IN a milestone year for two local scholarships dedicated to strengthening the rural health workforce, Moree psychology student Georgia Clissold and Warialda Rail nursing student Jessica-Lea McDougall and have each received a $10,000 boost to support their studies.

Marking 20 years of the Dr William Hunter scholarship and a decade of the Healthy Communities scholarship, HealthWISE and the Gwydir Valley Cotton Growers Association recognised Jessica-Lea and Georgia at the Moree Town and Country Club on Tuesday.

Jessica-Lea received the Dr William Hunter scholarship and Georgia received the Healthy Communities scholarship.

“I’m very privileged to have an opportunity like this,” Jessica-Lea said.

“It’s something that I didn’t think would ever come my way, so I’m pretty stoked.”

Healthy Communities scholarship winner Georgia Clissold with Gwydir Valley CGA committee member Liam Winter.

Also in attendance were Moree Plains Shire Council mayor Susannah Pearse and Gwydir Shire Council mayor Tiffany Galvin.

“Today was a wonderful reminder of how hard our community works to support our locals and get the services we need,” Cr Pearse said.

In her second year of a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of New England while working at Naroo Aged Care Hostel, Jessica-Lea is eager to bring her skills back to Gwydir district.

Healthy Communities winner Georgia is studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science at the University of Southern Queensland, and is known to many for her work as a sports co-ordinator and coach at the Moree PCYC.

“I was a child athlete, and I can see the stereotypes and influences that people have at such a young age and the way that affects people,” Georgia said.

“I want to work to try and change that stigma, especially in country towns where there’s not as many resources, not as many things available,” she said.

HealthWISE CEO Sally Urquhart with Dr William Hunter scholarship winner Jessica-Lea McDougall and HealthWISE Barwon Health Alliance program manager Susanne Kable.

Gwydir Valley CGA committee member Liam Winter said the two scholarships joined forces in 2021 after recognising their shared goal of creating a stronger and more vibrant health sector in Moree and the surrounds.

“The aim is to bring as many health professionals as possible back to the local community,” he said.

Retired Moree GP and scholarship namesake, Dr William Hunter, also attended the evening.

“The need for trained health professionals in the Gwydir Valley towns, always critical, is now dire,” Dr Hunter said.

“When the scholarship began in 2006, the Moree Hospital had three doctors on call 24 hours a day, every day, covering the emergency department, the obstetrics and the surgery departments.”

Dr Hunter said Moree and other rural hospitals are often forced to rely on telehealth and already strained nursing staff when locums are unavailable, as happened for almost two weeks earlier this month.

“Our rural populations deserve much better than this. We’re desperately short of GPs trained in skills required in rural towns,” Dr Hunter said.

HealthWISE chief executive officer, Sally Urquhart, said the organisation was committed to supporting the future health workforce through connections with key figures such as Dr Hunter, an association that has lasted for decades.

She was delighted to meet Jessica-Lea and Georgia, and excited to see their potential.

“They’re full of energy and optimism and big plans,” Ms Urquhart said.

“Both are really committed to their communities and also excited to get started on their profession.

“And what they’re talking about really closely aligns with what we want to do at HealthWISE,” she said.