Primary Care Engagement Team

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About the Primary Care Engagement Team

As part of NQPHN’s commitment to primary care providers, the organisation is pledging investment and effort to ensure that primary care is well placed to respond to the emerging health needs of the North Queensland community.

The Primary Care Engagement (PCE) Team aims to assist primary care providers to maintain highly effective and sustainable practices. The team works to build workforce capacity and capability of GPs and other primary care professionals and their teams to meet the demands for primary care services through integrated, coordinated, and responsive service provision.

Our role

Design and deliver primary care capability and capacity enhancing interventions through face-to-face engagement and planned education.
The collection, collation, analysis, and meaningful use of de-identified clinical data to enhance patient management and practice sustainability.
Driving health service and system integration and improvement through digital enablement by providing capability enhancing support, training, and resource provision.
Increased capacity of general practices to be able to systematically measure and monitor patient care to improve outcomes through continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.
Providing leadership, education, and resources to ensure regional readiness for health reform in collaboration with general practice and other primary care providers and local health services.

Our services

Data optimisation program
Digital data dashboard
Primary Sense
Digital capability enhancement program
Continuing professional development program
Continuous quality improvement programs
Training and webinar library
My health for life program
Resource library
Newsletters

Get to know the PCE Team

Jennifer Burnham, Primary Care Engagement Manager (Mackay)

Jenny leads the Primary Care Engagement Team to deliver comprehensive and professional support to the primary care sector. Jenny has 30 years medical administration and Practice Management experience including general practice, private and public hospital administration, and emergency services. Jenny’s leadership qualities, understanding of the health system, and integration enables her to think outside the box to create, develop, and implement innovative solutions to complex issues.

E: jennifer.burnham@nqphn.com.au

M: 0499 292 838

Linda Jowitt, Senior Primary Care Engagement Officer (Cairns)

Linda is an Enrolled Nurse, originally of the UK, who has called Cairns home since 2006.

With over 25 years health industry experience, incorporating both medical administration and nursing, Linda has worked in both the public and private sector and has built many trusted relationships within the GP community during her time in the region.

Linda is very excited to once again be part of the Primary Care Engagement Team and working with our partners to develop an integrated and coordinated primary healthcare system that ensures we reach our vision of helping ‘Northern Queenslanders live happier, healthier, and longer lives’.

E: linda.jowitt@nqphn.com.au

M: 0484 511 696

Claire Lawless, Primary Care Engagement Officer (Cairns)

Claire has medical administration experience in a specialist clinic environment and general practice. These roles enabled her to gain experience communicating with health providers and a good understanding of the health demographics for North Queenslanders. Claire also has a background in customer service, technical data analysis, and biological science reporting. Claire is a fantastic communicator and problem solver.

E: claire.lawless@nqphn.com.au

M: 0455 043 559

Debra Davis, Senior Primary Care Engagement Officer (Mackay)

Debra-Davis-photo1 Debra is an endorsed enrolled nurse and practice manager with over 15 years’ experience in general practice. Debra moved to Mackay seven years ago and understands the challenges of rural and remote health, after working as a practice nurse in a remote general practice in Western Queensland. Debra is committed to building the capacity of the health workforce in northern Queensland by encouraging quality improvement through practice engagement and supporting general practice in developing access to integrated and comprehensive care for at risk patients.

E: debra.davis@nqphn.com.au

M: 0482 578 279

Holly Bevis, Primary Care Engagement Officer (Mackay)

Holly is an Enrolled Nurse who has relocated to Mackay, from Tasmania. Holly has a background in medical administration in general practice and experience working in residential aged care facilities.

Holly has a passion for health promotion and preventative health. In previous roles, Holly has provided support in chronic conditions management, liaising with health professionals and patients to implement quality improvement changes in general practice. Holly is excited to join the Primary Care Engagement Team and gain more insight into the health challenges faced in northern Queensland with a focus on building high value relationships with primary health care providers to support data optimisation, quality improvement, digital technology enhancement, and accreditation.

E: holly.bevis@nqphn.com.au

M: 0492 128 425

Alexander Mathias, Digital Capability Officer (Mackay)

Alex is passionate about Digital Health and has over five years experience working in this space. His qualifications include Bachelor of Arts, Certificate IV in Network Administration and Diploma in Community Welfare Work. His goal is to achieve a workforce confidently using digital health technologies to deliver health and care. Alex can provide online and face to face support to improve provider uptake and use of State and National digital health initiatives.

E: alexander.mathias@nqphn.com.au

M: 0439 110 555

Patricia Taylor, Senior Primary Care Engagement Officer (Townsville)

Patricia, an experienced healthcare professional, merges over 10 years of practice management in general practice and Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) with a background as an Enrolled Nurse. Her expertise spans general practice, AMS, and hospital settings, underpinned by managerial skills and a dedication to community engagement. Passionate about mentorship and training, she actively fosters sustainable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, making her an invaluable asset to team striving for excellence.

E: patricia.taylor@nqphn.com.au

P: (07) 4796 0432

Luke Lum, Primary Care Engagement Officer (Townsville)

Luke is a highly engaged and skilled communicator with over 15 years of experience in the media and communications industry. He has lived in Townsville for 10 years and has formed many strong connections in his network and is passionate about seeing the community grow and progress. Luke has worked across several community engagement projects including the Townsville Mentally Healthy City Project, Get Active Townsville, and Hit The Hill Suicide Prevention Walk. Luke is committed to improving health outcomes for people in the community and brings an open mind and fresh eyes to the Primary Care Engagement team. He is looking forward to building strong relationships and supporting the primary care providers in the Townsville region.