IT is not always easy for people living in rural Western Australian to access adequate health care, but thanks to two of Australia’s longest running organisations, services are set to improve.
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The Commercial Travellers’ Association of WA (CTA) last week gifted the Country Women’s Association of WA (CWA) $100,000 for an on-going scholarship designed to encourage the upskilling of nurses in regional, rural and remote parts of the State.
The Henderson Field Scholarship will offer $5000 each year for nurses seeking to undertake further training, particularly in child health care.
CWA State president Heather Allen said it would make a significant difference to rural health services.
“The CWA of WA continues to promote and financially support rural medical and dental students to train and qualify and return to their local communities to practice and this generous scholarship has enabled an extension of this assistance to rural nurses throughout WA,” Ms Allen said.
“Communities outside the metropolitan areas traditionally suffer from a lack of full-time, qualified medical personnel.
“Small communities also find it difficult to access care for new mothers and postnatal follow-ups because local nurses may not have expertise in that area.
“This scholarship is designed to encourage nurses to undertake further skills training in paediatrics or other specialties for the benefit of families in these rural communities.
“It’s such an expense to do any sort of training at universities or TAFE, so this can help a nurse or two every year.”
Established in 1896, the CTA has represented commercial salesmen travelling throughout WA for more than 120 years, lobbying for improved commerce, road and rail conditions and country accommodation.
CWA State deputy chairwoman Pam Beatson said the organisations shared the common goal of improving life for those in country WA.
“The CTA was men in business and we (CWA) were women in communities – there are just so many parallel lines,” Ms Beatson said.
“At the same time as CTA was organising rail services in WA and restrooms on stations for travellers, the CWA was busy establishing restrooms of a slightly larger nature, very close to railway stations so that women with children could go there and feed their babies.”
CTA State president Peter Edwards said the introduction of technology and the evolution of rural WA meant the need for the CTA had been reduced.
“Around the 1960s with computers, supermarkets, modern communications and vastly improved transportation, the days of the CTA were numbered and the line and relevance of the association really diminished,” Mr Edwards said.
“After 120-odd years the CTA is certainly in the process of winding down, fortunately this not the case with the CWA.”
Ms Beatson said the CWA would endeavour to ensure the CTA’s legacy would continue for generations.
“When the time comes that the CTA does actually cease to exist, its name and what it has done will continue, because the CWA has this scholarship and it will be on-going.
“It will do a lot of country nurses a lot of good.”
Rural nurses interested in completing short or long-term courses are encouraged to apply.
“School and community nurses may wish to apply for a scholarship to upgrade their skills to offer more comprehensive services to their clients,” Ms Allen said.
“We are happy to consider all applications.”
