Dr Steve Salleras - The Clermont Surgery

Dear Bernard,

I write to give you my impressions of the impact that the Blair Athol Coal Workplace Health Session, conducted by you, has had on my role as GP for Clermont, the town servicing the mine.

As you are aware, I had previously had the opportunity of familiarising myself with the main elements of the program through education activities you provided via our local Division of General Practice and at the men's health night you facilitated in conjunction with the Division at Emerald.

I was grateful for the opportunity to receive feedback from you of the results of the program run at BAC, at your summary meeting on 31-7-99.

My practice in Clermont aims to provide high quality health care, with an emphasis on holistic practice. Your program has dove-tailed very well, by raising awareness of the important health issues to a group of men who ordinarily are a high risk group with respect to their health due to the combination of ignorance, fear, machismo and inappropriate prioritization of time and effort.

Since the program was conducted I have had quite a number of men present to me requesting health screening, and other men who have presented with urgent problems (e.g. minor trauma) who have requested information regarding their general health at the tail end of the consultation.

In general conversation with BAC employees, out of the surgery environment, I have found that the men have been overwhelmingly supportive of the program, and many have displayed a thoughtful, reflective element which I'd previously not seen in them.

I firmly believe the program will play a role in assisting in the major change in attitude to health that is needed for the health of men to improve.  There are many elements of this health problem that we aim to address both in General Practice, and also in the co-ordination of our own health district (of which I am Medical Superintendent), and your program may have played a pivotal role in the change of attitude required for us to achieve real progress.

Thank you again for running the program and for providing me with the results of your surveys.

Yours sincerely,

Signed

Dr Steve Salleras
The Clermont Surgery
PO Box 13424 Francis Street
CLERMONT   QLD   4721