north east regional extra | 25 - 31 july, 2018
nemedia.com.au
1.
25 - 31 july 2018
healthy communities
◆ HELPING OTHERS: Jo Brookes enjoys connecting with North East communities in her work as a paramedic community support coordinator in the Upper Hume region. PHOTOS: Kylie Wilson
By KYLIE WILSON A DESIRE to connect to her community drives paramedic Jo Brookes in her role as a paramedic community support coordinator in the Upper Hume region. Jo lives in the Mitta Valley and has recently celebrated 10 years’ service with Ambulance Victoria, commencing as an ambulance community officer with the Mitta Mitta team in 2008. She said she first joined after her family moved to the region from South Gippsland and she was looking for a way to become involved with the local community as well as make friends. After becoming part of the Ambulance Victoria team, she trained and studied to become a paramedic through the Rural Sponsored Degree Program and graduated in 2015. While she began in her new role just this month - which sees her working as a professional paramedic whose work goes beyond the traditional role of responding to emergency cases - she has been working closely with people in rural communities in the North East for many years. In addition to supporting emergency response, a key focus of Jo’s role is working with local health services to provide primary care and training, and supporting local ambulance first responder teams, engaging with many communities across Upper Hume including Mitta Mitta, Chiltern, Bethanga and Walwa. She also liaises with local health organisations so that she knows what health care is already available to small town residents.
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