Rural Support Service

During this National Palliative Care Week, we’d like to introduce one of our new team members 📣

Dr Christine Drummond recently joined the RSS Regional Cancer and Palliative Care Services team, in the Regional Hospice in Residential Aged Care Facility Project. As Regional Palliative Care Consultant, Dr Drummond is working to support your local GPs, nurses and aged care teams in your regional community to provide specialist palliative care advice and assist clinical decision-making around end-of-life care.

Dr Drummond brings significant expertise developed from working in palliative medicine across the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) and the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN).

She has a strong focus on building systems that improve access to high-quality, equitable care for communities who have historically had limited access.

Great to have you with us Christine! 😀

👀Closing soon! Applications for the 2026 Regional Health Scholarship Program will close on Monday 9 March.

👉The program supports regional South Australians studying or working in health by providing financial assistance for the 2026 academic year. Eligible applicants include those enrolled at universities, TAFEs, or registered training organisations.

👩‍🎓Recipients include school leavers, students and SA Health employees pursuing a wide range of study areas including Aboriginal Primary Health Care, Allied Health, Human Resource Management, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery.

✅Last year, 60 scholarships were awarded to support healthcare professionals throughout all six regional Local Health Networks.

👇The program offers seven categories of scholarships:

• Regional Bonding
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employee
• Regional Employee
• Regional School Leaver
• Professor Margaret Tobin Scholarship
• Student Placement Grant

👉For details, please visit the SA Health website: https://tinyurl.com/2vy4mycj or contact the RSS Scholarships Team via: [email protected]

⏳ Applications close on Monday 9 March 2026 (11:55pm).

Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health NetworkRiverland Mallee Coorong Local Health NetworkLimestone Coast Local Health NetworkEyre and Far North Local Health NetworkFlinders and Upper North Local Health NetworkYorke and Northern Local Health Network

Welcome to our newest team member 📣

Penny Thyer joined the Rural Support Service recently as Manager of Regional Cancer and Palliative Care Services. In this role, she will work collaboratively with the doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and others across our regional Local Health Networks who deliver cancer and palliative care every day to South Australian regional patients and their families.

Penny’s deep and varied experience across SA Health, from frontline clinician to system-wide leadership, will be a strong foundation as she listens to, partners with, and supports clinicians and consumers across country SA throughout the cancer and palliative care in aged care journeys to ensure compassionate, coordinated care for people in some of life’s most vulnerable and challenging times.

Pictured here, left to right, are Dr David Misan, Chair, Regional LHN Medical Credentialing Committee; Penny Thyer; and Julianne O’Connor, Chief Clinical Advisor, Rural Support Service.

Great to have you on board, Penny.

Congratulations Anabelle! 🙂

🤩 CONGRATULATIONS to Social Worker, Anabelle Stephenson, on completing Level 1 of the Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway (AHRGP)!

Anabelle started the pathway in 2023 through JCU: James Cook University, Australia, with support from the Rural Support Service (RSS).

Anabelle was motivated to join the AHRGP as an avenue to extend her capabilities as a Rural Generalist Social Worker.

“I wanted to understand extended avenues of thought and build upon the informal experience and skills I’ve developed as a Riverland community member,” she says.

Anabelle has enjoyed the pathway’s multi-disciplinary approach to learning.

“I’ve had the opportunity to broaden my branches of understanding through interdisciplinary practice, and how it can best service clients in rural and remote communities.”

“I’ve been able to extend my skills as a Rural Generalist Social Worker and gain a clearer understanding of how thinking and acting outside of the box can help rural communities and the clients I support.”

👀 Applications for the 2026 Regional Health Scholarship Program are open!

👍 The program supports regional South Australians studying or working in health by providing financial assistance for the 2026 academic year. Eligible applicants include those enrolled at universities, TAFEs, or registered training organisations.

👩‍🎓 Recipients include school leavers, students and SA Health employees pursuing a wide range of study areas including Aboriginal Primary Health Care, Allied Health, Human Resource Management, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery.

✅ Last year, 60 scholarships were awarded to support healthcare professionals throughout all six regional Local Health Networks.

👇 The program offers seven categories of scholarships:

• Regional Bonding
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employee
• Regional Employee
• Regional School Leaver
• Professor Margaret Tobin Scholarship
• Student Placement Grant

👉 For details, please visit the SA Health website: https://tinyurl.com/2vy4mycj or contact the RSS Scholarships Team via: [email protected]

⏳ Applications close on Monday 9 March 2026 (midnight).

The big night is here!

We're cheering on our SA Health Awards finalists:

📶 Regional Care Connect Pilot Program (a collaboration between the CEIH and the RSS) – Dr Phil Tideman Award for Improving Access and Equity category

💻 John Denton (iCCnet, RSS) – Young Professional of the Year category

We’re so proud of the innovation, leadership, and collaboration they bring to rural health every day.

To our finalists: Good luck and remember, you’re already winners in our eyes!

Meet John Denton, our 2025 SA Health Awards Young Professional of the Year finalist. He leads programs that make a real difference for hundreds of patients across regional South Australia, ensuring care is accessible, effective, and closer to home. Highlights of his leadership include:

↗️ CATCH telehealth rehabilitation supported 349 patients in 2024, with a 91.4% completion rate (well above state and national averages)

💗 Expanded CATCH program capacity by 17% without additional resources

💪 Oversees the Virtual Regional Cardiology Service, improving access to specialist care, reducing unnecessary hospital travel, and strengthening GP-specialist collaboration.

John’s work exemplifies leadership and innovation in scaling virtual care solutions for rural communities.

Drop a comment below and join us in wishing him luck at tomorrow’s awards ceremony!

Reducing ED presentations by 80%? That’s just one of the accomplishments of our Regional Care Connect Pilot Program -- an SA Health Awards finalist! 🏆

This innovative program -- a collaboration between the RSS, the Commission on Excellence and Innovation and Health, the Renmark Medical Clinic in the Riverland and SA Health’s statewide services -- is transforming care for regional patients, bringing virtual specialist-led care closer to home.

By empowering patients to manage their health safely at home while reducing strain on clinicians, the Regional Care Connect Pilot exemplifies how collaboration and technology can improve health outcomes in rural communities.

Drop a comment below and join us in saying ‘good luck!’ to the talented teams behind this program as we look ahead to this Friday’s awards ceremony!