RHealth as an organisation has grown and diversified significantly since establishment as a Division of General Practice in 1994. Through continuing to work with regional, rural and remote communities over time, RHealth has positioned itself as a provider of choice recognised for a focus on quality service delivery and sustainable outcomes.
RHealth places high value on partnership for the successful delivery of services across a vast geographic area. We are committed to the maintenance and expansion of partnerships at all levels as a critical factor for the delivery of services that are highly relevant to each community.
The goal for RHealth will always be to support the health and wellbeing of communities, with a strong emphasis on support for the Primary Health Care workforce serving regional, rural and remote areas.
This is what ‘Your Health, Our Health’ means to us, and we invite you to be involved on the journey.
Dr Ross Hetherington
Influence through Excellence
We support the Health and Wellbeing of Communities
RHealth provides a range of services in fulfilment of its purpose to support the health and wellbeing of communities in regional, rural and remote areas, and to support Primary Health Care in those areas in the delivery of Better Outcomes through General Practice.
RHealth is owned and supported by General Practitioners from across Southern Queensland.
RHealth is a Company Limited by Guarantee with deductible gift recipient status, and is governed by a Board of four Elected Directors and two appointed Directors. We currently employ 29 staff across six locations.
RHealth’s Vision is Influence through Excellence. Our Vision attainment requires positively influencing communities, partners, general practice, staff, and other stakeholders.
We Support the Health and Wellbeing of Communities. This is our Purpose statement, and we take every opportunity that is presented to us through working towards value for money in health service provision, sustained focus on rural health, workforce sustainability and growth and influencing policy makers.
The RHealth Your Health Our Health culture is based on the concept that meaningful and sustainable outcomes to improve the health and wellbeing of all Australian people can be achieved through improving the capacity and capability of organisations, communities and individuals to make a difference. Our formula for success is partnerships across the health sector with strong focus on general practice and primary health care with the patient at the centre.
The ability to assess and respond to need effectively at the local level is about having good engagement and knowledge, and being able to make better use of existing workforce and technology; (i.e. leverage solutions that are likely to have a high acceptance rate in the community). Having delivered programs and services since 1994 as a Primary Health Care organisation, we have a good understanding of how to engage in the local needs and operating context of the communities we have worked with, which are specifically regional, rural and remote communities.
RHealth has a wealth of experience and capabilities in program/project management, contractual compliance, quality assurance and financial management. Through continuing to work with regional, rural and remote communities over time, RHealth has developed a reputation as a provider of choice recognised for a focus on quality service delivery and sustainable outcomes.
RHealth places a strong emphasis Quality Assurance and a Culture of Continuous Improvement. In the delivery of Projects and Programs, RHealth has always strived to ensure that the best outcomes and benefits are received by funding agencies, stakeholders and participants.
One of the principles of clinical safety in our Clinical Services Manual is that ‘People from all cultural and linguistic backgrounds and their community ties are respected and their individual needs met through culturally appropriate intervention, management, and delivery of services.’
As an employer we require mandatory cultural competence training and provide updates and refreshers to all staff. We contractually pass these requirements to our contracted private providers.
The strategy of the RHealth Board is to actively pursue funding and resources to enable and improve services to Primary Health Care with focus on regional, rural, and remote locations in Australia.
Our focus is on supporting the local primary health workforce to have a sustainable and a high quality working experience in the regions that they choose to live and work in. This strategy informs our preference for establishing a well-governed Service Contractor model instead of direct employment of clinicians for program funded services, that could be seen to be in competition with private practice.
RHealth acknowledges its responsibility to respect human rights as enshrined in law, in the way it operates and accesses supply chains. RHealth does not implement any practices that equate to modern slavery.
However, RHealth undertakes to continually conduct due diligence on the modern slavery risks within its sphere of operations. RHealth will identify major suppliers and seek out assurance that entities it deals with on a regular and meaningful basis, are aligned and where required, compliant with modern slavery risk management practices. Where RHealth identifies business relationships with entities that do not optimally support modern slavery risk management, ongoing association with that entity will be reviewed.
With offices throughout Southern staff willing to travel to your location, RHealth would welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs. Contact us on 07 4638 1377 or through the contact form here for an obligation-free discussion about how we can work together to achieve the outcomes you are after.
About Dr David Downs
David has been a Director of RHealth Limited since 2009 (and was a Director of Southern Queensland Rural Division of General Practice Association Incorporated for seven years before that). David is a practising GP in Stanthorpe in the Southern Downs region.
David is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute Company of Directors.
About Dr Ross Hetherintgton
Ross has been the President of RHealth Limited since 2009 (and was a Director of the Southern Queensland Rural Division of General Practice Association Incorporated for three and a half years before that).
Ross is a practising GP at Warwick in the Southern Downs region.
Ross is the current Chair of Rural Health Workforce Australia, Director of Health Workforce Queensland and a Director on the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board. Ross is also a member of the Rural Health Minister’s round table, a member of the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Networks (DDWMPHN) nomination committee and a member of the DDWMPHN’s clinical council, as well as a member of Department of Health’s Workforce Distribution group. Ross has held previous Directorships with AGPN and the Australian Rural and Remote Workforce Agency Group and the Darling Downs South West Queensland Medicare Local Board.
Ross is a Graduate Member and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
About Dr Gillian McConnell
Gillian has been a Director of RHealth Limited since 2009 (and was a Director of Southern Queensland Rural Division of General Practice Association Incorporated for three years before that). Gillian spent a number of years as a solo GP in the rural town of Killarney in the Southern Downs region of Queensland, and has now retired from practising.
Gillian is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
About Dr Sian Ford
Dr Ford has been a Director of RHealth Limited since 2009 (and was a Director of Southern Queensland Rural Division of General Practice Association Incorporated for seven years before that). Dr Ford trained in the United Kingdom, practiced as a solo GP in Charleville in South West Queensland for a number of years, and is now practicing in Toowoomba.
Dr Ford is the coordinator for the Darling Downs and West Moreton PHNs Toowoomba GP Network meetings and also is a member of St Vincent’s Hospital Regional Advisory Committee.
About Professor George Fox
George has been appointed as a Director of RHealth Limited since 2010 and Company Secretary since 2009. George has been a Solicitor in private practice for over 30 years. George is an Adjunct Professor of Law at University of Southern Queensland, and has extensive experience as a former Director of Lifeline Australia and current member of the University of Southern Queensland Council.
As an Accredited Arbitrator and Mediator, George has also acted as a Dispute Resolution Consultant to the World Bank and PNG National Court.
About Dr Michael Monsour
Michael has been appointed as a Director and the Treasurer of RHealth Limited since 2009 (and was a Director of the Southern Queensland Rural Division of General Practice Association Incorporated for eight years before that). Michael is a practising GP and also has a wealth of experience and skills as a Company Director both in ASX listed companies and non-listed public companies in Australia and overseas
Michael is a Graduate Member and Fellow of the Australian Institute Company of Directors.
Supported by the regional experience of RHealth, we can offer you a rewarding opportunity to make a difference, with benefits including professional development and attractive remuneration including salary packaging for employees.
We welcome inquiries, please call 07 4638 1377 or alternatively email your expression of interest and resume to [email protected]
As part of our Quality Management System we have a range of policies to ensure the effective governance and discharge of our responsibilities as an organisation. Should you required any further information about these policies please contact us on 07 4638 1377 or fill out a contact form here.
RHealth is proud to be certified against the ISO 9001 Quality Standard. RHealth has been Certified against this standard since 2005 and is currently certified against the 2015 version. The current scope of RHealth’s Quality Management System covers primary health care program delivery/management of contracted health services and refeRHEALTH, and excludes headspace Warwick and headspace Roma which are subjected to a separate accreditation system, (namely the headspace Model Integrity Framework (hMIF)).
In 2023, RHealth achieved certification against the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001:2022 for RHealth’s Information Security Management System. The scope is only applicable to Unit 4, 4 Tourist Road, Toowoomba, Qld, 4350.
RHealth is also a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
See Certifications & Registrations under the Our Policies section on the Who we are page, for details on the scope of our ISO certifications.
RHealth would like to pay our respect and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work and live, and pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.