As from 1 September 2022, Northern Australia Primary Health Limited (NAPHL) will no longer provide allied health services under the ICC/OAHS program, funded by NQPHN.  

As an interim measure, while we progress our chronic conditions commissioning work, we have engaged North and West Remote Health (NWRH) to provide allied health services to clients who have been diagnosed with a chronic condition.  

NWRH will commence transition activities from 1 July 2022, with a focus on providing care to eligible clients referred by NAPHL who require ongoing care. NAPHL will also continue providing services to existing clients up until 31 August 2022. Please be assured that NQPHN, NWRH, and NAPHL are working together to ensure client safety and care remain our highest priority.  

Information about the referral process and when NWRH will be ready to commence accepting new referrals will be released in coming weeks.  

Future Chronic Conditions Strategy for North Queensland 

If you haven’t already done so, if you would like to be part of the redesign of the Chronic Conditions Strategy for North Queensland to inform future commissioning activities, please register your interest here and we will be in touch once dates are confirmed for the planning phase to commence. 

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.