North West Hospital and Health Service have told the McKinlay Shire community there is no plans to close the Julia Creek hospital (Multi-Purpose Health Service),
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The NWHHS was forced to downgrade the Julia Creek MPHS from a Level 2 facility to a Level 1 facility in November meaning there is no doctor on site and patients will need to book for services (unless emergency) and patients requiring additional care will be transferred to Cloncurry, Mount Isa or Townsville.
In an update provided to the community on January 29 NWHHS chair Paul Woodhouse said the situation was unchanged which was 'disappointing but not unexpected news".
"The work through the current situation continues on a daily basis both regionally and much further afield and we will keep the McKinlay Shire Council abreast of any developments," Mr Woodhouse said.
"The current situation is due to circumstances beyond our control but has a daily focus by NWHHS.'
Mr Woodhouse reiterated there was no intention to close the facility.
"It has not been discussed," he said.
"The current reduction is not being used as a subterfuge to permanently downgrade service delivery at the Julia Creek MPHS long term."
Mr Woodhouse said the MPHS retained an accident and emergency capacity as well as pathology, and has a nurse on call 24/7.
"We continue to work with the Ramsay St GP practice (Cloncurry), RFDS retrievals to Mount Isa or Townsville continue as required, QAS operations continue as normal and the Mount Isa Emergency Department and TEMSU (Telehealth Emergency Management Support Unit) remain on call as required," he said.
"Affected services remain: The in house night shift and our ability to care for residents and overnight stays."
Mr Woodhouse ended his statement by encouraging the community to use the facility as much as possible.
The NWHHS also recently denied there was any plan to remove the McKinlay Bush Clinic.
The Julia Creek hospital had a $8.4m upgrade in 2019 to give it a modern emergency room, upgraded aged-care wing, new air- conditioning and an outpatients, pharmacy, pathology and other staff amenities.
While you are here, subscribe to our email delivered to your inbox every Tuesday and Friday.
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.
