Rural Support Service

09/03/2026

𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑎𝑏𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡, 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑏𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠. 𝑆𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 1800𝑅𝐸𝑆𝑃𝐸𝐶𝑇 (1800 737 732).

We’re excited to welcome Rebecca James as the Advanced Clinical Lead for the RSS services and programs provided for South Australia’s six regional Local Health Networks to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, and neglect.

In this role, Rebecca will work alongside regional health teams who care for victim-survivors, providing guidance and support to continue delivering trauma-informed care. She’ll also help align regional services with state and national policies and reforms, ensuring communities continue to receive high-quality care.

Rebecca brings a wealth of experience in service delivery, clinical oversight, and training and development across the Department for Child Protection and SA Health. She is passionate about supporting regional communities to access equitable, culturally safe, and trauma-informed care that is responsive to local needs.

Welcome to the team, Rebecca.

03/03/2026

👀Closing soon! Applications for the 2026 Regional Health Scholarship Program will close on Monday 9 March.

👉The program supports regional South Australians studying or working in health by providing financial assistance for the 2026 academic year. Eligible applicants include those enrolled at universities, TAFEs, or registered training organisations.

👩‍🎓Recipients include school leavers, students and SA Health employees pursuing a wide range of study areas including Aboriginal Primary Health Care, Allied Health, Human Resource Management, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery.

✅Last year, 60 scholarships were awarded to support healthcare professionals throughout all six regional Local Health Networks.

👇The program offers seven categories of scholarships:

• Regional Bonding
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employee
• Regional Employee
• Regional School Leaver
• Professor Margaret Tobin Scholarship
• Student Placement Grant

👉For details, please visit the SA Health website: https://tinyurl.com/2vy4mycj or contact the RSS Scholarships Team via: regionalhealthscholarships@sa.gov.au

⏳ Applications close on Monday 9 March 2026 (11:55pm).

Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health NetworkRiverland Mallee Coorong Local Health NetworkLimestone Coast Local Health NetworkEyre and Far North Local Health NetworkFlinders and Upper North Local Health NetworkYorke and Northern Local Health Network

16/02/2026

Welcome to our newest team member 📣

Penny Thyer joined the Rural Support Service recently as Manager of Regional Cancer and Palliative Care Services. In this role, she will work collaboratively with the doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and others across our regional Local Health Networks who deliver cancer and palliative care every day to South Australian regional patients and their families.

Penny’s deep and varied experience across SA Health, from frontline clinician to system-wide leadership, will be a strong foundation as she listens to, partners with, and supports clinicians and consumers across country SA throughout the cancer and palliative care in aged care journeys to ensure compassionate, coordinated care for people in some of life’s most vulnerable and challenging times.

Pictured here, left to right, are Dr David Misan, Chair, Regional LHN Medical Credentialing Committee; Penny Thyer; and Julianne O’Connor, Chief Clinical Advisor, Rural Support Service.

Great to have you on board, Penny.

04/02/2026

Professor Paul Worley, Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network’s Executive Director of Clinical Innovation understands the important role that remote and virtual care play in delivering healthcare solutions. Listen as Professor Worley talks about keeping patients well, closer to home – and how the work of our 2025 SA Health Award winner John Denton supports regional South Australians.

14/01/2026

Congratulations Anabelle! 🙂

🤩 CONGRATULATIONS to Social Worker, Anabelle Stephenson, on completing Level 1 of the Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway (AHRGP)!

Anabelle started the pathway in 2023 through JCU: James Cook University, Australia, with support from the Rural Support Service (RSS).

Anabelle was motivated to join the AHRGP as an avenue to extend her capabilities as a Rural Generalist Social Worker.

“I wanted to understand extended avenues of thought and build upon the informal experience and skills I’ve developed as a Riverland community member,” she says.

Anabelle has enjoyed the pathway’s multi-disciplinary approach to learning.

“I’ve had the opportunity to broaden my branches of understanding through interdisciplinary practice, and how it can best service clients in rural and remote communities.”

“I’ve been able to extend my skills as a Rural Generalist Social Worker and gain a clearer understanding of how thinking and acting outside of the box can help rural communities and the clients I support.”

17/12/2025

👀 Applications for the 2026 Regional Health Scholarship Program are open!

👍 The program supports regional South Australians studying or working in health by providing financial assistance for the 2026 academic year. Eligible applicants include those enrolled at universities, TAFEs, or registered training organisations.

👩‍🎓 Recipients include school leavers, students and SA Health employees pursuing a wide range of study areas including Aboriginal Primary Health Care, Allied Health, Human Resource Management, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery.

✅ Last year, 60 scholarships were awarded to support healthcare professionals throughout all six regional Local Health Networks.

👇 The program offers seven categories of scholarships:

• Regional Bonding
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employee
• Regional Employee
• Regional School Leaver
• Professor Margaret Tobin Scholarship
• Student Placement Grant

👉 For details, please visit the SA Health website: https://tinyurl.com/2vy4mycj or contact the RSS Scholarships Team via: regionalhealthscholarships@sa.gov.au

⏳ Applications close on Monday 9 March 2026 (midnight).

04/12/2025

Experience inspiring moments from the 2025 SA Health Awards, a night recognising the people and programs making a real difference across SA Health. 🎉

01/12/2025

We are absolutely thrilled to share the news from Friday’s SA Health Awards: John Denton of the RSS has been named winner of the 2025 Young Professional of the Year!

Young professionals are the current and future leaders of SA Health, and this award recognises exceptional commitment, innovation, creativity and ambition by young professionals that drive meaningful improvements to public health.

iCCnet Research and Operations Manager John Denton embodies all of this. He is driving virtual care innovation in regional South Australia, leading the design of scalable, evidence-based models including the Virtual Regional Cardiology Service, 24/7 Remote Health Monitoring Service, and CATCH telerehabilitation.

By aligning clinical services with funding models and strategy, John is delivering impact where it matters -- keeping care closer to home, reducing hospital demand, and setting new standards for rural healthcare.

John’s been recognised for driving the future of virtual care in regional SA -- championing game-changing services like the Virtual Regional Cardiology Service, Regional Heart Failure Optimisation Service, 24/7 Remote Health Monitoring, and CATCH telehealth rehab.

And we’re so proud of our other finalist, the Regional Care Connect Pilot Program -- a collaboration with the Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health, SA Health’s statewide services, the RSS and the Renmark Medical Clinic in the Riverland in regional South Australia -- in the Dr Phil Tideman Award for Improving Access and Equity category.

This is a standout moment for RSS in delivering rural services together with the regional LHNs. There is extraordinary work happening together across our teams. The innovations recognised on Friday are reshaping how regional South Australians access care, further strengthening the future of rural health.

We are incredibly proud of everyone involved in these achievements. What an exceptional result for RSS and for the communities we serve across Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network, Eyre and Far North Local Health Network, Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network, Limestone Coast Local Health Network, Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network, and Yorke and Northern Local Health Network!

Check out this video from the moment John’s win was announced 👇

27/11/2025

The big night is here!

We're cheering on our SA Health Awards finalists:

📶 Regional Care Connect Pilot Program (a collaboration between the CEIH and the RSS) – Dr Phil Tideman Award for Improving Access and Equity category

💻 John Denton (iCCnet, RSS) – Young Professional of the Year category

We’re so proud of the innovation, leadership, and collaboration they bring to rural health every day.

To our finalists: Good luck and remember, you’re already winners in our eyes!

26/11/2025

Meet John Denton, our 2025 SA Health Awards Young Professional of the Year finalist. He leads programs that make a real difference for hundreds of patients across regional South Australia, ensuring care is accessible, effective, and closer to home. Highlights of his leadership include:

↗️ CATCH telehealth rehabilitation supported 349 patients in 2024, with a 91.4% completion rate (well above state and national averages)

💗 Expanded CATCH program capacity by 17% without additional resources

💪 Oversees the Virtual Regional Cardiology Service, improving access to specialist care, reducing unnecessary hospital travel, and strengthening GP-specialist collaboration.

John’s work exemplifies leadership and innovation in scaling virtual care solutions for rural communities.

Drop a comment below and join us in wishing him luck at tomorrow’s awards ceremony!

26/11/2025

Reducing ED presentations by 80%? That’s just one of the accomplishments of our Regional Care Connect Pilot Program -- an SA Health Awards finalist! 🏆

This innovative program -- a collaboration between the RSS, the Commission on Excellence and Innovation and Health, the Renmark Medical Clinic in the Riverland and SA Health’s statewide services -- is transforming care for regional patients, bringing virtual specialist-led care closer to home.

By empowering patients to manage their health safely at home while reducing strain on clinicians, the Regional Care Connect Pilot exemplifies how collaboration and technology can improve health outcomes in rural communities.

Drop a comment below and join us in saying ‘good luck!’ to the talented teams behind this program as we look ahead to this Friday’s awards ceremony!

12/11/2025

Rural emergency nursing leadership recognised on the national stage

We're so proud of Ammie Thredgold, our Emergency Advanced Nurse Educator, who was recently a keynote speaker at this year’s International Conference for Emergency Nurses , hosted by the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia.

Ammie shared how she and her team are working in partnership with South Australia’s rural nursing teams to strengthen emergency care across the state. Together, they’re developing new training pathways, capability frameworks and education programs – including Emergency Nurse and Midwifery Education (ENAME), an innovative approach ensuring that SA’s rural nurses and midwives have the training and support they need to deliver high-quality emergency care.

This achievement reflects Ammie’s leadership and the incredible dedication of our rural nursing teams, whose commitment makes high-quality care possible across regional South Australia.

This is what happens when passion meets purpose. 👏