigo Community Health Services Award.

The award recognises the La Trobe University Bachelor of Health Sciences student with the best academic, public health practice performance and attitude to client care in second and third year field experience.

Our CEO Gerard Jose attended the awards night at Ulumbarra Theatre to congratulate Celine and her family.

"We were lucky enough to have Celine spend time at Bendigo Community Health Services on a student placement last year so our staff saw first hand her dedication and passion for learning," Gerard said.

"It's important for our organisation to support La Trobe University and the annual Prize Ceremony which honours students for their academic achievements.

"We hope that Celine will use the recognition of our award as she continues her studies and then pursues her chosen career."

Celine was 'flattered' to receive the award especially after enjoying her placement at BCHS.

"The award means a lot to me. I had a great time at placement and I was really proud of the work I produced whilst at BCHS as a student," Celine said.

: Monday 12 August 2019; Written by Rod

What a moment!

Michelle Payne created history and captured the imagination of the world when Prince of Penzance won the 2015 Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

Relive this wonderful story when Bendigo Community Health Services and Women's Health Loddon Mallee presents the first showing of the Michelle Payne movie Ride Like A Girl at Bendigo Cinemas on September 25.

Purchase your tickets for $15 each from Bendigo Community Health Services Central site at 165-171 Hargreaves Street during business hours.

Ticket numbers are limited so please get in quick to avoid disappointment.

Bendigo jockey Courtney Pace will be a guest speaker to talk about life as a jockey and the inspiration of Michelle Payne.

The event is the first of a new Inspiring Women Event series Bendigo Community Health Services and Women's Health Loddon Mallee will host to raise awareness about wonderful achievements and the importance of women's health.

www.bchs.com.au I #BCHS #thereforyou

Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System: Our submission to the Productivity Commission

: Tuesday 6 August 2019; Written by Rod

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for mental health in Victoria.

Bendigo Community Health Services welcomes the opportunity to participate through this official submission.

Below are some of the areas that we believe warrant urgent consideration by the commissioners:

: Thursday 18 July 2019; Written by Rod

Bendigo Community Health Services has praised alcohol sale outlets for their proactive approach to stopping underage drinking.

The organisation has monitored bottle shops for the past three years as part of a Smart Generation Program and our commitment to promoting health and wellbeing in the community.

Two 18-year-olds of underage appearance visited 28 Bendigo bottle shops on two separate occasions in 2016, 2017 and 2018 to buy alcohol without proof-of-age identification.

BCHS wrote to all bottle shops after the first visit to share the results and a reminder of laws around the sale of alcohol to people under the age of 18 before repeating the process to look for any change in behaviour.

The audit found 67 per cent of outlets sold alcohol without the presentation of identification in the first two years but showed a dramatic improvement to only 30 per cent in 2018.

BCHS health promotion worker Isabel Nichol-Smith said the findings showed alcohol outlets were improving their practices.

“In the first two years we had a case where one bottle shop did the right thing and asked for the correct ID but sold the alcohol anyway when that wasn’t produced which isn’t good practice. So to see a huge improvement last year is very encouraging,” Ms Nichol-Smith said.

: Wednesday 17 July 2019; Written by Rod

Tax time can be pretty confusing at the best of times so our Settlement Services team has organised a free information session to help new refugees and migrants in Bendigo learn more about the entire process.

The Australian Taxation Office has been brilliant in partnering up with us to deliver this session on what taxes are and why we pay them, what's a tax return and how you lodge one, why your tax file number is important and a little bit about superannuation.

The information session will be held from 11.45am to 12.45pm on Monday, July 22, at theBendigo TAFE - RTO no. 3077 theatrette.

Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 5448 1600 if you would like to attend the session.

Diabetes Week: Take a very quick test to see if you are at risk

: Monday 15 July 2019; Written by Rod

Eating, exercise and a healthy lifestyle are important elements of living life with diabetes.

Bendigo Community Health Services has Credentialled Diabetes Educators to help you make a plan to get the most of life with your diabetes.

Our educators say finding out you have diabetes early is very important and then it’s about learning more about the condition and looking at what you need to change in your lifestyle to lower the risk of any complications.

Take this quick test to see if you are at risk of diabetes: https://www.itsabouttime.org.au/

: Wednesday 3 July 2019; Written by Rod

Another special day at Bendigo Community Health Services with a wonderful group of new refugees graduating from our Settlement Orientation Course.

City of Greater Bendigo councillor Malcolm Pethybridge was on hand to present graduation certificates to the Karen residents with the support of our CEO Gerard Jose.

The graduates have been living in Bendigo for a few weeks now and have learned about topics such as public transport, Australian laws, culture, banking system, currency, rental housing, water safety, health services and the role of the police.

Councillor Pethybridge welcomed the group to Bendigo and wished them a happy and healthy future inthe city.

Thank you Malcolm for taking the time to welcome some of the newest residents to our great city.

Bendigo Naloxone Awareness Day to combat concerning overdose rate

: Wednesday 3 July 2019; Written by Rod

Naloxone temporarily reverses an opioid overdose with no side effects.

Bendigo Community Health Services will host a free Naloxone Awareness Day on July 11 to combat the alarming rate of overdoses in the Greater Bendigo community.

Coroner’s Court of Victoria data shows Greater Bendigo had 18 heroin-related overdose deaths between 2014 and 2018 with only Geelong recording more.

Alcohol and Other Drugs team manager Jan Dunlop said Naloxone could mean the difference between life and death for anyone overdosing on illegal or legal opioids.

“Naloxone temporarily reverses the effects of any opioid drug with no side effects,” Ms Dunlop said.

“Most people think of illegal drugs such as heroin when overdoses are involved but it’s really important to remember prescribed opioid drugs can lead to overdose if not used the right way too.

“The person overdosing will not be able to administer the Naloxone so it’s important partners, family members or friends of opioid users learn how to use the medicine correctly.”

Ms Dunlop said the Naloxone Awareness Day was a great opportunity for people to talk with Bendigo Community Health Services Needle Syringe Program staff one-on-one.

“We offer a free Naloxone script with a short 10-minute training session – it’s a decision that could save your life or that of a loved one or friend,” she said.

: Tuesday 2 July 2019; Written by Rod

A 'selfie' for Nay Chee and the Karen Youth Group.

Our Karen Youth Group is taking a school holidays break. A little celebration for the end of term reminded our co-ordinator and case worker Nay Chee why this youth group means so much to him. It's such a beautiful insight into why our staff do what they do. Too good not to share with you. Please enjoy:

Many people may not know about these amazing young people who love Bendigo Community Health Services and love to participate in our youth group.

I started this group about four years ago. Back then it was actually not part of my role as a case worker to run a youth group but I always have strong passion about young people and like working with them.

I wanted to create a safe and comfortable space for young people where they could get together and socialise.

My aim for this group was to reduce isolation and increase social participation among Karen youth and also to have fun.

Over the years many young people from Karen background living in Bendigo at some point participated in this group. Which means I have worked with more than 100 young people if not 200.

Of course, they comes and goes as they have other commitments.

We meet every single week and we usually have 23-26 people each meeting. Although it is not compulsory for them to come along every week, many of them are very keen to just get together once a week and just be with other young people.

Some of them have been with me since the beginning and some are very new to the group as they have just recently arrived here in Australia.

All of them are Karen.

This group is very causal group so no serious commitments or whatsoever. Sometime we have some interesting guest speakers, we do different workshops and activities and even go on youth camp and excursions.

They are just fantastic young people to work with and it has been wonderful working with them.

It is a real privilege to have the opportunity to somehow being part of their settlement journey.

: Monday 1 July 2019; Written by Rod

Bendigo Community Health Services will charge a $15 processing fee for all script requests from our Medical Practices starting July 1, 2019.

The fee will stand unless a waiver is privately agreed by your doctor.

You can still be bulk-billed for a script consult with a doctor but all scripts requested by the pharmacy without you seeing a doctor will incur the $15 processing fee.

Our Medical Practice recommends all patients see their doctor as part of a clinical review process before a new script is issued.

As scripts are a normal part of our consulting service a fee will be processed.

We appreciate your support as we introduce this change and apologise for any inconvenience.

If you have any questions about the change please speak to our staff during your next appointment or call our Medical Practice on 5434 4300.

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Men's Health Marathon

Bendigo Community Health Services runs the Men's Health Marathon in late August and early September each year - 11 days of activities designed to get men out, active and thinking seriously about their health.