AN after hours clinic for diabetic patients in the Latrobe Valley, established late last year, aims to extend allied health services to time-constrained clients.
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester recently visited the Latrobe Community Health Service clinic, which offers a full range of allied health specialists in one appointment, and later praised the service.
The MP was shown through the range of support services including podiatry, dietetics, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and a diabetes nurse educator service.
LCHS chief executive Ben Leigh said a focus on holistic care when treating diabetes, had led to the new clinic being established last November.
“A study of patients found work commitments and other time constraints were preventing many from accessing the full range of services,” he said.
“Patients were choosing just one or two appointments because they did not have time to keep returning to the clinic or to stay for consecutive appointments while on their lunch break from work.
“The after-hours clinic makes it easier for patients to see a diabetes educator, dietician, physiotherapist, podiatrist, exercise physiologist and care coordinator all at one place in one appointment.
“The clinic provides Medicare funded allied health appointments with no gap payments,” he said.
The clinic operates by appointment on the second Wednesday of every month between 4pm and 7pm across the Morwell, Moe and Traralgon sites.
For more information on the after-hours diabetes clinic phone LCHS on
1800 242 696.
