Rural Clinical School of WA

Mental health during and after pregnancy is important for the wellbeing of mother and infant. Aboriginal women in remote Australia have high levels of anxiety and depression, which can have significant short- and long-term impacts on both mother and child. The need for a culturally safe screening tool to identify women at risk of anxiety and depression led to the development of the Kimberley Mum’s Mood Scale (KMMS). The two-part KMMS was designed to be administered by providers of perinatal care: Part 1 is a Kimberley version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS); Part 2 is a psychosocial tool.

The next step for Kimberley health services is to increase and improve KMMS screening in pregnancy and postnatally, and address identified mental health issues. Project staff will work closely with Kimberley services to find out how the KMMS can best be implemented into routine practice in each service. 

In partnership with health services and Aboriginal communities in northern WA and Far North Queensland, this project will also adapt the KMMS and develop locally appropriate versions for participating partners as required; evaluate the real-world performance of KMMS in the Kimberley and other remote regions in northern Australia; and evaluate the process of implementation.

Contact Research Fellow and PhD candidate Emma Carlin for more information.

The emphasis of Derby Aboriginal Health Service (DAHS) is on Aboriginal health, preventive health, remote health, primary care and chronic disease management. The service has a Chief Executive Officer and is run by a board of local Aboriginal people. The buildings and infrastructure of the service have been designed to be appealing and accessible to Aboriginal people. DAHS should be the most accessible form of healthcare available for Aboriginal people in Derby and surrounding communities. In practice, however, DAHS finds it difficult to initiate and maintain relationship with many people. Anecdotally the group that is most difficult to access is the 16- to 25-year-old age group. DAHS would like to know why this is so.

This project will document the utilisation of healthcare services at DAHS by 16- to 25-year-olds and identify the barriers and enablers of access for 16- to 25-year-olds.

Contact project leader Dr Susannah Warwick for more information.

Providing quality healthcare for pregnant women and young children in remote areas is both vitally important and challenging. We are conducting three inter-related research projects [ORCHID, KMMS, Nini] that will contribute to the development of a regional enhanced model of primary healthcare for Aboriginal pregnant women and mothers of young children. Nini regional midwife coordinators helped improve the support of primary care providers who are caring for Aboriginal mothers through a peer led process [telephone assistance, email, clinic visits]. This project used a randomised stepped wedge cluster design to provide this extra support.

Contact project leader Professor David Atkinson for more information.

Family planning in the Western Desert region

Access to family planning is an important human right, necessary to achieve optimal sexual health. Family planning needs vary between communities and individuals, and an understanding of the attitudes, beliefs and values of a community is vital in the provision of effective and acceptable family planning services. There has been a significant focus over the last two decades on sexually transmissible infections in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Contraception has received less attention but remains an important issue. This mixed method project aims to review data relating to contraception and family planning in a remote area of the Kimberley region.

Contact PhD candidate Emma Griffiths for more information.

The main focus of the School’s research program in the Great Southern region is in improving the quality of end of life care. A regionally-based research team consisting of a palliative care physician (Assoc Prof. Kirsten Auret), the rural health research fellow (Dr Craig Sinclair), academic GP registrars and research nurses work in collaboration with external researchers, and coordinate projects relevant to the local region. The research focus is translational, meaning that in addition to generating new knowledge, the research team is focused on finding practical ways to embed research findings into local policy and practice, to improve the quality of end of life care.

We are closely linked in with the Great Southern Science Council, and part of excellent science happening in the Great Southern.

Kalgoorlie is the main administrative hub for the RCSWA. The office is a purpose-designed modern office on the hospital site.

Students stay at one of three fully furnished and well-appointed homes within one kilometre of the hospital and offices.

RCSWA students are placed in the hospital, at a general practice or with the Aboriginal Medical Service. They also have the opportunity of placements with other health providers in the region. 

Kalgoorlie Health Campus features 93 beds, with units including emergency, mental health, paediatrics, operating suites, medical, surgery, dialysis, day ward, chemotherapy, outpatients and visiting specialists.

Find out more about Kalgoorlie placements by emailing admin@rcswa.edu.au.

Our Urban Centre serves as a point of contact for current, prospective and past students. It is at the QEII Medical Centre in Perth. To contact our Urban Centre, email urbancentre@rcswa.edu.au.

Our Albany office is in the town centre within the UWA Science Building of our Albany campus. Two comfortable and fully furnished student houses are located close to the campus and a six-minute drive from town.

The new Albany Health Campus provides health services to more than 55,000 Great Southern residents. Specialists and units include general surgery, emergency medicine, obstetrics, psychiatrists and more.

Find out more about Albany placements by emailing albany@rcswa.edu.au.

Broome is one of the most popular placements, and serves as a gateway to the Kimberley region. Our Broome office is co-located with the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS). Students stay at one of two fully furnished, four-bedroom houses 8 kilometres from the hospital and 6 kilometres from the office and town.

Broome Hospital has 36 beds, including six nursing home beds. It caters for medical, surgical, paediatric and maternity services, as well as emergency care. Local specialists are on hand to mentor students, with other specialists visiting often.

KAMS provides a teaching campus for Aboriginal health workers and medical students, as well as a 10 station haemodialysis unit as part of the Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service.

There are two private practices in Broome, as well as hospital GPs and GP registrars. Broome has a resident general surgeon, physician, psychiatric registrar, psychiatrists, as well as obstetric and anaesthetic specialists.

Find out more about Broome placements by emailing broome@rcswa.edu.au.

Students live in three four-bedroom homes in College Grove, Bunbury, a five-minute walk to the South West Health Campus, and seven kilometres from the town centre.

Both public and private hospitals in Bunbury are located at the South West Health Campus, sharing an emergency department. The St John of God Medical Centre features suites for radiology, pathology and for local and visiting specialists.

Bunbury Regional Hospital has 103 inpatient beds consisting of six wards: surgical, acute psychiatric, medical, maternity, paediatrics, and a high dependency unit. There is also a Primary Health Division providing physiotherapy, speech pathology, incontinence care, occupational therapy, dietetics, diabetes care and social work.

St John of God Health Care offers 120 beds for maternity, surgery, oncology, renal care and palliative care.

Find out more about Bunbury placements by contacting bunbury@rcswa.edu.au.

We have two four-bedroom, fully furnished and equipped student houses available in Busselton, five kilometres from the town centre.

Students placed in Busselton are required to travel between Margaret River, Dunsborough and Bunbury so will need to have their own transport.

Students spend five sessions per week rotating through the Busselton District Hospital or one of six practices located in the surrounding regions. Busselton District Hospital provides emergency, day surgery, a hospice, renal dialysis, radiology, anaesthetics, two theatres and two birth suites.

Find out more about Busselton placements by contacting busselton@rcswa.edu.au.

Students in Carnarvon have 24-hour access for the use of IT equipment and video-conferencing facilities. The student house is a 10-minute walk to the town centre.

Carnarvon Regional Hospital is staffed by six District Medical Officers and a Senior Medical Officer who provide 24-hour emergency, anaesthetic and obstetric cover.

A range of specialists visit on a regular basis. Carnarvon Medical Centre and Aboriginal Medical Services are located within walking distance from the hospital.

Find out more about Carnarvon placements by contacting carnarvon@rcswa.edu.au.

Derby is a town of about 4500 people, half of whom are Indigenous Australians representing three different language groups. Located 2354km north of Perth, Derby Regional Hospital caters to local residents and surrounding areas with emergency, maternity, surgical and paediatric care. We provide a four-bedroom, fully furnished house for students, which is located close to the hospital.

The Derby Aboriginal Health Services (DAHS) runs preventative and public health programs, including maternal and child health, women's health, chronic disease and sexual health.

Derby Regional Hospital, DAHS and The Royal Flying Doctor Service run clinics in remote Aboriginal communities in the West Kimberley and beyond. Medical staff and students visit these communities to participate in the clinics.

Find out more about Derby placements by contacting derby@rcswa.edu.au.

Our student house is a four-minute walk from Esperance District Hospital, the town centre, and a large sporting complex. The hospital provides 40 beds for emergency, obstetrics, general, surgical, palliative, paediatric and psychiatric admissions.

Local GPs are spread across four practices, teaching and mentoring RCSWA students in a range of skills including anaesthetics, surgery and obstetrics. There are also regular visiting specialists to Esperance.

Find out more about Esperance placements by contacting esperance@rcswa.edu.au.

Geraldton features three student units and one/two houses close to the Geraldton Regional Hospital. There are 42 private practitioners in Geraldton, four employed by the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service, most of whom are involved in teaching students. There are also around 37 visiting specialists per month who happily dedicate their time to conducting tutorials and allowing students to attend their clinics.

St John of God Hospital, allied health services and Geraldton Regional Hospital provide students with a range of learning opportunities in emergency, surgical, paediatrics, maternity, gynaecological, psychiatric, vascular surgery, chemotherapy, renal dialysis, palliative and anaesthetic care.

Find out more about Geraldton placements by contacting geraldton@rcswa.edu.au.

Our Karratha office is located close to the town centre, providing 24-hour access to simulation equipment, IT and office facilities. Students stay at a fully equipped five-bedroom house, a five-minute drive from Nickol Bay Hospital.

Nickol Bay Hospital, Sonic Health Plus and Karratha Medical Centre service the area and provide training opportunities to students. Students may also travel to Onslow Hospital, Wickham Primary Health Centre, and Mawarnkarra Aboriginal Medical Service at Roebourne.

Students in Karratha can gain clinical experience in accident and emergency, surgical, maternity and general medicine. Specialists visit often to provide outpatient services.

Find out more about Karratha placements by contacting karratha@rcswa.edu.au.

Kununurra's population consists of a high percentage of young Aboriginal adults. A Kununurra placement gives students the opportunity to see a diverse range of patients, and they may find themselves the very first person to assess them.

Students have 24-hour access to the RCSWA administrative and teaching centre for the use of office facilities, the library and video-conferencing equipment.

Accommodation is a 10-minute drive from the office and town centre. The home is new, with four bedrooms, air-conditioning, internet and regular garden maintenance.

Kununurra District Hospital provides emergency, inpatient, obstetric, and some primary healthcare, whilst the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS) provides most primary healthcare services. Most specialists visit both centres, and both centres provide outlying clinics which students are encouraged to attend.

Find out more about Kununurra placements email kununurra@rcswa.edu.au. 

The RCSWA administrative and teaching centre provides a modern space for lectures, tutorials, private study and recreation. Students can access the office facilities 24 hours a day.

Accommodation is located near the rear of the Narrogin Hospital and town centre. The house has five bedrooms (two with ensuites), a study, internet and is fully furnished and equipped. It's possible to get around Narrogin without a vehicle by making use of available bicycles, however there is ample parking should students decide to drive. 

Narrogin Hospital services its immediate residents as well as the surrounding towns. A modern facility, it has an emergency department, obstetrics unit, paediatric unit, acute surgical/medical/psych unit, day surgery unit, and a cancer support and palliative care unit.

Narrogin has two general practices employing 12 GPs with skills in anaesthetics and obstetrics.

Find out more about Narrogin placements by contacting narrogin@rcswa.edu.au.  

Our student residence in Northam is located within walking distance of the main street. A four-bedroom spacious house, it comes fully equipped and with internet.

The RCSWA works closely with Northam Hospital as well as general practitioners and medical specialists in the regions close to Northam and Toodyay.

Primary health services such as Aboriginal health and aged care are provided, and specialists often visit Northam.

Find out more about Northam placements by contacting northam@rcswa.edu.au.

Our RCSWA office is located in South Hedland, which is walking distance from the hospital. Student housing is opposite the racecourse in two adjacent, modern three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouses.

Port Hedland Regional Hospital provides 50 acute beds catering for medical, surgical, paediatric, and obstetrics and gynaecology. There are about 300 deliveries per year.

Attached to the hospital is Yulanya, offering up to 25 beds. The hospital has eight full-time GPs, two registrars, two interns and seven resident specialists.

There are three GP practices in town. Resident specialists include a general surgeon, radiologist, anaesthetist, two physicians, a paediatrician and an obstetrician/gynaecologist.

Find out more about Port Hedland placements by contacting porthedland@rcswa.edu.au.

The Warren-Blackwood RCSWA office is located on Bridgetown’s main street, nestled between lovely cafes and the memorial park. The office is accessible 24hr a day and has internet, VC equipment and study rooms.

Accommodation is a spacious fully furnished 4 bedroom house which sits on an acre, overlooking the Bridgetown agricultural show ground. 
The Bridgetown hospital is a 1 min walk from the house and the office is only a km away.

Students at this placement will service Bridgetown, Boyup Brook, Balingup and Manjimup all within a 20 min drive. They will have access to 5 General Practices, Community Health, Aboriginal Health and 3 District Hospitals which between them cover obstetrics, emergency medicine, anaesthetics and an array of regular surgical lists with visiting specialist.

Find out more about Warren-Blackwood placements by contacting warrenblackwood@rcswa.edu.au.