Thousands of patients have used clinic since opening in 2016

An afterhours health clinic established on Palm Island has been a godsend for residents, including community education counsellor Arthur Dalton.

He said he had attended the Palm Island Community Company Afterhours Clinic, funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN), at night about five times because he couldn’t receive healthcare during the day due to work commitments

“It’s been very beneficial, especially when my asthma plays up at night and I can’t get away during the day due to work,” Mr Dalton said.

“Well, it helped a lot in many ways. Having something happen during the night, I can present to Palm Island Community Company Afterhours Clinic to see a regular doctor to get some information on how medication and strategies can help me during the day whilst I’m at work and can get my results right away when I’m available. It has been great.

“I come down to the clinic early (after 5pm) and I’ve been seen by a doctor straight away. The service is very easy to access and, with transport provided during the night clinic, that has helped tremendously, and I’ve found it more encouraging to present to the night clinic.

“Personally, I think the afterhours is very beneficial for local residents, and for the visitors. The staff here are very friendly and very knowledgeable and are quick. So, I say a good job to the staff that facilitate the afterhours service.”

Mr Dalton recommends the service to other island residents.

“There are many other locals who have day jobs and can’t afford to leave during their hours and having the afterhours service has been a huge help,” he said.

The clinic has eased the pressure on the Joyce Palmer Health Service’s Emergency Department.

Afterhours clinic Senior Medical Officer Dr Shahead Chowdhury said the service was established on the island to help prevent avoidable emergency department presentations and to provide residents with choice of health services. The clinic operates Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 5pm-9pm and is staffed by a GP, nurse, health worker, receptionist, and transport officer.

“The clinic has provided thousands of occasions of service inclusive of varied episodes and types of care,” Dr Chowdhury said.

“Clinic presentations vary from colds, coughs, flus, wounds, accidents and injuries, medications, health checks, care plans, and transfers to hospital. The list goes on and on.”

Dr Chowdhury said the clinic had saved lives.

“There have been circumstances involving the incidence of presentations that required emergency transfer to Joyce Palmer followed by emergency evacuation to the mainland,” he said.

“This clinic is welcomed and well used by the community.

“In some cases people, who work on Palm Island, attend the night clinic when they cannot get time off work during the day.”