The Wound Solutions Clinic at USC has received a special industry award for its commitment to compassionate and innovative patient care.

The clinic is a collaborative service provided by USC and Blue Care Maroochy that offers specialist treatment of wounds, access to health care professionals with various wound specialisations, and social support for clients.

Blue Care Sunshine Coast General Manager Wendy Russell said the clinic had earned a ‘Living the Values’ award from Blue Care for meeting the organisation’s values of compassion, working together and leading through learning.

USC project manager and Registered Nurse Bronwyn Doyle said this award recognised the significant impact the clinic has had in patient care and in helping train USC students since it opened in late 2013.

“The clinic benefits the Sunshine Coast community because it enables people with complicated wounds to be treated locally rather than having to travel to Brisbane,” she said.

“And USC benefits from the partnership because it provides on-campus, real-life clinical placement opportunities for students studying Nursing Science, Occupational Therapy, Exercise Physiology and Dietetics as well as university research opportunities.”

Blue Care Maroochy/Kuluin Multi-Service Manager Mandy Morgan has overseen the clinic since its inception and is now an Adjunct Associate Professor at USC.

“Our specialist staff educate students in current best practice methods for wound management, and the feedback from students about their experiences here has been very positive,” she said.

“When we first opened in October 2013, the clinic operated one day per week. We now operate two days a week and run a maintenance clinic half a day each fortnight for clients to receive additional support and education post wound healing in order to stay healthy.”

The establishment of the Wound Solutions Clinic was funded by Health Workforce Australia, an Australian Government initiative.

Patients can contact the clinic via Blue Care Maroochy Community Care on 5441 0100 or email Maroochy.bns@bluecare.org.au.

— Jane Cameron