Barwon Health to receive funding from Good Friday Appeal

THE Barwon region will directly benefit from fundraising during this year’s Good Friday Appeal on March 29, in an unprecedented move for the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH).

For the first time since the first Good Friday Appeal in 1931, RCH will be diverting $2.5 million in funds directly to five regional areas around Victoria, to support regional paediatric services, including those at Barwon Health.

Barwon Health chief executive officer Frances Diver said the health care provider was delighted to receive

funding through Good Friday Appeal donations.

“This funding will make a positive impact on the care we provide to children and families in our region through additional staff training and new equipment.

“We will utilise the funds to help us support and sustain our workforce by providing opportunities to upskill staff with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver expert care to children.

“Barwon Health works in partnership with The Royal Children’s Hospital and we are pleased to now be partnering with the Good Friday Appeal, which will help us support more families to access care closer to home.”

Funds raised from this year’s appeal will go towards training, scholarships and state of the art equipment at five regional medical institutions: Barwon Health, Bendigo Health, Grampians Health, Goulburn Valley Health and Latrobe Regional Health.

From the fundraising, Barwon Health has requested a video laryngoscope, which would allow for filming of intubated premature babies to help trainees and junior doctors improve their skills via live feedback and guidance from senior clinicians watching in real-time.

Barwon Health will receive a newborn baby resuscitation training and point of care ultrasound training and equipment.

Funding from the RCH will also go towards addressing eating disorders, and training paediatric nursing staff undertaking short courses to graduate certificates in mental health.

“Factors contributing to the rise in adolescent eating disorders include the loss of protective factors, such as the experience of attending school, as well as the harmful effects of social media,” Barwon Health’s women’s and children’s clinical director Associate Professor Dave Fuller said.

“Nursing staff face a lot more of this in recent years, so specific training in mental health will help us deliver better care and reduce their risk of facing burnout.”

Regional communities alone raised $4,598,340 during last year’s Good Friday Appeal from fundraising activities and events.

Click HERE to find out how you can join in on this year’s Good Friday Appeal.