The By Five Paediatric Project, co-designed with Wimmera professionals and supported by the Royal Children’s Hospital, set out to address lengthy wait times, build local workforce capacity, and close the gap between rural and urban child health outcomes.
Over five years, the project delivered specialist paediatric support to more than 500 children and provided professional development to over 100 health, education, and social care practitioners. Using a co-consultation model, children identified by local professionals such as GPs, speech therapists, maternal and child health nurses, and wellbeing staff were connected with metro-based paediatricians. This meant families could attend appointments with trusted local practitioners present, reducing unnecessary and costly travel while ensuring comfort and continuity of care.
The project made a measurable difference. Families reported feeling more supported and less stressed, and local practitioners gained knowledge and confidence through real-time co-consults and multidisciplinary learning opportunities. Outcomes were assessed through developmental data, practitioner surveys, and parent feedback, all demonstrating improved child health outcomes and stronger local service capacity.
Key lessons included the importance of embedding services within trusted relationships, the value of ongoing multidisciplinary learning, and the challenge of sustaining equitable access across a dispersed rural region. These insights shaped the project’s transition into established local health and social services, ensuring its long-term impact.
Engagement with lived experience was central. Parents and caregivers contributed through formal and informal verbal and written feedback influencing the service model specifically how consultations were delivered and communication approaches refined. Their feedback confirmed that the model reduced barriers, made families feel heard, and improved the overall care experience.
Now moving into established services, the By Five Paediatric Project stands as a non-traditional but highly effective model that has transformed the health and wellbeing of children and families across the rural Wimmera region.
Dr. Kate Monagle
Paediatric Fellow – Wimmera Telehealth Outreach Fellow (By Five), The Royal Children’s Hospital
Kate is a Paediatric Fellow at the Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Passionate about rural paediatrics, she has worked with the By Five team since 2023 to expand early access to specialist care through telehealth co-consultations with local professionals. She is also completing a Master of Public Health and is committed to improving health outcomes for children and families in rural communities through collaborative, family-centred care.
Louise Netherway
Uniting Vic.Tas
Louise is both an experienced practitioner and manager. For close to two decades, she has coordinated and managed diverse programs including Early Years, Out of Home Care, Youth Services, Child FIRST, Integrated Family Services, Family Violence, Orange Door, Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD), Homelessness, Mental Health, Housing, and Counselling.
She draws upon her wealth of practice experience across the child, youth, and family sector, spanning Youth Residential, Youth Outreach, Family Services, Family Violence responses, and Early Years. Louise is recognised for her ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, strengthen service integration, and deliver high-quality outcomes for children, young people, and families experiencing vulnerability.
Born and raised in a rural community, Louise has a lifelong passion for advocating for rural and remote communities and ensuring services are designed and delivered in ways that reflect their unique strengths and challenges. Having made the Wimmera her home almost 15 years ago and raising her two children here, she is deeply committed to supporting the wellbeing and resilience of the local community.
Dr Ashleigh McLean
General Paediatrician, Grampians Health
Dr Ashleigh McLean is a general paediatrician with a strong commitment to delivering high-quality, purpose-fit health care in rural and regional settings. With experience across several regional health services in Victoria, Ashleigh brings a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in rural paediatrics and is committed to developing novel health care solutions tailored to those who live in regional areas.
Ashleigh works at Grampians Health and delivers health care and medical education across the Ballarat and Horsham campuses. She cares for children and young people with issues across all areas of paediatrics, including children with behavioural and developmental challenges. Her specific areas of interest include newborn medicine, Type 1 Diabetes, FASD and the delivery of medical education. In her spare time, she enjoys trail running, veggie gardening and making wonky pottery!
