Hundreds of delegates from across Australia are arriving today in Mount Isa for a conference at James Cook University’s Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health on the hospital grounds.
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Organiser Professor Sabina Knight said attendees would be making an important contribution to the local economy and it was important to have the conference in Mount Isa because that was “where we live and work”.
Professor Knight will open the conference today (Wednesday) at 12.45pm at the Tijrtamai Hall followed by welcome to country and a welcome from Mayor Joyce McCulloch while State Member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter will set the agenda for rural and remote health.
The first session this afternoon is called “remotely interested in health workforce” with a presentation from a rural GP, a discussion on clinical guidelines, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and student attitudes.
Later workforce issues will come under the microscope and the day will finish with a book launch on Australia’s Rural and Remote Health.
Sessions will continue tomorrow and wrap up by lunchtime Friday.
Professor Knight said this year’s theme was inspired by alarming incidents including the murder of South Australian nurse Gayle Woodford in March.
“This (topic) is about making sure the issue doesn’t slip off the policy agenda,” she said.
“(The murder) sparked it but (rural health safety) has been on the agenda a long time.”
The Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health is a University Department of Rural Health, one of a national network of eleven centres, and the only one in Queensland.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
