Prof Skinner said this was not the first time she had lived in the region.

“I’m like a boomerang, when I was a graduate nurse I lived in Cloncurry and I’ve been back a number of times to teach in seminars and workshops,” Prof Skinner said.

MICRRH is the rural and remote branch of the James Cook University providing educational support and a research facility.

The federally funded department works throughout the vast region of the North West and Central West Queensland. 

Prof Skinner said as a university we have a responsibility not only to support the students but also to do research.

“My job is to lead the research team here at MICRRH.”

“There are three main elements of work we do and they are to provide clinical research related to health care, workforce research, health and social services research,” she said.

“The best known work we have achieved is in the area of sleep.

“Sleep across lifespan and how the long term impact of reduced sleep affects the health of a person,” she said.

Another research initiative they are working on is the Emergency Department Category 4 & 5 Program.

“This research investigation will help us gain insight into the factors why people attend the emergency department instead of their GP,” Prof Skinner said.

“There are surveys in the waiting room.”

Another initiative which will be running every second Monday of the month is the Wicked Health Problems Q&A discussion.

Commencing on March 12 a panel of experts will discuss some of the health issues affecting our region of North West Queensland.

“The panel will discuss Diabetes, chronic illness like Heart Disease among other issues,” Prof Skinner said.

“Everyone is welcome to come along to Tjirtamai Hall at 4.30pm for a 5pm start.”