Bendigo Health and Bendigo Community Health Services have signed a memorandum of understanding.

“It is a commitment that, at the most senior levels, Bendigo Health and BCHS will plan projects [together] that will deliver far more than either organisation can deliver on their own,” BCHS chief executive Kim Sykes said.

She said the agreement permitted the organisations to undertake at least one significant project each year.

“But we would hope what it does is flow right throughout the two organisations and what we see are collaborations at all levels…for the good of this community,” Ms Sykes said.

She identified sexual and reproductive health services as a particular area of interest to begin with.

Bendigo Health chief executive Peter Faulkner said one of the landmark projects of the next 12 months would be around bulk-billing general practice services.

Specifically: ‘The ability to make them more broadly available and at times that help us divert patients from the emergency department at the hospital who could well be seen by a GP but equally have good access to investigative procedures like radiology and pathology.”

Ms Sykes was hopeful the agreement would result in a different approach to chronic disease management and prevention and greater continuity of care.

Mr Faulkner said the agreement was about using the organisations’ resources in a way that ensured there were no duplications or gaps in service.

“Or, where there are gaps, that we can jointly advocate for good outcomes,” he said.

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