Record budget for Torres and Cape hospital and health services

Published Tuesday, 13 June, 2017 at 11:30 PM

Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services
The Honourable Cameron Dick

Torres and Cape residents will continue to receive high quality health care and hospital treatment with a record budget for the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service as part of the 2017-18 State Budget.

“Torres Strait and Cape York regions will increase a record $202.9 million next financial year, ensuring quality care continues to be delivered to residents,” Health and Ambulance Services Minister Cameron Dick said.

“This budget ensures the money is being spent where it is most needed,” the Minister said.

“The Torres and Cape region will benefit from new and improved infrastructure with a new primary health care centre on Mer (Murray Island) and continued planning and design for the Thursday Island Hospital redevelopment.

“There is also an investment in Closing the Gap, the nurse navigator program, improved renal care and a boost to physiotherapy and occupational health services.”

Mr Dick said the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service funding was part of a $1.28 billion boost to Queensland’s health budget, with the state-wide budget reaching $16.554 billion in 2017–18.

He said almost $14 billion would go to the State’s 16 hospital and health services and other organisations to provide more staff, programs and services.

“This is an 11 per cent increase on what was provided through the 2016–17 budget and represents 84 per cent of this year’s total Queensland Health operating budget,’’ Mr Dick said.

“The priority for this health budget is on frontline services and delivering on the Palaszczuk Government’s vision of making Queenslanders amongst the healthiest people in the world.’’

Mr Dick said in 2017­–18, the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service would:

  • $1.9 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care;
  • $1.8 million to deliver Closing the Gap initiatives;
  • $1.6 million to continue implementing the North Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sexually Transmissible Infections Action Plan 2016–2021;
  • $500,000 to support changes to rural and remote models of care;
  • Improve the coordination of renal care across the Cape and establish a community peritoneal dialysis chair to better support home dialysis patients in Kowanyama; and
  • Boost physiotherapy and occupational health services to six Cape York communities with the creation of a new allied health position; and
  • Continue transition of primary health services to community control in up to four more communities and strengthen collaboration in other communities.

The Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service will also be undertaking planning and delivery of the following capital projects:

  • Planning and design for a new new $7 million primary health care centre on Mer (Murray) Island;
  • Finalise planning and design for the $36 million redevelopment of Thursday Island Hospital;
  • $25.3 million other approved health infrastructure works currently underway or about to get underway in the Torres Strait and Cape York;

Mr Dick said the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service was performing well.

“Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service emergency departments also were top performers with 93 per cent of patients being seen, treated and either departed or admitted within four hours,’’ he said.

“This is significantly higher than the state-wide emergency access target of more than 80 per cent.’’

Mr Dick said the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service was the largest provider of public health care services across 180,000 square kilometres of the most northern and remote areas of Queensland including 18 islands in the Torres Strait.

ENDS

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