Facilitated by Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS), the forum provided participants with the opportunity to review and contribute insight into what is required for THHS to create a sustainable rural doctor workforce across its sites; including Palm Island, Magnetic Island, Ayr, Ingham, Charters Towers, Hughenden, and Richmond, along with Townsville University Hospital as a training facility.

NQPHN CEO Robin Whyte said Northern Queensland Primary Health Network is working collaboratively with all members of the Northern Queensland health sector to address issues of health workforce shortages.

“Being involved in forums of this nature allows NQPHN to listen and contribute along with other representatives within the region and highlights the importance of the sector working together to inform solutions” said Robin.

The forum was well supported with broad representation from within the health sector. This included attendees from:

• THHS Executive and Board
• Rural Hospitals executives
• National Rural Health Commissioner, Ruth Stewart
• Queensland Office of Rural and Remote Health representatives
• Consumers
• Medical students
• Senior and junior doctors, medical superintendents and GPs
• James Cook University GP training
• James Cook University College of Medicine and Dentistry (including the Dean)
• NQPHN
• Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)
• Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway (QRGP)
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
• Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ).

If you would like to receive more information about the workforce forum, please contact Dr Matthew Bryant, Acting DMS Rural Hospitals Service Group, Indigenous Health Service Division Townsville Hospital and Health Service on email Matthew.Bryant2@health.qld.gov.au

Photo 1: Dr Paula Heggarty - GP and Principal medical educator in JCU GP Training and assessment coordinator for year 4 in the College of Medicine and Dentistry, Dr Konrad Kangru - GP, NQPHN Independent Chair of the Clinical Council, Co-Chair of the Statewide Rural and Remote Clinical Network, and Queensland representative for RACGP Rural Council, Dr Ewen McPhee – GP, life member of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ), representative for the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), and Associate Professor at the University of Queensland, and James McNulty – Queensland Health, Office of Rural and Remote Health.

Photo 2:  Dr Emily Vagg - Medical Superintendent Ingham Hospital, Robin Whyte - NQPHN CEO, Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart - National Rural Health Commissioner, Kieran Keyes - THHS Chief Executive, Ruth Heather - Service Group Director, Rural Health Service Group THHS, and Dr Matthew Bryant - Acting DMS Rural Hospitals Service Group, Indigenous Health Service Division THHS, and Senior Lecturer James Cook University.

The engagement was held at the local Veterans Wellbeing Centre ‘The Oasis’ Townsville.

The first day’s consultations worked with veterans to gain an understanding of how consumers navigate the transition out of defence healthcare and into mainstream healthcare. Participants engaged with facilitators to share what worked well, the barriers experienced, and to provide feedback on opportunities for improvement.

The second day’s consultations were held with local GPs to review the prioritised activities raised by consumers on the previous day. With consumers' feedback front of mind, GPs reviewed content on current Veteran HealthPathways pages and highlighted areas requiring improvement or additional information. GPs collectively provided feedback to improve accessibility to information in a timely manner, that would support GPs in helping consumers to transition from the defence force and easing navigation of their healthcare journey.

The outcomes from the consultation will be actioned by the working group and shared across the nation to improve information on other Veteran HealthPathways sites.

Supported by

The second round of mask fit test training, funded and delivered by NQPHN in collaboration with 3M Australia, was provided to general practice and RACF staff in Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay.

The training builds capacity and capability within general practice and RACFs to support their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and influenza season.

The training sessions, for practices and RACFs which responded to an EOI process, provided participants with:

• basic respiratory selection theory
• basic introduction to fit testing
• introduction to the fit test kit
• hands-on practical training on conducting a fit test with NQPHN-supplied fit test equipment.

 NQPHN would like to thank all general practices and RACFs which have participated in this training to help protect patients and our wider communities.