The Adroit Charity Golf Day, in partnership with the Ballarat Health Services Foundation, raised over $30,000 on the day to purchase these new devices. The Foundation have generously agreed to donate an additional $48,000 to ensure the purchase of two of these devices. 

These devices use ultrasound to guide the tip of a needle to ensure safe, quick and accurate vascular access for cannulation. Cannulation is required whenever fluids, pain relief, antibiotics or other treatments are required. The use of these devices can significantly reduce trauma in patients, particularly those with veins that are hard to access, or in the case of very young children, when their veins are very small. If these devices are not available, repeated attempts at vascular access may be required, which can produce anxiety, pain, distress and potentially longer-term, needle phobia. 

Dr Austen Erasmus, Co-head of Paediatrics at Grampians Health, said these devices are quite important to paediatric care in Ballarat. 

“Last year at Ballarat Base Hospital, we had over 16,500 Paediatric Emergency Department presentations, over 2,600 admissions to our Children’s Ward and 421 admissions to the Special Care Nursery. These statistics reflect the fact that we care for the highest risk pregnancies and most unwell babies and children from Bacchus Marsh through to the South Australian border. 

“We are the last healthcare provider before a transfer to a tertiary hospital in Melbourne. In caring for these patients, time is of the essence. Having access to these new ultrasound-guided cannulation devices will mean our staff can spend more time caring for patients and less time accessing veins. These devices can also significantly reduce both physical and emotional trauma in patients,” said Dr Erasmus. 

“I would like to thank Adroit Insurance & Risk, the Ballarat Health Services Foundation, and all of the players and community sponsors who have so generously donated to support our highly skilled staff by being able to access the latest technologies.” 

Carly Hibbins, Managing Principal with Adroit Insurance and Risk Ballarat, said she is delighted with another successful year of supporting child health in Ballarat. 

“For many years we have been working with Grampians Health Ballarat to support children through the purchase of equipment and services. These purchases are made possible by our close partnership with Grampians Health Ballarat, the Ballarat Health Services Foundation, and the incredible support of over 30 Ballarat businesses who generously donate to our annual golf day. 

“We are delighted to have reached our 2024 target of $30,000 and we look forward to bringing the golf day back in 2025 and continue to make an impact on child health in our community.”