A local face has been added to the Heywood Rural Health Board of Directors, with Penny French beginning her three-year terms at the start of July.

Ms French replaces Jessica Feeney, who has completed her three-year term.

“I grew up at Tyrendarra, went to school at Monivae and then off to University of Melbourne to study physiotherapy,” Penny said.

“I returned to the region in 2016, worked in Hamilton initially and now for almost nine years I have been working in physiotherapy in Port Fairy”.

She works both clinically and as an Allied Health Manager at Moyne Health Service in Port Fairy.

With extensive experience in community health, team leadership, and service planning and delivery, Penny is committed to ensuring rural health services are responsive to the needs of the communities they serve.

Having grown up in the local area, she is passionate about improving access to high quality healthcare, advocating for person-centred care, and supporting the development of a skilled, sustainable rural health workforce.

“I am at a point in my career, with 10 years’ experience now working in rural health, where I saw this as an opportunity to contribute back to the community.

“I think is it’s a really important aspect of rural health to have local people on the Board, and also have some Allied Health representation.

“That local knowledge is really important.

“I did some work in Heywood early on in my career and found it a really positive experience.

“Heywood Rural Health have been doing some fantastic things for the past 8-10 years, there has been a big movement in the things they are achieving and the services they are delivering and that is a really positive step.

“They have worked really hard at a board level and at an executive level with Leigh Parker in the CEO role and they have done some good work and hard work over the last few years to build HRH to what you see when you walk in the door, a really welcoming and friendly vibe.

“They have got some really good workforce stuff going on, recruited well and it is an exciting place to be involved with.

“I thought I would put my hand up, I am really passionate about small rural health, they play such an important role and there are opportunities there to provide wonderful services to the community.”

Jessica Feeney is a Paramedic with Ambulance Victoria, working across the Barwon South West Region.

Jessica has been studying her medical degree and has a strong focus on rural and remote health, community education and access to healthcare in these regions.

She has almost completed her medical degree and is aspiring to practice medicine in rural communities.

From everyone at Heywood Rural Health we thank Jessica Feeney for her dedication and valuable input, we commend her for her commitment and passion for rural health and wish her all the best with her medical degree studies. We welcome Penny French as a new and exciting member of the Board.

Thank you to the Portland Observer for the article.