A community forum hosted by Bellarine Community Health (BCH) has brought together organisations and community groups from across Geelong and the Bellarine in a bid to identify and understand any unmet health and wellbeing needs of the community.
The forum, held at the Bellarine Training & Community Hub in Ocean Grove last week, attracted more than 30 people representing 20 organisations.
Among them were representatives of local community support groups, other health service providers, local government, welfare agencies, emergency services, schools and state and federal government representatives.
BCH CEO Garry Ellis said the forum was an opportunity to gain insight from other organisations and identify possible partnerships that could help reach those individuals and communities that experience disadvantage.
“Community health services are critical to the success of our health system and play a crucial role in filling gaps left by the broader health system and bridging the gap between acute and primary care sectors,” he said.
“We reached out to other relevant groups to help us understand what they’re experiencing, and I’m thrilled with the contributions and ideas that have been raised.”
There was also a desire to create stronger partnerships and connections between the network of providers and organisations that offer services and support for the community.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the many people who participated in the community forum and for the valuable insights they shared with us,” Mr Ellis said.
BCH will now assess the ideas discussed at the forum to identify any potential opportunities to influence the development of services across the Bellarine.
