Gunnedah Rural Health Centre chairman Keith Perrett said the three-year-old community-owned, state-of-the-art centre relies on the ongoing support from the corporate sector.

“The centre is one of the best facilities in regional NSW, so we need to ensure we have the best equipment, which is very expensive,” Mr Perrett said.

“It’s wonderful to have the support of Gunnedah’s biggest employer, Whitehaven Coal, and to know they recognise the worth in our centre.

“We are providing a service Gunnedah desperately needs and without the ongoing support we receive it couldn’t happen.”

Whitehaven Coal’s general manager for health safety environment and communities Kirsten Gollogly said the company was proud to support the centre.

“We are happy to support the continuing development of a great centre for our region,” Ms Gollogly said.

The funding will provide an ophthalmoscope (eyes and ears), a carbon dematoscope (skin), a rechargeable battery for COAGcheck (bloods) and vital physiotheraphy equipment for the health centre.

The centre now has a resident physiotherapist three days a week, with the appointment of Kristen Howe.