Creators of Community Ownership has had an amazing whirlwind ride this year. Overwhelmingly, we are grateful for the support we’ve received and everyone appreciating our mission, while needed, is not an easy one.
Update on Curalo Medical Clinic
Despite our best efforts and exercising every angle and contact available, we have not been able to proceed with assuming ownership of the Curalo Medical Clinic in Eden. This was a heartbreaking decision because of the great need we know exists and the humbling goodwill we received from the clinic team and Eden community. The exit of two doctors and other factors simply put the venture beyond the capacity of our fledgling organisation, no matter how much we pushed and willed it to be otherwise. On the positive side we have assisted Curalo Medical to stay open during 2023 and will continue to look at ways to support access to healthcare in Eden and beyond.
Biggest win
First, and by far, it was getting to know and work with dedicated and talented people who care about making the Bega Valley the best place to live and supporting local communities. Our next biggest win was becoming a registered Health Promotion Charity with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC) and gaining Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. This is HUGE for our longevity and the scope of activities and programs we can bring to the community. We can offer attractive salary packages and any donation to Creators is tax deductible, making it a win/win for financial supporters. With our organisational structures in place, we will focus on consulting with the community to find out what it needs most to improve health and wellbeing.
Biggest lesson
The health system and business model for general practice is not fit-for-purpose in a rural setting. We know what it is like to have to wait weeks to see a health professional or travel to Canberra (or further) for treatment because services aren’t available locally. It was a tough awakening to discover just how hard it is to attract health professionals. More work is needed to make a rural career a realistic option for medical students in all fields. As rural health innovators, we look forward to making our small contribution to the bigger solution.
Biggest opportunity
Our biggest opportunity lies ahead in 2024 and beyond. We will be talking to community members, health professionals and service providers about where we can bring our expertise and efforts to the greatest effect. We are excited by the many possibilities yet to be discovered and working with others to bring services to our community. It will be another busy and challenging year, but we see that as an opportunity to embrace.
Thanks to you, our valued partner, for opening our emails, picking up the phone and making time to share your knowledge and work with us this past year. We are grateful you support our work, which we love and are challenged by in equal measure.
The Creators Team
