Over the past few years, the topic of holistic health has become a critical social issue. Many employers are embracing this trend and looking for better ways to support their employees. But for people living in regional and rural areas, the lack of direct access to support services remains a challenge.
This gap widened with the pandemic. More regional employees than ever before took time off work, due to a range of issues, and weren’t receiving the same breadth and depth of support as their colleagues in major cities. Making matters worse, being located regionally can also exacerbate a sense of social isolation and negatively impact mental health. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports Australians in remote and very remote areas experience a higher level of disease and injury than those in major cities.
In 2020, we set out to help bridge this gap with the introduction of newly created Regional Claims Specialist roles. These roles are designed to specifically support government employees in remote areas of New South Wales — helping to connect them with hard-to-find services, and ensuring they maintain vitally important community ties.
