In the centre of town is a bustling Armidale medical practice, with a whole lot of heart. Health on Rusden has been looking after Armidale locals for half a century and prides themselves on providing some of the most comprehensive medical care in the region.
Practice manager Jacquie Morgan has worked at Health on Rusden for twelve years.
When asked what she believes makes the clinic so successful, she said, “We’re one of the few privately owned, completely independent doctors’ practices in the area.”
“Most of the other practices are now owned by larger companies that aren’t necessarily local and I think that gives us a real edge, and insight into what our patients need.”
Health on Rusden currently has 9 doctors on staff and 4 registered nurses.
“Most of our doctors all have specialty areas or special interest areas – like sports medicine, men’s health, women’s health or family medicine,” said Ms Morgan.
“We also have a few procedural GPs and an obstetrician so we’re also able to offer some extra services that you wouldn’t ordinarily see in a general practice which is a great point of difference.”
Of course, the current GP shortage weighs heavy on all clinics across the region but Ms Morgan and the team are keen to focus on providing the best care possible to all their patients.
“We enjoy being able to provide a good quality health service to our patients – it’s why we come to work each day,” said Ms Morgan.
“I really love the patient interaction – It’s rewarding to see people who have been unwell receive all the medical care they need, then come back better than ever and knowing that we’ve been able to help people in what’s often a very dark time for them.”
Despite the busy schedule, Health on Rusden is also proud to make time take on registrar doctors in their final years of study.
“Our doctors are so happy to be able to pass on our knowledge to the next generation of GPs – it’s so important to keep that training cycle going and for young GPs to see how rewarding it can be to work in regional towns,” Morgan says.
In line with a focus on preventative health the practice also runs dedicated clinics for COVID-19, influenza, Q fever and travel vaccinations, playing a crucial role in safeguarding the health of Armidale citizens.
“Preventative health – picking something up before it becomes a big problem – is something we strive to emphasise,” said Ms Morgan.
“Armidale is generally a quite health literate community, which is fantastic, but education is really key so we aim to keep our patients very well informed of options around their health and wellbeing.”
Every Wednesday, Health on Rusden now also runs an ante-natal clinic to provide pregnancy care. Their specialist team is able to support local women on their journey from the early stages of pregnancy, right through to delivery and post-natal care.
Their highly trained nursing staff are available to help with things like wound care, skin cancer, health assessments and child health clinics, rounding out the highly comprehensive services list and expert level of care.
With Health on Rusden’s 50-year-long dedication to provide exceptional care to their it is easy to see why they were voted Best GP Clinic in the New England in the Best in the New England series.
For more information on Health on Rusden, visit their website.
Health on Rusden was voted by New England Times readers as the Best GP Clinic in the New England 2024.
See the other winners and more details about this promotion.