Mehi/McIntyre Mental Health Service, with locations in Inverell, Moree and Narrabri, rates so highly they were finalists in the Hunter New England Health Awards.

Leigh Philpott, Mental Health Services Manager for Mehi/McIntyre nominated both Pat and the team for the awards.

Pat Parry, the front-line administrative officer for all the Mehi/McIntyre offices is based in Inverell. Pat was one of four finalists for Outstanding Contribution of the Year. The award was won by The Virtual Hospice with Maitland Palliative Care, which reflects the high calibre of Pat’s nomination.

The Inverell staff for Mehi/McIntyre is part of a large team of 22 through the three regional centres. The team was collectively nominated and achieved finalist status for Clinical Team of the Year. The company they kept in the finals was equally impressive; the top spot taken by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at John Hunter Children’s Hospital.

Mr Philpott recognises that the challenges that face the Mehi/McIntyre team are unique. 

“One of the things we focus really hard over in the last 12 or 18 months is how we do business across such a wide area? Rather than trying to take to do in say, Sydney or Newcastle where everybody’s in one spot, and then actually take that and make it something that works across such a wide distance, is something we’ve actually become very good at I think, and that is reflected in the nomination and the success that we had with it.

“We’ve actually stopped trying to copy what gets done in other areas and accept that it’s such a unique environment out here…trying to focus on what works for the communities that we serve, rather that trying to emulate what happens down in bigger areas,” Mr Philpott said.

Pat Parry has been in the position for four years, the last two full-time. She is the first port of call for all consumer enquiries for the entire Mehi/McIntyre system of the three centres. 

If a person is in strife in Mungindi, Boggabilla, Wee Waa or Ashford, she is there to guide them to the nearest assistance.

Nearly all of her interactions are supporting people to the right assistance over the phone and her calm and caring nature has earned her praise and respect from Mr Philpott. 

“To describe her as the heart and soul of the team is probably an understatement. Certainly in an industry where we hear a lot about recruitment and retention and people who might be distressed or upset, which we deal a lot with, having someone like Pat who radiates that calm and warmth, she’s just one of a kind.”

Pat knows she has a disposition that can be valuable for her job, “Because I’m a very calm person and patient person and I’m caring so I take the time to listen to each person whether they’re in a crisis, or whether they’re after some information and I do always follow-up. 

“I never leave any one in limbo.

“I just care…and all of us have got a bit of mental health I guess, anyway…we will have at some stage. It can be from simple depression over someone or grief…or then it can be the terrible mental health issues, where you need medication permanently for the rest of your life,” said Pat. 

“You know, everyone’s an individual and we’ve all got a story.”

“I’m just very proud –well I was excited to be nominated and then actually to get into the finalists, it’s just a great honour and I’ll always remember it. I’ll never forget.”

Leigh Philpott thinks the team as a whole is committed to their communities and it shows in the lengths they go to give equal or better service than anywhere else.

“It’s really easy sometimes to fall into that that trap of going, ‘Oh well, we’re in the country, so things are going to be harder or worse or whatever. 

“But, actually, if you turn that around and start saying, ‘How does that makes us better? How do we use that to actually to drive us to be better and to be more creative?’ I think you can get a lot out of that. 

“And that’s certainly the way we approach it.”