“It is with this knowledge that QAIHC welcomes the involvement of a large corporate entity such as QGC in helping to address the national health priority of ‘closing the gap’ by improving access to services in rural areas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.” Mr Selwyn Button CEO QAIHC
Background
Today marks the launch of the Central Queensland Regional Aboriginal and Islander Community Controlled Health Organisation (CQ RAICCHO) mobile Health Clinic in Gladstone, funded by the Queensland Gas Company (QGC).
CQ RAICCHO, a Regional Member Organisation of the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), will manage this brand new Community-Controlled mobile health facility.
Selwyn Button, CEO, QAIHC has today welcomed the launch of the mobile health clinic, and praised the involvement of QGC.
“QAIHC and Queensland Gas Company have been working in partnership to establish a mobile health Clinic to operate across Central Queensland and Wide Bay,” Mr Button said.
Amongst the visitors were Campbell Newman Premier Queensland, Deputy Chairman of NACCHO Matthew Cooke, Lawrence Springborg Health Minister and Selwyn Button CEO QAIHC
“Through this partnership, QGC has generously provided $425,000 to support the building, as well as the fit out of the mobile clinic, and for a vehicle to move the mobile clinic between various locations.
“Free Spirit, a Queensland company based in Caloundra has built the mobile clinic to an exceptionally high standard.
“Chronic disease and preventable illness account for approximately seventy per cent of the health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians.
“It is with this knowledge that QAIHC welcomes the involvement of a large corporate entity such as QGC in helping to address the national health priority of ‘closing the gap’ by improving access to services in rural areas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.” Mr Button stated.
“The availability of a mobile medical clinic will go a long way to addressing the health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who encounter a range of barriers and obstacles affecting access to primary health care, allied health and other specialist services.
“The mobile clinic will be based out of Gladstone and service three alternate routes primarily in and around the QGC operating areas,” Mr Button said.
“The services will be accessible to all Indigenous people living within the scope of each route, and ongoing referral mechanisms will be established with local Regional Aboriginal and Islander Community Controlled Health Organisations.
“The cooperative team effort between QGC and QAIHC demonstrates the commitment of both organisations to improving the health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland, and provides a working example of a private and non-government sector partnership to address priority health inequities as identified in the Qld Government Blueprint for Health.” Mr Button stated.
The regional focus of the CQRAICCHO includes a commitment to:
Building sustainable programs and services for health care, disease control, aged care, mental health, and social and emotional well-being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities in Central Queensland
Expanding the delivery of comprehensive primary health care by member organisations to under-serviced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities in Central Queensland
Developing, implementing and evaluating new delivery models of comprehensive primary health care treatment, prevention and early intervention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities in Central Queensland.
Media Enquiries: Judi Jabour, Campaign Capital, 0412 402 946
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Related articles
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- NACCHO Adelaide summit news:Powerful,positive and achieving a healthier future for Aboriginal people (nacchocommunique.com)
- NACCHO health news:Lowitja Institute Appoints Justin Mohamed and Selwyn Button Board Members (nacchocommunique.com)
- NACCHO NATSIHP news: $12 billion Aboriginal health plan to be launched today (nacchocommunique.com)
- NACCHO MJA report: Partnership and leadership: key to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people (nacchocommunique.com)
This is a lesson for all Australian governments. An alternative option to governments investing their funding in capital works project to build medical facilities in aboriginal communities where the majority of the funding ends up in the pockets of construction companies and associated supplies; a mobile health clinic enables the majority of funding to be spent on medical services and suppliers. It also provides the service quicker and enables the most disadvantaged aboriginal communities to be prioritized and received medical assistance first. We just need more of them and some detoxification and rehabilitation services to support the mobile unit as well. As we all know, it’s not just about money (although we need money); it’s about strategy and how the money is spent. Can you imagine if we had these units everywhere how much quicker aboriginal people would get better. I very much prefer this approach to Noel Pearson’s strategy called .. what was his policy about again?
Press release from Queensland Govt: Mobile base for Indigenous health launched in Gladstone
Improving Indigenous Health was on the Newman Government agenda, when Premier Campbell Newman and Health Minister Lawrence Springborg unveiled a mobile health clinic in Gladstone.
Mr Newman said the purpose-built mobile facility would target the needs of indigenous Queenslanders with the support and backing of corporate and health service partners.
QGC Pty Ltd, in partnership with Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), has provided $475,000 to fit-out the off-road caravan and fund the first two years of clinical services by doctors, nurses and indigenous health workers.
“There is a real need to address indigenous health issues and the best way to do that is to make health professionals mobile and take them to needy communities,” Mr Newman said.
Mr Newman said the Gladstone-based clinic would serve communities in an area west to Emerald and south to Roma and Miles increasing access to doctors, nurses and Indigenous health workers.
“QGC is fulfilling its social responsibility and is partnering with QAIHC to improve health services in communities hosting and supporting gas industry development,” he said.
Health Minister, Lawrence Springborg, praised QGC and its partnership with QAIHC.
“Queensland Health is striving to improve indigenous health outcomes and organisations like QAIHC are best placed to help us achieve this,” Mr Springborg said.
“They are an example of health partners better placed to deliver health messages because of their close linkages with indigenous communities and their understanding of local needs.”
Mr Springborg said that chronic disease and preventable illness, especially amongst indigenous communities, is an impost to the State health system.
“The new mobile clinic will go a long way to reducing this burden, allowing the health dollar to go further in Queensland,” he said.
Queensland Curtis LNG Project Director Mitch Ingram said the clinic was part of more than $1.6 million being invested by QGC in outreach medical services in central and southern Queensland.
“The clinic will strengthen health services, in line with commitments made in the $150 million Queensland Curtis LNG Social Impact Management Plan,’’ Mr Ingram said.
“This service is demonstrating how companies can work with indigenous peoples and organisations to improve outcomes for communities.”
Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council represents 26 community-controlled health services across the state.
The health clinic will be staffed by the Central Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Community Controlled Health Organisation, the peak body for indigenous health in Central Queensland and Wide Bay.
Selywn Button, chief executive of the council, said he looked forward to seeing people benefit from the service.
“A solid partnership has now been established which will ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across central Queensland, North Burnett and surrounding areas are able to access vital good-quality, comprehensive primary health care services,” he said.
[ENDS] 26 August 2013
Media contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
Clare Mildren (Minister Springborg) 0417 255 284