GP Program Advisor

Dr Jane Opie

Program officer

Pam Callaly, 5222 0800

Program summary

The Geelong Divisions' More Allied Health Services (MAHS) Project is federally funded via the More Allied Health Services Program, a component of the Federal Regional Strategy. MAHS funding is available to rural communities classified as RRMA 4-7 and in the Geelong region this incorporates a total of 16 General Practices distributed throughout Bannockburn, the Bellarine Peninsula and Surfcoast Shire.

The objectives of MAHS are to:

• improve the health care of key groups within a rural community via the provision of more efficient and effective allied health services, which have been based on the identified needs of the community
• provide additional (quantity and range) professional allied health services to rural communities
• provide an integrated approach to health care provision by coordinating MAHS with other Federal/State funded health initiatives and

The Geelong Divisions' MAHS Project provides participating rural General Practices with a variety of allied health services, which include:

• diabetes educators
• podiatrist
• dietitians
• psychologists
• physiotherapists

The project does not compete with existing private practices but rather provides a service for members of rural communities who are disadvantaged by socio-economic status. Every endeavour is made by the project to link local allied health services to the General Practice.

There is no cost for patients to access these.