The Grampians Regional Executive Nurses Network (GRENN) aims to provide a regional forum in which executive nursing staff can meet and discuss issues in a supportive environment. The network was initiated because of issues that executive nursing staff were experiencing in the region. Some of the issues include:

• greater demands and responsibilities through expanded roles
• professional isolation and lack of peer support
• health workforce shortages.

GRENN membership include executive nurses from the 12 health services the constitute the Grampians health care system, Ballarat District Nursing and Healthcare, and representatives from the Grampians Office of the Department of Human Services. GRENN members work collaboratively to facilitate discussion about these issues and develop appropriate strategies which could be applied at a regional level or individual agency level. Major projects facilitated through GRENN include:

• The Rural Health Bank (RHB) Pilot (now called CasConnect) is a project that will be managed by Stawell Regional Health on behalf of Department of Human Services and Grampians health services. The RHB Pilot has been jointly funded by various branches of the Department including Nurse Policy Branch, Service and Workforce Planning Branch, Rural and Regional Health Services Branch and the Grampians Regional Office of the Department. CasConnect is expected to go live early August 2008.
• The Grampians Loddon-Mallee eLearning Project is a collaborative venture between the Grampians and Loddon-Mallee regions of Victoria and e3Learning. The Portal provides access to online learning resources for 39 health services across the two regions. Funding for the project has been provided by the Victorian Government's Department of Human Services.
• The  Grampians Region Nurse Recruitment & Retention 5 Year Plan (pdf icon - 439KB) was developed by regional statekholders to help address nurse workforce shortages in the region.

Further information about GRENN can be obtained from Dr Allan Donelly (Grampians Nurse Recruitment and Retention Coordinator, Grampians Office, Department of Human Services) on (03) 5333 6058 or email allan.donelly@dhs.org.au