FROM improving school lunch boxes to preventing suicide, Catherine Loria is helping south-west Victorians live longer and healthier — now she’s off to Norway and Canada to learn more.
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Her pilot program has inspired children, parents and teachers in Warrnambool City, Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire to learn about better nutrition.
Ms Loria has won South West Healthcare’s AEW Matthews memorial travel scholarship, which will enable her to attend an international conference in Norway next June on health, promoting hospitals and health service.
From there she’ll visit hospitals in Toronto and Calgary to study their prevention and early intervention programs.
She told The Standard she was keen to learn more about health promotion and quality service.
“The approach taken by health agencies now is to change systems and policies so they are sustainable into the future,” she said.
“Focus is around prevention prior to development of issues and disease.
“It certainly is an area where more work is being done, but there are low levels of funding.”
South West Healthcare chief executive John Krygger said Ms Loria was a statewide leader in health promotion and primary care service.
“She brings a unique perspective to health care delivery as a result of her previous role as the manager of Macarthur Community Health over a long period,” he said.
“More importantly, South West Healthcare is keen to develop strategies to avoid hospitalisation and is keen for Catherine to receive exposure to international best practice models to continue this pursuit.”
