We deserve better

ADVERTORIAL

IN Ballarat and the surrounding regions, we are facing a health crisis that is not born of nature or chance but of inequity. Unjust and avoidable differences in health outcomes are undermining the wellbeing of our communities. These inequities aren’t just statistics. They are real lives… people experiencing delay in accessing care and struggling with preventable chronic disease simply because they can’t afford or access the support they need.

Rural Victorians have long carried an unequal health burden. While recent Medicare reforms and increased bulk billing have helped ease pressure in general practice, the reality is this: access to allied health, psychological care, and specialist medical services still largely depends on your postcode and your bank balance.

At Ballarat Community Health, we see the impact of this inequity every day. And we know it doesn’t have to be this way.

Our purpose is simple but powerful: to create healthier communities by delivering care that is accessible, affordable, and high in quality. That means standing firm in our belief that every person, regardless of income, background, or location, deserves the dignity of timely, community-based healthcare.

This is not just about compassion. It’s about strategy. Preventative and early intervention services delivered in local communities are not only more effective, but they’re also more sustainable. They reduce hospital admissions, lower long-term costs, and keep people healthier, for longer.

But to make this vision a reality, we need to rethink the system. More hospital beds are not the answer to an overwhelmed health system. What we need is bold, systemic change: a rebalancing of investment toward prevention, health promotion, and early intervention – where it will make the greatest difference.

As a proud member of the Victorian Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health, Ballarat Community Health is calling on governments, policymakers, and community leaders to act. To stop managing symptoms and start treating root causes. To recognise that health equity is not a privilege… it’s a right.

Our communities deserve better. With the right investment in community-based health care, we can close the health gap and give every person the opportunity not just to survive, but to thrive.

Sean Duffy

CEO, Ballarat Community Health