HUGE BOOST FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE IN FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND

The Queensland Ambulance Service was enjoying record levels of funding thanks to the commitment of the Beattie Government, the Minister for Emergency Services, Pat Purcell, said today.

“Since the start of the 2005-06 financial year, hundreds of thousands of dollars has been poured into the Far North region – encompassing Cairns, the Tablelands and Cape York – to maintain and boost the world-class Queensland Ambulance Service,’’ Mr Purcell said.

Among the benefits for Far North Queensland are:

• Agreement has been reached for a replacement station in Babinda.
• Planning is continuing on a replacement station in Weipa, to be a joint QAS, Queensland Health facility.
• Planning is continuing for a replacement station at Yarrabah.
• The purchase of land for a replacement station in Atherton has been finalised and plans are being developed.
• An ambulance field office in Cooktown has been completed.
• The Innisfail joint QAS/Queensland Fire and Rescue Service facility has been completed.
• New Mercedes-Benz ambulances have been delivered to Cairns and MissionBeach.

·New Mercedes-Benz dual stretcher patient transport vehicles have been delivered to the Tully and Cairns stations.

• Three new paramedics have been appointed this financial year, joining the eight appointed last financial year.

“This is thanks to the record levels of funding the Beattie Government has given to the QAS, helped by the introduction of the Community Ambulance Cover in July 2003.”

This year’s budget for the QAS of $313 million is almost double that of $158 million when the Coalition was last in power in 1997-98.

By October next year the Beattie Government will have added an extra 500 paramedics since the CAC started.

Other initiatives being provided by the Beattie Government include:

• The training of paramedics in urban search and rescue.
• Introducing a new state-of-the-art computer aided dispatch service to link the QAS and Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.
• New information gathering technology for paramedics that will dramatically reduce the time spent on paperwork.
• Funding for 45 Emergency Services Cadets groups, to encourage Queensland’s young people to learn skills and take an interest in emergency services.
• Creating Joint Emergency Service Units in remote areas to link ambulance, fire and State Emergency Service functions.
• Implementing a special Indigenous Service Delivery enhancement fund, which includes funding for first aid kits and new communications equipment.
• Creating QAS First Responder units, to facilitate first aid and CPR training for members of the public in remote and rural areas.

The Beattie Government’s boosting of the QAS is also shown by the 98 per cent of QAS patients surveyed who are satisfied or very satisfied with the service they received.

Also, the QAS recently received a big tick of approval from the Federal Government’s Productivity Commission. The commission’s independent report showed the QAS is one of the best performers in pre-hospital care in Australia, and received the most per person funding in the nation.

Media contacts: Justin Coomber 3247 8194, 0407 130 287;
Daniel Landon 3247 8992, 0437 837 976.