Commissioning priorities and projects
Commissioning priorities for 2024 are:
- First 1000 Days
Commissioning priorities for 2023 were:
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First 1000 Days – ACCHO social and emotional wellbeing
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Child and maternal workforce development uplift
Better Health North Queensland Alliance
On behalf of the Better Health North Queensland (BHNQ) Alliance, NQPHN collaborated with a wide range of partners to develop a First 1,000 Days Framework which will guide service planning, commissioning, delivery, and review across northern Queensland, and will be rolled out at scale to ensure consistent approaches to achieving maternal and child health outcomes for our region. As we progress, the framework will be extended to the first 3,000 days.
NQPHN is using this framework to commission a First Nations social and emotional wellbeing program for the region and will use it to guide further commissioning later in 2023.
Learn more about the First 1,000 Days Framework
First 1,000 Days social and emotional wellbeing co-design workshops
In March 2023, NQPHN and Beacon Strategies facilitated phase one of NQPHN’s First 1,000 Days social and emotional wellbeing co-design workshop in Cairns.
The workshop brought together a cross-section of staff from six Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), Hospital and Health Services (HHSs), the Department of Education and Early Childhood, Tropical Health, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), and digital health organisations from across the region to work collaboratively on developing a new model of care for First Nations maternal and child health social and emotional wellbeing.
Midwives, early childhood educators, mental health directors, immunisation specialists, women’s’ health representatives, and Indigenous health workers were also in attendance and offered unique insights and skills and expertise during the workshop.
This was the first phase of the co-design process with the next round of co-design scheduled with ACCHOs in April 2023.
NQPHN is committed to working with First Nations peoples to develop models of care that best support the needs of their communities.
NQPHN aims to improve health outcomes for all North Queenslanders by working with GPs, pharmacists, dentists, nurses, allied health professionals, secondary care providers, hospitals, and the wider community.
NQPHN responds to the health needs of its region while being guided by the National PHN Performance and Quality Framework, priority areas for targeted work, and national priorities, as decided by the Australian Government.
All commissioning activity aligns with NQPHN's Strategic Plan and priorities.
NQPHN has developed the below infographic that summarises commissioning priorities for 2024.
Click on the links in the 'more on this topic' section to learn more about each priority area and project.
In 2022, NQPHN undertook the following commissioning projects. These initiatives are now delivering important services to communities across the region.
The ITC program aims to improve chronic disease outcomes for First Nations peoples by improving access to primary health care, including culturally appropriate mainstream services, and by providing care coordination and access to brokerage funds (Supplementary Services) for eligible patients.
In 2019, NQPHN commissioned KPMG to undertake a review and redesign of the ITC program. A report was published that described the results of the assessment, evaluation, and co-design options for future commissioning of the ITC program. It made 10 recommendations for changes to the program.
In 2022, all recommendations within the KPMG report were implemented. This means that 12 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCHOs) are now delivering all service delivery aspects of the ITC program (with mainstream general practices), using a localised model for their community. Indigenous Allied Health Australia have been engaged to provide the cultural capacity building component of ITC across the NQPHN region.
The new ITC model aims to support the role of ACCHOs in providing care to their communities and broaden the reach of the program to communities across the region, including in rural locations.
Townsville Head to Health is a service that connects adults who are experiencing high levels of distress and seeking help with local mental health and wellbeing support services.
The service provides a welcoming, safe, and inclusive space, embracing a ‘no wrong door’ approach. It assists people to receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time for both their immediate needs and in establishing connections for ongoing support.
NQPHN is proud to be working with Neami National, the lead agency for the Townsville Head to Health service. In partnership with NQPHN and others, Neami National co-designed a local service model to ensure the service is accessible to the people of Townsville and is connected with other local services.
Neami National also provides the national Head to Health phone service in the North Queensland region.
Find out more and get in touch with Head to Health
- You can visit Townsville Head to Health at 32 Walker Street, Townsville, and contact the service on (07) 4766 8444.
- Townsville Head to Health is open seven days a week and provides extended hours to improve accessibility for the community.
- Visit the Townsville Head to Health website for more information.
- You can also call the national Head to Health phone service on 1800 595 212 from Monday to Friday.
The headspace centres in Mackay and Townsville form part of a national network of centres across Australia to provide access to early intervention services for young people with mental health concerns.
The headspace model aims is to provide young people with accessible, appropriate, and effective low to moderate intensity services. Centres act as a one-stop shop for young people, providing access to youth-friendly health professionals in a safe, confidential, and youth-friendly environment.
Centres also take a proactive role in promoting awareness and understanding of youth mental health issues in their community.
Following a select tender, NQPHN awarded a contract to Stride to deliver the Townsville headspace centre, and to North West Remote Health to deliver the Mackay headspace centre, along with its satellites in Proserpine and Sarina. NQPHN is pleased to be working with these providers to deliver accessible services to young people.
In 2023, NQPHN has prioritised the improvement of culturally safe care to First Nations young people.
Read our media releases below: