November 14th was World Diabetes Day and a significant date in the diabetes calendar because it marks the birthday of the man who co-discovered insulin, Frederick Banting. Banting discovered insulin in 1922, alongside Charles Best.
Both of the Down South Aboriginal Health Services Offices held events for clients to share information and get people thinking about how they can manage their diabetes.

In Collie our Down South Aboriginal Health Staff held a yarning session to see what workshops clients would be interested in doing.
They made some gift bags with Diabetes booklets/keyrings/ water bottles and also a pictorial plate.
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Meanwhile, in Manjimup, a full workshop was run by our clever Miranda who talked our clients through all things diabetes and how they can manage it and live a long and healthy life.

​The Parenting Support Team have recently partnered with FoodBankWA to bring cooking classes to our clients.  People want to prepare and serve their families delicious and nutritious meals.  But often don’t have the skills or have never been taught them.  Many have never learned the basics of food preparation – which leads to understanding ingredients and how to put them together.
Food Sensations is a cooking and nutrition program run by FoodBankWA to help adults feel more confident in the kitchen. These fun and hands on workshops are delivered by a qualified Nutritionist in a series of three 2.5 hour classes. Participants learnt about healthy eating habits, label reading, meal planning, budgeting and food safety. At each workshop, participants prepared and cooked simple healthy recipes for the group to share for lunch.
This program has been made possible with funding from WAPHA and the Department of Health.

Medals for Nurses is an organisation which provides WA Nurses the recognition for their commitment and service to their communities by the State and Federal Governments.
 
Other Public Officers like the Ambulance Officers and Volunteers, Fire Brigade Officers and Volunteers, Corrective Service Officers, SES Officers and Volunteers and Royal Life Saving receive a National Service Medal after 15 years.  We believe that nurses are an essential emergency service and the back bone to any health systems. Along with these other agencies that receive medals for their service, nurses should be acknowledged.
 
On Saturday 16 November, not one, but TWO of our staff members were awarded medals for their contribution to nursing in Western Australia. 
 
 39 nurses were presented with medals with a combined total of 1070 years of service to the profession.  The Hon Dr Steve Thomas MLC presented the Medals.
 
Denise Hine, co-manager of the Parent Support Program and Lynn Douglas from the Chronic Disease Team were both inducted at the event last weekend.

Pain Educator, Abbie Norrish is training to do the Rural Outreach Tour bike ride in 2020.  The Pain Revolution Rural Outreach Tour is an awareness-raising, fund-raising and community outreach event. The cycling component of the Tour is critical for attracting attention, building camaraderie, raising critical funds to support Pain Revolution's wider activities, spreading the influence of Pain Revolution, providing a proper physical challenge and an outrageously awesome cycling and educational experience.
 
The tour is a 750km cycling event over 7 days. Each day we stop in at country towns between Geelong and Wangaratta in Victoria and provide seminars and events that explore the current evidence around persistent pain. The money raised goes towards providing opportunities for more Local Pain Educators (LPE) in rural communities. LPE's undergo training and mentoring in pain education and then provide these services to their local community.
Currently 1 in 5 Australians lives with persistent pain, and less than 10% get the help they need to recover.
Abbie is our LPE in Southern Western Australia.  She has seen firsthand how this program has impacted the community by encouraging clinicians across all disciplines to work together to support people living with persistent pain to help kickstart their self recovery journey using evidence based tips and tricks.  GP down south partnered with Abbie in 2018 to deliver workshops throughout the South West directed at community members to help them with persistent pain. 
If you would like to help Abbie raise funds or raise awareness or find out more, click on the link below.

​https://painrevolution2020.everydayhero.com/au/abbie-s-pain-revolution
 

Celebrating our 25th year of service, GP down south is proud to present our 2018/19 Year in Review.
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The Color Run in the Perth, Western Australia on Sunday, 20 October 2019 was a 5km untimed event where you are doused from head to toe in a different colored powder at each kilometre mark.

Participants wear white at the starting line and finish the race plastered in color.

6 representatives from GP down south and PYMS participated in the Colour Run 2019 to raise funds for PYMS.  This service provides much needed services to the youth in Mandurah.  The target was to raise $1000 and we still have a way to go to reach this figure.
 
If you can donate, please dig deep and help us reach our goal of $1000.
Click in the link below.
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https://www.mycause.com.au/page/212757/happiest5klm-for-pyms

On Friday 25 October, a very successful gala night was hosted by the Busselton & Dunsborough Yallingup Chambers for the second annual Business Excellence Awards.
GP down south were finalists in three categories – Small Business 11+ FTE, Excellence in Not for Profit and the Judges Choice Award.  Sadly, we did not come away with the beautiful trophy. 
Whilst we were disappointed, we were delighted that South West Counselling took out the Excellence in Not for Profit Award.  We have worked closely with them over the years and know the excellent work they do in the Mental Health arena in the South West.
The judges commentedthat the standard of submissions was incredibly high this year and congratulated all the finalists.
Next year ….

Staff from across programs and services got out and about in the community to celebrate Mental Health Week and show support for the many providers we collaborate with on a regular basis.
In Mandurah, the Nidjalla Waangan Mia team and the Peel Mobile Health Service, were on the foreshore as part of Peel Wellness Wednesday.  George was in fine form on the didj.  If you missed it - here is a link to the video -​https://www.facebook.com/1712197439033371/videos/528370927958196/?t=22
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In the South West, the Busselton Mental Health team worked with headspace Busselton with Yoga on the Lawn along with some tasty and healthful treats made by Naturally Nina.  Recipe books and vouchers were given to participants as prizes.

For a third year, the City of Busselton supported GP down south covering the cost of the Jetty entrance fee.  We had over 30 participants this year stroll the Jetty in beautiful spring conditions.
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For the second year in a row, GP down south has entered and acheived Finalist status in the Bendigo Bank Bussselton and Dunsborough Yallingup Chambers of Commerce 2019 Business Excellence Awards.  

We are delighted to be recognised among the many other excellent businesses in the South West.  The awards process is an excellent 'health check' for our business and to ensure we are continually innovating our business to deliver best practice.

The judges considered our submission of high enough calibre to place us in three categories.  Thisi s a great achievement among a field of over 80 entries. 

The winners will be announced on 25th October.  Watch this space!