Profile

Wimmera Health Care Group (WHCG) is based in the Wimmera sub-region of the Grampians, 310 km west of Melbourne and in close proximity to the Grampians National Park. WHCG is a leading sub-regional health service providing allied, acute, subacute, primary and residential aged care services. Wimmera Health Care Group employs approximately 1000 team members that contributing to the success of our organization from medical, nursing and allied health through to engineering, IT, administration and food services.

Mission and values

Our Vision

Wimmera wide, caring, quality health and wellbeing.

Our Purpose

To improve the health and wellbeing of our community.

Our Values

Kindness

We engage with people (patients, residents, families, carers and the Wimmera Community) and each other to understand.

Respect

We respect and welcome differences; we demonstrate with humility that every person is equally important.

Integrity

Every team member is accountable and plays a valued part in delivering exceptional care.

Learning

We foster partnerships and collaboration that support continuous learning to improve health and wellbeing.

Courage

We actively seek and listen to information that supports us to develop and grow and provide exceptional care and services.

WHCG’s facilities and services

Every year Wimmera Health Care Group treats more than 10,000 inpatients, 16,000 emergency patients and 123, 000 outpatients. Our campuses in Horsham and Dimboola service an area of 61,000 square kilometres and a population of approximately 54,000.

The main facilities and services across our two campuses are as follows:

Horsham Campus

Emergency Department - The ED department includes 9 treatment bays and a resuscitation room. Services are available 24/7 and it is the only emergency department between Ballarat and the South Australian boarder.

Intensive Care Unit- ICU is a 5 bed unit providing a 24 hour emergency service.

Operating Suite/ Pre-Admissions Clinic - The operating suite has two operating rooms, one procedure room, a Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU), a Central Sterilising and Supply Unit (CSSD) and an eight bed Day Procedure Unit (DPU).

Oxley Ward- Oxley is the general acute ward consisting of 29 beds and a Discharge Lounge.

Yandilla - Yandilla is the predominately children’s and maternity ward that includes 15 beds, 2 birth rooms and a 3 bed special care nursery.

Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Unit - The Wyuna Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Unit opened in 2014 and is a 20 bed unit with 10 Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM) beds, 6 Rehabilitation (REH) beds and 4 Transitional Care Program (TCP) beds. This includes a large gym with a mobility garden, 2 lounge rooms and family meeting rooms.

Diabetes/ Pre Admission Clinic

Wimmera Cancer Centre – The Wimmera Cancer Centre facility opened in early 2019 and includes oncology, palliative care and dialysis services.

Wimmera Medical Centre (Horsham) – The Wimmera Medical Centre includes range of Specialist Consultants, General Practice Clinics and Practice Nurses.

Wimmera Nursing Home - Wimmera Nursing Home is a 48 bed residential care facility

Kurrajong Lodge - Kurrajong Lodge is a 36 bed residential care facility

Allied Health – Allied Health departments are based in the Arapiles Building and include; Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Speech Pathology, Social Work and a Dental and Prosthetic Clinic.

Primary & Community Care – Primary and Community Care departments provide a range of acute/ sub-acute and community based services. Departments include; District Nursing, Day Centre, Hospital in the Home, Community Rehabilitation, Continence, Complex Care, Residential in Reach, Community Options and Health Promotion.

Dimboola Campus

Dimboola Nursing Home – The Dimboola Nursing Home includes 4 Acute Beds and 26 Residential Beds.

Wimmera Medical Centre (Dimboola) – Includes a General Practitioner and Practice Nurse.

Telehealth

Wimmera Health Care Group also uses Telehealth to connect patients and health professionals with specialists via video appointments in a number of areas including; wounds, respiratory, breast care, emergency, intensive care, stroke care and oncology.

Enrolled Nurse Transition to Practice Program

Wimmera Health Care Group is the major teaching health service provider for the Wimmera and Southern-Mallee region and has a two intakes per year for the Enrolled Nurse Transition to Practice Program.  The benefits of this graduate program with WHCG includes:

• Participating in a program based on Department of Health & Human Services Guidelines and ‘evidence based best practice principles’
• A safe and supportive working environment that promotes personal and professional development including reflective practice and developing a clinical judgement skill set.
• Experiencing theoretical and practical components that have been developed in response to the specific learning needs of beginning practitioners.
• A comprehensive five day orientation block at the commencement of each program.
• Seven study days are provided throughout the program to address the identified clinical needs and opportunities to network with other rural enrolled nurses.
• Four days supernumerary at the commencement of the first rotation and subsequently 2 or 3 day supernumerary periods for each additional rotation throughout the program.
• Diversity of Rotations including:
• Oxley Ward – Major Medical/Surgical, Oncology, Cardiac, Urology, Palliative Care and Mental Health;
• Wyuna Ward – Subacute services, Rehabilitation, GEM, and TCP;
• Yandilla Ward – Minor Medical/surgical, adults and paediatrics, obstetrics, midwifery and gynaecology;
• Day Procedure Unit – patient preadmission checks & post procedure monitoring;
• Wimmera Nursing Home – Gerontology; and
• Dimboola Campus which incorporates acute and residential aged care.
• Experienced Program Co-ordinators that facilitate the delivery and co-ordination of the program, provide hands on clinical support five days per week and assist in the acquisition of clinical skills and knowledge.
• Clinical Support Nurses assist and support all beginning practitioners to acquire skills and knowledge seven days/week.
• Clinical Educators are throughout the acute and residential services to provide support for all team members five days/week.
• Salary Packaging including eligibility to Remote Area Housing benefits
• Free Parking
• Close proximity to Grampians, Mount Arapiles, lakes, wine districts and restaurants

Accomodation information

Wimmera Health Care Group offers onsite accommodation and some offsite accommodation. Onsite accommodation is to support clinical students on placement and new graduates subject to availability.

Accommodation is of a good standard and is low cost. Accommodation typically comprises of individual bedrooms with a desk and shared kitchen, living room and bathroom facilities.