The Kilmore District Hospital will now be known as Kilmore District Health, in a move designed to better represent the breadth of services it offers.
The name change forms part of Kilmore District Health’s goals for the next five years, set out in its 2021-25 strategic plan.
Through the plan, the health service outlines its purpose of providing safe, quality, accessible care and a dynamic place to work and learn, and its vision for better health and wellbeing for the community.
A new logo is also included in the rebranding, with a series of blocks forming a cross inspired by the hospital’s iconic bluestone building.
Former chief executive Sue Race, who left Kilmore District Health shortly after the plan was launched at its annual general meeting, said the plan was produced entirely in-house, which created a sense of ownership throughout the organisation.
“Our previous strategic plan was quite out of date and needed a complete refresh so we started from the ground up and conducted extensive consultation with our community, including the people we care for, our workforce, our doctors, partner agencies and our board of directors,” she said.
“We consulted for about a year, we did it all in-house, we didn’t use a consultant and wrote the plan ourselves.
“We’re really connected to it, the board has a high level of ownership because they were involved every step of the way and we involved our staff so there’s a high level of ownership there as well, and they have a good understanding of what the plan is for the next five years.
“It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time and it’s really important to set the hospital up for the next five years and provide a general guide where the board and senior leadership can translate the community’s needs into a plan of action to continue to develop the services we need to meet community needs.”
Kilmore District Health board chair Kathryn Harris said the organisation had provided health care to the community for more than 165 years.
“Our organisation is one of the biggest employers of staff in the shire, with more than 400 people, from full-time to casual employment,” she said.
“We are so much more than a hospital and have embraced that in our new name. This update better reflects the breadth of services we provide and the range of people we serve.
“Our new strategic plan looks ahead to the next five years with all its challenges and exciting potential. It is our hope and intention that in five years, our district will have a healthier community.”
To view the plan, visit kilmoredistricthealth.org.au/strategic-plan.
