NWHHS board chair Paul Woodhouse says current interim arrangements will remain in place for the Julia Creek MPHS as a Level 1 facility though they have appointed a new director of nursing.
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The hospital was downgraded before Christmas due to staffing issues but Mr Woodhouse said NWHHS continues to provide emergency care to the community 24/7 and GP services two to three days a week.
"Work continues toward reinstating the facility to Level 2, reliant still on successful recruitment to a full complement of staff," Mr Woodhouse said.
"In the first instance however, the HHS plans to transition back towards providing inpatient Aged Care beds as soon as we have finalised nursing recruitment".
Mr Woodhouse said the good news was Jillian Fisher had accepted the role of Director of Nursing while interviews commence on April 1 for a Clinical Nurse.
"Encouragingly, there has been an increase in the number of applications for Registered Nurses and Enrolled Nurses, with the RN applications closing April 6," he said.
Mr Woodhouse said NWHHS participated in a Julia Creek MPHS Roundtable discussion on March 26 with McKinlay Shire Council, RFDS, Julia Creek CAN, Office of Rural & Remote Health, and Western Qld Primary Health Network.
"The objective of the Roundtable was the re-establishment of the McKinlay Shire MPHS as a Level 2 facility and to provide an update on progress and solutions," he said.
"By most accounts it was a successful meeting, with helpful information sharing of both the challenges facing the community and the NWHHS, as well as Queensland Health more broadly.
"Tamsyn Cullingford (Executive Director People, Culture & Planning) and Dianne Phillips (Director of Nursing, Remote Facilities) attended the Community Advisory Network meeting this month, and shared an update on recruitment progress, as well as reaffirming that continuing challenges in recruitment was the driver for the temporary downgrade of the Julia Creek Hospital. The community also voiced their fears and frustrations with the current situation."
On primary care, Dr Don Bowley (NWHHS Deputy Chair), Dr Ulrich Orda (Executive Director Medical Services), Michelle Garner (Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery) and Tamsyn Cullingford also met with private GP providers to work through potential solutions to improve access to primary health care.
Ms Garner and Ms Phillips also visited Julia Creek Hospital to meet with staff on March 31.
Mr Woodhouse encouraged people to make maximum use of the Julia Creek Hospital, as well as the GP Clinic when a doctor is onsite.
"On the days where there is not a doctor onsite, please remember there are highly trained and competent professionals still inside the hospital and/or available 24/7," he said.
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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.
