Written by Lizzie Macaulay
When three local organisations join forces, something special happens. On the Fraser Coast, Nurse Next Door, We’ve Got You Foundation, and Health Cab & Co have created a partnership that’s filling crucial gaps in community care—and it all started with a simple problem that needed solving.
The collaboration began when We’ve Got You Foundation tried to establish their own medical transport service but couldn’t secure enough volunteers. “We were approached by Health Cab & Co and thought it was an awesome idea to partner with them,” explains Sue Dodd, co-founder of We’ve Got You Foundation. This meant the charity could help pay for locals needing medical appointments who couldn’t afford transport or were waiting for government funding to come through.
The partnership expanded when Sue, who is also managing director of Nurse Next Door Fraser Coast, recognised the need to help locals who needed care but had no government funding. “We were getting a lot of clients ringing that needed care but couldn’t access support,” Sue explains. She approached her daughter Nadine – COO of Nurse Next Door locally and Registered Nurse – and a good friend, and the charity was formed—that’s how We’ve Got You Foundation’s healthcare support services began.
Now, with this collaborative foundation established, Nurse Next Door Fraser Coast’s recent My Aged Care approval brings even more opportunities for Fraser Coast residents. “We are now on the My Aged Care portal, so this gives locals the ability for us to manage the whole package without us having to wait for a third-party provider to be involved,” Sue and Nadine explain. This means locals can now choose Nurse Next Door Fraser Coast for comprehensive care—from domestic cleaning and meal preparation to caregiving duties and complex nursing tasks—all without needing multiple providers. “We offer free care plans and all our team members are overseen by a registered nurse at all times,” they add.
While Nurse Next Door focuses on comprehensive in-home care, their partner Health Cab & Co brings a different but equally important perspective to community support. What sets Health Cab & Co apart from traditional transport services is their commitment to person-centred care. “We believe the journey itself matters just as much as the destination,” explains Rennai Rauschenbach, co-founder of Health Cab & Co. “Every interaction, every lift and transfer, every moment spent in our care is an opportunity to foster connection, dignity, and trust.” Unlike standard transport services that focus solely on getting people from point A to B, Health Cab & Co recognises the unique needs of individuals, particularly those living with disabilities. Their specialty in wheelchair-accessible vehicles ensures everyone travels with safety, dignity, and comfort.
As an NDIS registered provider, their services complement Nurse Next Door perfectly. While Nurse Next Door provides skilled nursing, medication management, and daily personal care, Health Cab & Co ensures clients can safely attend medical appointments and access the community. “The combination of our services means clients experience continuity of care and support,” Rennai notes.
Completing this triangle of care is We’ve Got You Foundation, which exists for people “falling through the cracks”. Their partnerships help them reach more people while delivering on their health, wellbeing, and transport mission. They can help locals with small funding amounts when someone has had an accident with no government funding and needs help at home for a week, or when hospitals can’t fund medical transport, for example. “If locals have a medical transport need and cannot physically use trains or buses due to medical conditions, an application can be put in so that We’ve Got You Foundation will fund Health Cab & Co to deliver this transport,” Sue explains.
The collaboration has already made tangible differences. “We’ve Got You Foundation has funded clients that contacted Nurse Next Door for care but had no funding. The charity funded the one or two weeks of services that were required to get the clients back to a healthy situation,” Sue and Nadine share. Other providers are now referring clients to apply through the We’ve Got You Foundation website.
When all three organisations collaborate for one client, the support is comprehensive. “Nurse Next Door can give caring and nursing services or sign them on and be the plan manager. Health Cab & Co can help with getting the medical transport services done, and We’ve Got You Foundation can help fund the gap in what the government does not pay,” Sue explains. For Health Cab & Co, their partnership with We’ve Got You Foundation creates “a safety net that extends beyond simple transportation, offering a service that supports the individual’s wellbeing every step of the way.”
This collaboration represents something unique on the Fraser Coast—three organisations working together to ensure no one falls through the cracks. Whether it’s Sue and Nadine’s local knowledge, We’ve Got You Foundation’s commitment to helping those in need, or Health Cab & Co’s person-centred approach, each brings something essential to the partnership. For locals who think they or a family member might benefit, the process is straightforward: participants can log onto the We’ve Got You Foundation website to email an application or ring Health Cab & Co directly for approval.
It’s proof that when local organisations combine their strengths, the whole really can be greater than the sum of its parts.
Get Involved: We’ve Got You Foundation is actively seeking volunteers to help with fundraising activities that support Fraser Coast locals in need. To donate to the cause, volunteer or learn more, visit their website at wevegotyoufoundation.com.au.