Animated conversation, pats on the back, and elbow-bumping painted a picture of the workforce’s enthusiasm to be back together again.
Yet even while the laughter still echoed in the mezzanine of the Hilton Hotel, delegates were rolling up their sleeves and telling their stories – of what was working and what wasn’t; what they loved and what they wished different; what would backfire and what would successfully improve remote health.
Following the Welcome to Country by Senior Kaurna Man, Uncle Mickey Kumatpi O’Brien, on Wednesday morning, the busily jotting pens, raised hands during Q&A, and robust interchange of ideas told of the workforce’s fierce determination to improve remote health.
It made many of us feel like part of something bigger. It suggested that, despite COVID-19’s potential to disband our scattered workforce, we are now more united than ever in our collective commitment to drive positive change. Buoyed by the company of inspiring individuals and ideas, many of us left, thinking: “Alright, let’s do this!”
Perhaps it was a sense of possibility – an ability to see the barriers lifting and letting the light in – that resulted in this feeling of inspiration and the solutions-focused dialogue.
As CRANAplus CEO Katherine Isbister said in her welcome address, “It does feel like a time of hope in Australia, a time of change and a time of opportunity. The first steps are being taken in a Voice to Parliament. There is meaningful discussion to address climate change.
“At the national nursing level, the development of a national nursing strategy is underway, as is the Nurse Practitioner 10-year plan. A National Rural and Remote Nursing Generalist Framework is on the cusp of being launched… It is an exciting time for remote area nurses and midwives and the broader remote workforce.”
Headlined by Dr. Norman Swan, who gave a fascinating overview of pandemics past, present and future, the conference shone because of its diversity of invited speakers and abstract presenters.
Highlights included Dr. Simon Quilty on the health impacts of climate change and climate-unfriendly housing; Prof. Sue Kildea on various birthing on country projects; Kellie Kerin’s discussion of her cultural journey; and Geoffrey Angeles’ exploration of scabies and entertaining recount of his meeting with Anthony Albanese at Garma Festival.
Through these presentations and the buzz of conversations in the plenary hall and exhibition space, common themes emerged: how to ensure health professionals can put their qualifications to use; the health impacts of climate change; pathways, programs and placements to grow workforce availability; community leadership and co-design; lessons learned from COVID-19 and natural disasters; the need for fit-for-purpose legislation; and successful workforce models.
The wealth of ideas that circulated around these themes has hopefully given everyone who attended, including the team at CRANAplus, ample material to ponder and put into practice, as we build towards our organisation’s 40th anniversary celebrations at next year’s conference.
We’re very excited to see many of you again next year, and will make announcements soon – stay tuned on our social media pages, newsletter and website.
Thanks are due to our amazing sponsors and exhibitors, who enabled us to deliver an event of this scope. Special thank yous go to our principal partner, Adelaide Convention Bureau; major partner, Flinders University Rural and Remote Health; gala dinner sponsor, James Cook University Centre for Rural and Remote Health; coffee cart sponsor CATSINaM; and catering sponsor, RAHC.
A full list of sponsors and exhibitors can be found on the conference website.
