President’s Message: Well an enjoyable evening had by all on Wednesday evening when about 20 of us went to see the film “Mental”, which had been arranged by Julie and her team. This was the second Club event Julie has arranged, the first being the wine tasting of Stanton and Killeen, and both have been excellent evenings. It was also lovely that Margaret McDonald was able to join us for the evening. Just a reminder that next week’s meeting is HAT Day which is our part of activities re Mental Health Week. So if hats of previous years are anything to go by, the varieties will be as good as any at Albury Gold Cup or Oaks Day. I understand that there will be a variety of prizes on offer on the day. Also the Speaker at this week’s meet should be of particular interest talking about the Rotary ‘Aquabox’ program, and thanks to Terry for arranging this presentation.

Guest Speaker: As CEO of Hume Medicare Local, David Dart gave us an insight into the operation since its commencement earlier this year. Covering a wide area on both sides of the border this organisation provides the opportunity for GP networking and extensive support services to a varied cross-section of our community. Medicare Locals are an integral part of national health reform. They are being established across Australia to better address local health needs, improve access to services and make the system easier for people to navigate. The Hume Medicare Local opened on 1 July 2012. So, we’re now part of a network of 62 Medicare Locals being established across Australia to better connect primary health care. As a primary (non-hospital) health care organisation, the Hume Medicare Local will partner with GPs, community health organisations, primary care partnerships, allied health providers, state and local governments to: identify and address local health care needs and service gaps; drive improvements in primary health care and ensure that services are better tailored to meet the needs of local communities; build on work previously undertaken by the Albury Wodonga Regional GP Network and North East Victorian Division of General Practice. The Hume Medicare Local was formed by the merger of these GP Divisions. In its first 12 months of operation, our key priorities are likely to include: establishing links with partners and stakeholders; mapping current primary (non-hospital)… health care services and identifying gaps; population health planning; and organisational accreditation.