Rural town captures Iain’s heart

The charm of small town Richmond has worked its magic on a New Zealand native Iain Ogilvy who has travelled back and forth for the past four years to nurse at the Richmond Multipurpose Health Service.

Iain’s first experience in Richmond was as an agency nurse where he was quickly captured by the allure of the outback lifestyle and community-minded hospital.

“I initially came to Richmond for an adventure as I wanted to see rural Australia and experience rural and remote health in western Queensland,” he said.

“Richmond was just a dot on a map though for me at that point, but it met my brief.”

Four years later, Iain’s fondness for the Richmond community has only grown.

“As a town, it is experiencing a lot; people are dealing with the effects of both flood and drought and mental health issues associated with that,” he said.

“Also making our patient cohort so unique is the transient nature of the many grey nomads who travel through Richmond every year which makes nursing here interesting and diverse.”

Richmond is in stark contrast to Iain’s home town of Blenheim in New Zealand, with its rolling hills and coastal characteristics.

“Richmond is nothing like my hometown, but it has its own unique appeal. You must find your own fun in a place like Richmond,” he said.

Iain said his stints in Richmond varied in length, but usually lasted approximately six weeks.

“Luckily, my family are incredibly supportive of this kind of double-life I live,” he said.

“I was in the military for many years prior to now they are used to me travelling away for work.”

Iain said rural communities saw hospitals as the hub of the community.

“Good rural hospitals give people peace of mind that they can come and see health professionals without having to travel and they feel like they are in good hands,’ he said.

“You can’t underestimate the feeling of being able to give people that reassurance.”