Seventy two children between the ages of three to five years from Nyngan and the surrounding region benefited from a visit to the Healthy Kids Bus Stop which is an integrated whole-of-child health and developmental assessment and pathway to care program. 

The program aims to improve the health and well-being of children living in rural and remote communities through early detection of lifestyle risk factors, delayed development and/or illness. 

“Royal Far West was delighted to be working with our partners and the community of Nyngan to deliver the Healthy Kids Bus Stop,” Royal Far West CEO Lindsay Cane said. 

“I would like to thank Nyngan Public School, Nyngan Preschool and the Bogan Bush Mobile for their support of this vital service. 

“It’s wonderful to be working closely with country communities to deliver these free health assessments and to have support from across NSW Government including from the NSW Ministry of Health and the NSW Department of Education.”

The health assessments are undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of nursing and allied health staff including a child health check, hearing screening dental check, fine and gross motor skill development, screening language and speech development check. 

The Healthy Kids Bus Stop utilises the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile as children go inside to complete part of their health assessment. 

“We are very proud to play such an important part in the health care of children in rural and remote NSW through our partnership with Royal Far West,” Malcom Coutts, CEO Ronald McDonald House Charities said. 

Importantly, the program provides a pathway to care ensuring that children are given a referral pathway to receive the ongoing support they need, through the collaborative partnership with linkages and communication back into the community and the service providers. 

Associate Director, Integrated Primary Care and Partnerships at the Western NSW LHD, Debrah Davis said: “the key component of this program is the co-ordinated pathway to care that follows the assessment process’’. 

“It provides the opportunity to connect the child’s local GP with the Child and Family Health Nurse and other local and specialist services, providing a whole picture of the child’s health and developmental needs,” she concluded. 

As part of the program the children receive a bus pass which is stamped at each ‘bus stop’ station they are assessed as requiring along the way and when all required stations have been attended children are provided with a Health Kids Bus Stop Bag containing items to promote health habits as well as fun items. 

The Health Kids Bus Stop program has already been delivered in a number of NSW communities this year  including Grenfell, Coolah and Dunedoo and recently received a NSW Government investment of more than $450,000.

Last year it was recognised at the prestigious 2014 Health Awards and Innovation Showcase, developed by NSW Health for its collaborative integrated care service delivery.