A new service is helping Wee Waa residents connect with the health care they need.
The Wee Waa Care Navigator service has been launched by HealthWISE as part of the Collaborative Care Program, a place-based approach to rural and regional health access. The free service helps people understand which health care services are locally available, which services they need to travel for, and if there is a telehealth option.
It also helps people understand if services are publicly funded or charge a fee. The care navigator can link them with other supports like transport services, social supports, and preventative health programs.
Susanne Kable, the new care navigator, is a Wee Waa local who wants to help people understand their options.
“This is a free service for anyone in Wee Waa, and also Pilliga, Gwabegar, and Burren Junction, who might need more information on the health services they can access,” Ms Kable said.
“I’ll be at the Namoi Care Connect office on Cowper Street every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9am – 1pm. People don’t need to make an appointment. If they see the Care Navigator sign out the front, they can just walk in.”
A community survey in Wee Waa back in December 2024 showed that many people wanted more information on the health services they can access. The Care Navigator initiative has been designed to provide that extra information people might need. This is important because health services are constantly changing, and it can be hard to keep track of what is available.
The care navigator service doesn’t provide health advice. Instead, it helps people know about the different health services that are available and how to get in contact with them.
“There are lots of health programs out there that people may not know about,” Ms Kable said. “I know myself, it can be confusing and a bit daunting when you are trying to work out who to talk to. That’s why I’m here to help.”
A trial of the care navigator service is being funded through the Collaborative Care Program in partnership with the NSW Ministry of Health. It will be available until June 2027, after which time the service will be reassessed.
