AFTER nine months of planning and preparation, Mount Isa now has a Medicare Local to call its own.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The city's Medicare Local opened its doors today, servicing the largest area in Queensland, the Central and North West region.
Medicare Local i a federally funded primary health care initiative, they work with health professionals and service providers to coordinate better care for patients, and strategic services in their areas.
North West Queensland Primary Health Care (NWQPHC) was selected as the Medicare Local for the region in December 2011 and has been working towards the transition ever since.
Chief executive Evelyn Edwards welcomed the new board and new direction and said she believed continued improvement in the health of people in Central and North West Queensland would now bee seen.
"Our staff built great relationships in the region with patients and professionals, as did our outgoing board."
"It's been an exciting and busy few months for us since we were appointed. It's a great guarantee for our services that will see us continue long into the future," Ms Edwards said.
"North West Queensland Primary Health Care had 18 good years at the frontier of health care in the region.
The transition involved appointing a new board of directors, who have already begun their duties, which include identifying health policy priorities, providing strategic direction for the organisation, and continuing to build and develop relationships with government and non-government agencies and health professionals.
James Cook University professor for Rural and Remote Health, professor Sabina Knight, has been appointed as the interim chairman of the board.
Professor Knight's is currently the director of the Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health, and has been a commissioner for the National Health and Hospitals Reform commission.
"Medicare locals are the next step in Australia's future health system," Professor Knight said.
"Local planning, accessibility and community participation are critical components of primary health care and being local is vital in making this happen."
Ms Edwards said while there is no doubt our region is facing huge health care challenges, she firmly believes the new Medicare Local approach will tackle them all on the head.
"It will provide a vision and direction for health care investment into the region, and a coordinated approach to patient care," she said.
"We know the region is diverse, we know our population can't be neatly classified, our region is full of people leading different lives, miners, farmers, people living in stations, indigenous communities, regional centres and rural and remote communities.
"We don't do one size fits all healthcare but our board will be equipped to make sure we're providing the right care to people in their circumstances."