Queensland and China to share health expertise through new agreement

Queensland is set to collaborate with China on health service design, training for health care professionals and more following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese Province of Sichuan.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick today witnessed the signing of the MoU by Queensland Health with Sichuan Province in Brisbane.

The agreement follows the Minister’s recent trade mission to China and the USA in October.

Mr Dick said the MoU would encourage sharing of expertise in critical health areas such as policy and regulation and best practice for hospital management, as well as health service development.

“China and Queensland have a great history of working effectively together,” Mr Dick said.

“We share the same issues of ageing populations, increasing chronic disease, increasing healthcare costs, issues of access and quality and the need to create more sustainable healthcare systems.

“This agreement sets out to support future collaborations between our government and the provincial governments of Sichuan to tackle these shared issues.

“Queensland and China share some of the brightest minds and innovators in the world and by working together, we can improve patient care and outcomes.

“These collaborations will also help us achieve our Advancing health 2026 vision of ensuring Queenslanders are among the healthiest people in the world and our goal of fostering a strong innovation and research culture across our health system.”

The MoU signing was part of a two-day mission to Queensland for the Chinese delegation, who also visited the Gailes Community Care Unit for adult mental health patients in recovery.

Mr Dick said the group toured the facility and were given an overview of West Moreton Hospital and Health Service’s mental health service delivery models, offering insight into a key focus area of the MoU.

“The treatment and rehabilitation of severe mental illnesses is one of the priority areas for potential collaboration under the MoU, so this stop on their mission marks the first step towards exploring that component of this new agreement,” he said.

Mr Dick said he was delighted the MoU would facilitate further exchange of health and medical research information.

“I am focused on developing relationships and opening doors to more innovative solutions and better health outcomes for Queenslanders,” he said.

“We are committed to working closely with our global neighbours in China to develop more effective health care solutions.

“I greatly look forward to seeing these agreements bear fruit in both countries, and thank the Sichuan Province for entering into these collaborations with the state of Queensland.”

The MoU with Sichuan Province identifies priority areas for collaboration in:

• Hospital management best practice;
• Health care professional training;
• Health service design and development;
• Advancing the understanding of traditional Chinese medicines;
• Treatment and rehabilitation of severe mental illnesses.

Deputy Director-General of Sichuan Health and Family Planning Commission Mr Ou Lisheng said he looked forward to collaborating in these priority areas.

“I hope that through the signing of the MoU between Queensland and Sichuan we will further collaboration between our governments in the health sector,” he said.

“We hope that through improving health services, we can address the health and wellbeing of people living in poverty in Sichuan Province.”

The agreement is one of several involving China witnessed by Mr Dick in recent months.

During the October trade mission, Mr Dick played witness to Queensland Health signing another MoU with the Zhejiang Province to collaborate in areas such as technology solutions, primary care, aged care and the treatment of communicable diseases. As a result, a delegation from Zhejiang will also visit Brisbane tomorrow in a bid to understand health financing in Queensland.

On the same mission, Mr Dick also witnessed the signing of an MoU between Life Sciences Queensland and the Zhejiang Council for Health Services Promotion – two peak industry bodies which represent more than 500 life sciences sector organisations.

This agreement aimed to provide a framework and supporting mechanism for direct business-to-business trade and development between Zhejiang and Queensland, as well as collaboration on industry and innovation conferences.

ENDS

Media contact:             Anika Hume 0439 253 815