As my ownership of HealthLinks Gippsland, previously East Gippsland Osteopathic Clinic, comes to an end on 30 June, I find myself reflecting with enormous gratitude on what has been an incredibly fulfilling 35-year journey in osteopathic practice.

What began as a passion for helping people through osteopathy grew into something far greater than I could ever have imagined — a thriving regional allied health service, a dedicated team of practitioners and staff, and lifelong connections within the Gippsland community.

Throughout my career, I have always believed that promoting osteopathy goes hand in hand with delivering outstanding patient care. Osteopathy has never simply been a profession to me; it has truly been a way of life. Whether through treating patients, mentoring new graduates, lecturing at postgraduate courses, running clinical tutorials, supporting sporting clubs, or speaking within our communities, I have always aimed to advocate for the value of osteopathic healthcare.

Over the years, our clinics expanded across Gippsland, growing from a small regional practice into a multidisciplinary allied health network servicing communities throughout Sale, Bairnsdale, Orbost, Yarram, Traralgon and Trafalgar. Alongside our osteopathic services, we have collaborated closely with physiotherapists, speech pathologists, dentists, optometrists, massage therapists, psychologists, maternal child & healthcare nurses, midwives and many other allied health professionals. I strongly believe the best patient health outcomes often come from a team approach and professional collaboration.

One of the greatest joys of my career has been mentoring and supporting younger osteopaths entering the profession. Through monthly clinical tutorials, ongoing professional development and fostering a culture of learning and excellence, I have always hoped to inspire confidence, curiosity and compassion in the next generation of osteopathic practitioners. Watching many new graduates grow into exceptional clinicians and leaders has been one of my proudest achievements.

Providing excellent patient-centred care has always remained at the heart of everything we do. Our goal was never simply to treat pain, but to help people remain active, independent and healthy so they could continue enjoying life, work, family, sport and community. Education and genuine connection with our patients have always been central to our osteopathic approach.

Over the years, I have also been privileged to contribute to the broader osteopathic profession through postgraduate lecturing, clinical supervision programs with universities, conference presentations, publications and professional mentoring. These opportunities allowed me to continue learning while also giving back to a profession that has given so much to me. This commitment to learning was recently reinforced when, at an Osteopathic Summit attended by more than 200 osteopaths, I had the privilege of reconnecting with fourteen osteopaths who had worked alongside me over the years at the Orbost practice - the very place where this journey first began.

Living and growing up in a regional community has also shaped who I am as both a practitioner and person. Supporting local sporting clubs, schools, community groups, fundraising events and regional initiatives has been an important part of our journey. During the devastating Black Summer bushfires, I was honoured to work alongside over 100 fellow osteopaths who travelled and volunteered at the Swan Reach Base Camp, providing treatment and support for volunteer firefighters. It was one of many moments that reinforced the incredible generosity and resilience of regional communities.

Navigating both the bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic presented enormous challenges for our business, our team, our patients, and our community yet they also highlighted the strength, adaptability and resilience. Together, we continued to grow, innovate and support our communities through difficult times.

I feel incredibly proud of what our team has built over the years - not only in terms of business growth, but in creating a workplace culture grounded in honesty, excellence, accountability, leadership, teamwork and hard work. These values have underpinned every aspect of our osteopathic practice.

As this chapter comes to a close, I do so with deep appreciation for the many patients, staff, colleagues, locums, mentors, allied health professionals and community members who have been part of this journey and have been the reason for its success.

Thank you for your trust, support and friendship over the years.

While ownership may be changing, my passion for osteopathy and regional healthcare remains as strong as ever. I look forward to seeing HealthLinks Gippsland continue to grow and thrive into the future under the new ownership of osteopath Dr Mitchell Evans.

Thank you for allowing me the greatest privilege of caring for you, your families and your friends, and for the kind referrals over for the past 35 years. It has truly been an honour.

Always bringing you our best in osteopathy,

Dr Belinda Coulton.