Stray dogs attack turtles and nests James MeGrath ‘TWO stray dogs wore taken to the pound by anger services after they were found dis turbing tho noste of datchling Fatback tur- ‘les on Cemetery ‘Beach last week. Care for Hedland voI- unteer Kim Millers ‘ald tho throst of stray, oes as @ ne ‘thing that had boen ‘well controlied until the past few days when dogs were spotind in ‘the nesting areas. “We've had in the last couple of days the dogs coming down and digging up the nests and obviously distur ‘ing tho turtles and its very sad because very fow hatchlings make it tothe wator” sho said, Many of the aby turtles ate icked oft Hedlands endangered tute hatchines have been attacked by bet ors. by natural pradators such as birds and, even when ‘they make it tothe water, sharks lie in wait. Only one in 1000 tur tes making it safely 10 their new home, Town Ranger Peter Wilden said while controls were in place during the hatching season with fonthespot fines of $100 issued for thoso with dogs net on loach the estyle of shift workers in ‘the town could bete blame for the rovont activity: “We've got a Jot of shift work: ers in the town and the 12 hows: that they're off thoy want to ccm ‘umicate with the kids and do ‘what thetr husbands or wives want to do, so it's probably not 2 huge priority for them,” he said. ‘Mr Widen also urged owners to take better precautions with thoie dogs and fo chosk any prop- erty lines to make sure dogs ‘cold not escape the confines of hole proporty “Ut may be dhe mere fact that ‘people forget to check their prop- forty ines to make sure thst ‘there's no holes forthe dog to get ‘out of if any holes ave. been recently dug up, beeatzo if tho dog gets out it’ going to keep on folng back to that spot.” he sa. "Town of Port Hedland chic executive Chris Adams said patrols In the area had been stepped up with the rangers Starting at Sam each day.Pilbara living costs hobble staffing for health services | dames Mecrath POSHBIONS orving ont for ‘ental alts profesional inthe Pilbara remain unfled due to the rising feet of housing and lak of infrastractare. | the Pilbnra Mental Hoth Mobile Respite Service, which aims to pro Vide rele service forexist ing: mental hoolth profes sionals working in the Nina Boydell and Janet Brown are Pihara. say it has seen the concerned that a lack of mental heath sffoot of nestle Infss- profesionale is impacting on patonts. tructure and. competing industries in trying to atiractquali- Perth and i's already scary and iso- fed poeple tothe rosin lating enough when they Rave fo gp ‘Nitaboydel regional manager for away oa pce like Graylands rontier Services for WA, says. “Even when they get bac, the ink- thore's very litle reaton for mental up services st sometimes arn't heath profesionaistomove on per~ there” manent tass 1 rezional towns such Pilbara Health Network cle exe Port Holand utve Chive Picket says they ky to if you work in the care vrvices attracting professionals to Port sector vou dent get pait much, espe: Hedland is to tt the astronomical ciallyincomparisontomining,s0ie real cetate prices. hotinuch Incentive fog toa ola What we nee todos attract peo- cf town Wars Sere's barge tao la Remain Ow town na eat Stone population and not much per eeu because of Ching ik salary Time instructure” she sald. athe ustag situation,” he sald “Janet Brow. of the. Women's “You just dort get enaih in Your Wollots Gent, oee thata failure to budgot to bo ale fo provide for tho atratsuficent numbers of pres. rene fara yea” Stnals fo the town means patients Mr Piekatsaid the erzenistion havo to feavl to receive tration, had acne limited lek hing nota Teng to nogative pater: cutcomes, health professionals fr ts. ATAPS “Probably one of the big ares, the service, tits stosess had come ey problem is that poople have to go fromthe local tant pool aay to Perth for treatment whichis "Weald mange to gt somone, but hing," she sid “Rorsomeof the abo- she vasa local and tha not poo riginal community theyre heving to bosatse ae’ just ome aerosn from {0 away to Pert for testment and another service s9 now there's & they've eot no family or frends im Yacancy somewhere els,” hespilbara EXTRA — Mawartnkarra reeisies Mawarnkarra Health Service Mavrarnkerra Aboriginal Health Service is now eligible for extra funcing from the goverment after it received top marks and glowing praise from the Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) accreditation service in December. AGPAL assesses general practices Australia-wide, judging ‘them according to a set of approximately 60 criteria set out by the Royal Australian College of General Practioners taking into account things such as coordination of care, practice systems and clinical support processes. ‘Sandy Overington from Mawamkarra says the accreditation means not only extra funding irom the government, but recognition of the quality of care the health service provides. “It's got nothing to do with being an aboriginal medical centre, for us ta be accredited is just showing everyone that we're running the same high standards of care ina medical facility as other private practices” she said. She said the accreditation assessors were also impressed with the service's move to ‘computerise scripts in an effort to provide more effective practices in spite of the centre's relative isolation from IT support services. “What the government is trying Page 12 PILSARA EXTRA Januery 21-27, 2000 to dois to get everyone to have a really high standard of notes and to become more modernised” Overington said. "So if we do a serpt and it's computerised that means the pharmacist can actually read the script because sometimes the doctor's writing can be really bad and pharmacists can’t read it.” Overingion also mentioned the assessors were impressed by efforts to give GPs support through combined care. ‘We have a trained chronic diseases nurse training with the GP, and working with the dietician and we do a lot of other support services like that fo support the GPs." she sad.