STAFF at Joondalup Health Campus raised $3204 for drought-affected Australian farmers by hosting a ‘Parma for a Farmer’ lunch ahead of R U OK? Day last week.
For every chicken parmigiana and chips sold, the hospital has pledged to donate $5 to Rural Aid, which owner Ramsay Health Care matched.
Ramsay’s WA/SA operations executive manager Kevin Cass-Ryall said drought conditions in parts of Australia were taking a toll on the mental well-being of farmers.
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READ NOW“The lack of rain is having a severe impact across the country, especially on the east coast,” he said.
“It just made sense for us this year to throw our efforts behind supporting people we know are struggling right now – the farmers and their families in certain parts of Australia whose livelihoods are badly impacted by drought.”
Ramsay Health Care will also waive hospital excess fees and co-payments for farmers and primary producers in drought affected areas between October 1 and March 31 to make it easier for them to access the treatment.
Ramsay operates 72 facilities around the country, including Hollywood Private Hospital, Joondalup Health Campus, Peel Health Campus, Glengarry Private Hospital and Attadale Rehabilitation Hospital in WA.
Chief executive Danny Sims said the organisation wanted to help reduce some of the stress for farmers who needed to access health care treatments.
“Coming to hospital can often be a stressful time for people under normal circumstances, let alone for primary producers who are undergoing testing times through no fault of their own,” he said.
“We want to make it easier for drought-affected families to seek the care they need.”
